Question about building an online portfolio

[MattBess]

Hey all, I wanted to build an online portfolio for my programming skills. Do you guys have any suggestions on what website to use or anything of the nature for me to display my portfolio? Just wanted to get some ideas and opinions

[Cubbi]

Use github. When I'm interviewing, a candidate with a github link on their resume is always a cause for excitement around the office, even if the stuff there has nothing to do with the job requirements.

[RUNNER PRO AGARIO]

Not just Github, any sort of website that hosts repositories, like BitBucket, will also help. It's really all up to your decision for which one you want to use.

[shadowmouse]

Is this also useful for applying to universities? I'm going to be applying to Cambridge as long as nothing goes terribly wrong to do Computer Science and I've been told that my current programming is way above A level, so should I give them the link to my BitBucket where I keep my course work (if it's done in time)?

[RUNNER PRO AGARIO]

Honestly, like Cubbi mentioned, use Github. Colleges will accept repositories from Github, since it is popular. I don't see anything wrong with Bitbucket, though.

[shadowmouse]

The only reason I use bitbucket is because it means I can use source tree, and because for course work, I doubt they'd like it if it's in a publicly modifiable repository. But my question was really, if I'm applying to study computer science, is it a good idea to put a link to my programming on my personal statement, or will they think I'm just trying to get an "easy" qualification in something that I already know?

[RUNNER PRO AGARIO]

Really, it depends, when you say "easy" qualification, what do you mean? Are you trying to say your programs are too easy, that anyone can achieve them?

[shadowmouse]

No, I wasn't saying that I think the qualification is easy (hence the quotation marks), I was saying seeing as they don't actually expect people to have done an A level in Computing in order to do a degree, if I put a link to a massive coding project on my personal statement, will they think "This guy puts lots of time and effort into programming and has done so successfully, let's give him a place", or will they think more along the lines of "This guy obviously already knows how to program, why does he want to do this course when a significant amount of it (at least to start with) is stuff he'll already know)"?

[RUNNER PRO AGARIO]

Probably not the latter, I think. They will probably go with the first one, as it isn't likely that the latter will be done. It is unlikely that people will judge you negatively based on your knowledge.

[ChajusSaib]

@shadowmouse

Most Unis look for a wide variety of stuff a person does, not just stuff focused on the course you are taking but that is important aswell.

[shadowmouse]

Okay, thanks guys, I was just trying to make sure I wouldn't be making a mistake putting it on there.

[RUNNER PRO AGARIO]

Then Good luck!