Website_Template — Next.js Portfolio Template

SHA-256: 4c7f3ed68eb54cd7631c8e5caa35ebbadfd0dbedc95e6db393d87cb0230f76da

2026-10-14T19:18:59.225Z

# Website Template

A clean, fast personal website and portfolio you can deploy for free, with a working contact form built in. Want to see it live? Check out www.OpsGS.com.

## What this is

This is a ready-to-launch website template built with Next.js. You fork it, swap in your own words and images, and put it online. When you are done you will have a live, professional three-page site at your own domain, with a contact form that emails you, plus the basics search engines look for (a sitemap, social-share preview images, and structured data).

It is for anyone who wants a polished personal or freelance site without building one from scratch. You do not need to be a Next.js expert. If you can follow numbered steps and copy-paste a command, you can do this. If this is your first website ever, that is fine. This guide assumes exactly that.

The template has three pages out of the box:

- `/` (home): a "fork" page with two doors (for example, hire me vs. contract with me).
- `/work`: a portfolio.
- `/services`: an offer page (here, an automated-reporting service).

**Honest time estimate:** about 1 to 2 hours start to finish. Roughly 20 minutes to get it running on your computer, 30 to 45 minutes to make the words and images yours, and 20 to 30 minutes to deploy and connect the contact form. Adding your own domain and Google Search Console adds another 20 to 30 minutes, plus waiting time for DNS (Domain Name System, the internet's address book that maps your domain name to a server) to update.

---

## 1. What you'll need

Set these up first. The free tiers are enough for everything here.

| Tool or account | Required? | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [GitHub](https://github.com) account | Required | Stores your copy of the code. |
| [Vercel](https://vercel.com) account (free Hobby plan) | Required | Hosts your live site. Sign up with GitHub to link them. |
| [Resend](https://resend.com) account (free) | Required for the contact form | Sends the emails from your contact form. The site works without it, but the form will not send until this is done. |
| [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) version 20 or newer | Required | Runs the site on your computer. |
| A code editor (for example, [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com)) | Required | Edits the text and files. |
| A domain name | Optional | Use your own web address (for example, `yourname.com`). You can launch on a free `*.vercel.app` address first and add a domain later. |
| [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) | Optional | Helps Google find and index your site. |

**Check your work:** open a terminal (on Mac, press Cmd+Space, type `Terminal`, and press Enter; on Windows, open PowerShell from the Start menu; or use the terminal built into VS Code under **View > Terminal**) and run this:

```bash
node -v
```

You should see a version number like `v20.0.0`. The number right after the `v` should be 20 or greater (for example, `v20`, `v22`, or `v26` are all fine).

If you see "command not found" or a number below 20, install or update Node.js from [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org) and run the command again.

---

## 2. Get it running on your computer

You are about to download the code and run it on your own machine, so you can preview every change before anyone else sees it. This matters because you never have to guess: you see exactly what your visitors will see.

### One-time setup: tell git who you are

If this is your first time using git on this computer, set your name and email once. Use the email address on your GitHub account. This prevents a deploy error later (covered in Troubleshooting).

```bash
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
```

### Get the code

1. Fork the template repository on GitHub. Open [https://github.com/Automating-my-Job/Website_Template](https://github.com/Automating-my-Job/Website_Template) and click the **Fork** button (top right). This makes your own copy under your GitHub account.
2. On your new fork's page, click the green **Code** button and copy the web address it shows (it looks like `https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/Website_Template.git`).
3. Clone your fork to your computer. Paste your copied address in place of the one below.

   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/Website_Template.git
   ```

4. Move into the project folder. Your folder name matches your repository name.

   ```bash
   cd Website_Template
   ```

5. Install the dependencies (the supporting code packages the site needs).

   ```bash
   npm install
   ```

   You may see lines that start with `npm warn`. Warnings are normal and safe to ignore. Only an `npm error` that stops the process is a real problem (see Troubleshooting).

6. Start the local development server (a private preview that runs only on your computer).

   ```bash
   npm run dev
   ```

7. Open [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000) in your browser.

**Check your work:** you should see the home page with its two doors. As you edit files later, this page updates automatically while `npm run dev` is running.

If the page does not load, confirm step 6 is still running in your terminal (it stays running, that is normal) and that nothing else is using port 3000.

---

## 3. Make it yours

This is where the template becomes your site. Work through the checklist below. The most important file is `lib/content.ts`: nearly all of the words on the site live there, so editing it updates the whole site in one place.

Open the project folder in your code editor (in VS Code, **File > Open Folder**, then pick the folder you cloned). You can keep `npm run dev` running in the terminal while you edit.

### Text and links

- [ ] Open `lib/content.ts` and edit the copy. Pay special attention to the `SITE` object near the top. Set these three to your own values:
  - `SITE.url` (currently `"https://www.opsgs.com"`): your canonical site address. Canonical means the one official address for your site (more on choosing this in section 6).
  - `SITE.email`: your contact email. Capitalization in an email address does not matter, so `[email protected]` and `[email protected]` are treated the same.
  - `SITE.linkedin`: your LinkedIn profile URL.

### Images (in the `public/` folder)

Replace these with your own files, keeping the same file names. The PWA and icon files need specific square sizes. If you only have a regular photo, a free online image resizer or favicon converter can produce the right dimensions and the `.ico` format. You can also skip the icon files for a first launch and come back to them later.

- [ ] `public/logo.png`
- [ ] `public/headshot.jpg`
- [ ] `public/pwa-192.png` (192 by 192 pixels)
- [ ] `public/pwa-512.png` (512 by 512 pixels)
- [ ] `public/demo/before-spreadsheet.png`
- [ ] `public/demo/after-deck.png`
- [ ] `public/demo/ops-gs-sample-report.pdf`
- [ ] `public/demo/ops-gs-sample-workbook.xlsx`
- [ ] `app/apple-icon.png`
- [ ] `app/favicon.ico` (an icon file; use a favicon converter to make one from a PNG)

### Contact form addresses

- [ ] Open `app/api/contact/route.ts` and change these three hardcoded values:

  | What | Current value | Change to |
  | --- | --- | --- |
  | `from` address | `OPS GS Website <[email protected]>` | An address at your verified sending domain (see section 4) |
  | `to` address | `[email protected]` | The inbox where you want to receive messages |
  | `ALLOWED_ORIGINS` | `["https://www.opsgs.com", "https://opsgs.com"]` | Your own domain(s) |

  Note: `ALLOWED_ORIGINS` already allows Vercel preview URLs (`*.vercel.app`) automatically, so you do not need to add those.

### Social previews and structured data

- [ ] Edit the share-preview text in `app/opengraph-image.tsx`, `app/work/opengraph-image.tsx`, and `app/services/opengraph-image.tsx`. These contain some hardcoded name and tagline text. (These images are what show up when someone shares your link on social media or chat.)
- [ ] Confirm `components/JsonLd.tsx` looks right. It builds Person and Organization structured data (machine-readable info for search engines) and reads from `SITE.url` and `SITE.linkedin`, so updating `lib/content.ts` usually covers it.

### The old-domain redirect

- [ ] Open `next.config.ts` and update or remove the redirect rule that sends traffic from `opsgs.vercel.app` to `www.opsgs.com`. This was specific to the original site. If you do not need it, delete that redirect.

**Good to know:** the SEO files `app/robots.ts`, `app/sitemap.ts`, and `app/manifest.ts` mostly read from `SITE` in `lib/content.ts`, so you usually update `content.ts`, not these files directly.

**Check your work:** with `npm run dev` running, refresh [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000). Your text, your headshot, and your logo should all appear.

### Save your changes to GitHub

Your edits so far live only on your computer. Vercel deploys from GitHub, so you must send your changes there before they can go live. In the same terminal, in your project folder, run:

```bash
git add -A
git commit -m "Make it mine"
git push
```

Vercel redeploys automatically every time you push. If `git push` complains about your identity, see the one-time git setup at the start of section 2.

---

## 4. Turn on the contact form with Resend

Your contact form needs a service to actually send the email. That service is Resend. **Important:** the site works fine without this, but the contact form will not send a message until you finish these steps.

1. Create a free account at [resend.com](https://resend.com).
2. In the Resend dashboard, create an **API key** (a secret token that lets your site send mail through Resend). Copy it somewhere safe. You will not be able to see it again.
3. Add and verify your **sending domain** in Resend. This means adding a few DNS records to your domain so Resend can prove you own it. Resend shows you the exact records to add. Verification can take a few minutes to a few hours while DNS updates. Until your domain shows as verified, sends will fail, and on the free tier Resend may only let you send to your own account email. Do not be alarmed if a test does not arrive before verification finishes.
4. Make sure the `from` address in `app/api/contact/route.ts` (from section 3) uses your verified domain. For example, if you verified `yourdomain.com`, a `from` of `[email protected]` works.
5. Store your API key as an environment variable (a named secret your code reads at runtime) named exactly `RESEND_API_KEY`. This is the only environment variable this project uses, and it is read only on the server.

   For local testing, create a file named `.env.local` in the project root (the folder containing `package.json`, which is the folder you cloned). The easiest way to create it is from your code editor: make a new file, name it `.env.local`, and add this single line:

   ```bash
   RESEND_API_KEY=your_key_here
   ```

   Files matching `.env*` are gitignored, so this secret is never committed to GitHub. Good.

**Check your work:** in the same terminal window where the dev server is running, stop it (press Ctrl+C), then start it again with `npm run dev` so it picks up the new file. Submit your own contact form on the local site. If your sending domain is verified, you should receive an email at your `to` address. If nothing arrives, confirm the domain is verified and check Troubleshooting before assuming something is broken.

---

## 5. Put it online with Vercel

Now you publish the site so anyone can reach it. Make sure you have pushed your changes to GitHub first (the end of section 3).

1. Go to [vercel.com](https://vercel.com) and sign in with GitHub.
2. Click **Add New** then **Project**, and import your forked GitHub repository.
3. Vercel auto-detects the framework as **Next.js**. You do not need to change the build settings.
4. Before deploying, open the **Environment Variables** section and add:
   - Name: `RESEND_API_KEY`
   - Value: your Resend API key from section 4
5. Click **Deploy** and wait for the build to finish.

**Check your work:** Vercel gives you a live `*.vercel.app` address. Open it. Your site should load, and the contact form should send a real email (Vercel preview and production URLs are already allowed by the contact route).

If the deploy is blocked with "Invalid git email address," see Troubleshooting.

---

## 6. Add your own domain

A custom domain makes the site yours. Skip this section if you are happy on the `*.vercel.app` address for now.

1. In your Vercel project, go to **Settings** then **Domains** and add your domain.
2. Vercel shows the DNS records to add at your domain registrar (the company you bought the domain from). Add them there.
3. Pick your **canonical** address: either the `www` version (`https://www.yourdomain.com`) or the apex/bare version (`https://yourdomain.com`). Pick one and use it everywhere. Vercel can redirect the other one to it.
4. Update these to match your canonical choice, then commit and push again (as in the end of section 3) so Vercel redeploys:
   - `SITE.url` in `lib/content.ts`
   - `ALLOWED_ORIGINS` in `app/api/contact/route.ts` (include both the `www` and apex forms so the form works no matter which a visitor uses)

**Check your work:** visit your domain. It should load over `https://` with a padlock. DNS changes can take from minutes to a day to fully propagate, so if it is not live immediately, wait and check again.

---

## 7. Help people find it on Google

This tells Google your site exists and where to find every page.

1. Go to [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) and add a **domain property** for your domain.
2. Verify ownership with a **DNS TXT record** (a small text record you add at your registrar; Google gives you the exact value).
3. Submit your sitemap. The address is your domain plus `/sitemap.xml`, for example:

   ```text
   https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
   ```

**Check your work:** open `https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml` in a browser. You should see a list of your page URLs. If they show the old `opsgs.com` address, recheck `SITE.url` in `lib/content.ts`, then commit and push so Vercel redeploys.

---

## 8. Optional: extra protection

The contact route already has layered protection (an origin allowlist, an in-memory rate limit, a hidden honeypot field, input validation, length caps, and an HTML-escaped email body). For more durable protection against abuse:

- Add a **Vercel WAF** (Web Application Firewall) rate-limit rule on the `/api/contact` path. You set this up in the **Firewall** tab of your Vercel dashboard. It enforces limits at the edge, which the built-in in-memory limit cannot do on its own.
- See `SECURITY.md` for the project's responsible-disclosure policy.

---

## 9. Project map

A quick tour of the files you are most likely to touch.

| File or folder | What it's for |
| --- | --- |
| `lib/content.ts` | Single source of truth for nearly all site copy, plus `SITE.url`, `SITE.email`, `SITE.linkedin`. |
| `app/layout.tsx` | Shared chrome (Navbar and Footer) wrapping every page. |
| `app/api/contact/route.ts` | The only backend: the contact form handler. Holds the `from`/`to` addresses and `ALLOWED_ORIGINS`. |
| `public/` | Static images and downloads (logo, headshot, PWA icons, the `demo/` files). |
| `app/opengraph-image.tsx` (+ `work/`, `services/`) | Generated social-share preview images. |
| `components/JsonLd.tsx` | Person and Organization structured data for SEO. |
| `app/robots.ts`, `app/sitemap.ts`, `app/manifest.ts` | SEO files that read from `SITE` in `lib/content.ts`. |
| `next.config.ts` | Security headers, Content-Security-Policy, and the old-host redirect to update or remove. |
| `.env.local` | Your local secret (`RESEND_API_KEY`). Not committed. |
| `SECURITY.md` | Responsible-disclosure policy. |

**Useful commands:**

```bash
npm install     # install dependencies
npm run dev     # local dev server at http://localhost:3000
npm run build   # production build
npm run start   # serve the production build
npm run lint    # check the code for problems
```

(The repo also includes an `AGENTS.md` and `CLAUDE.md` aimed at AI coding assistants. You can ignore them for setup.)

---

## 10. Troubleshooting

**The contact form returns an error.**
Check, in order:
1. `RESEND_API_KEY` is set (in `.env.local` locally, and in Vercel's Environment Variables for the live site).
2. Your sending domain is verified in Resend.
3. The `from` address in `app/api/contact/route.ts` uses your verified domain.

**The deployment is blocked with "Invalid git email address."**
This happens when the commit author's email is not linked to your Vercel/GitHub account. Set your git identity to the email on your GitHub account, then commit again:

```bash
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
```

**Something seems broken locally and you are not sure why.**
Confirm you are on Node 20 or newer, then reinstall:

```bash
node -v
npm install
```

Remember that `npm warn` lines during install are normal. Only an `npm error` that stops the process needs your attention.

---

## Credits

This template was open-sourced by OPS GS, LLC. You are free to make it your own. Build something good.