Most developer portfolios fail the same way: a grid of project cards, each with a screenshot, a tech-stack badge row and a "View Code" link. Recruiters and hiring managers skim them in under a minute and move on. Below is a checklist I'd use to turn a portfolio from a gallery into evidence.

1. Lead with the problem, not the stack

"React + Node + MongoDB" tells a reader nothing about your judgment. Compare:

Inventory sync for a small print shop. Their catalog lived in three spreadsheets. I built a PHP/MySQL import that reconciles SKUs nightly and flags conflicts, cutting manual fixes from hours to minutes.

One paragraph, and the reader knows the domain, the constraint and the outcome. Put the stack underneath.

2. Show three projects, not twelve

Pick the three that best show range: one with real users or data, one that shows depth (performance, security, tricky state), and one that shows you can finish and polish. Everything else goes in a "more work" list or stays on GitHub.

3.…