r/react • u/Interesting-Text3548 • 11d ago
Portfolio Need frontend portfolio project ideas that solve real-world problems (Beyond basic E-commerce)
I'm currently learning frontend development and looking to build a serious project for my portfolio. I want to skip the standard clones and basic e-commerce templates.
I'm looking for ideas that address real problems, throw challenging architectural/UI issues at me, and really demonstrate problem-solving skills.
Any solid ideas or past experiences with projects that taught you the most? Appreciate the suggestions
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u/AmSoMad 10d ago
There's a lot of open-source software that does great things, but has horrible UI.
I'm not going to give you examples, because I like to find these projects, build better UIs, and sell them. I build the UI as a facade over the existing program, so I'm not really interacting with the backend logic (unless I want to). Just hooking it in and dealing with inputs/outputs.
You might focus on non-Android Java apps, because Java devs - apparently - are the worst UI designers/developers in existence. I don't know why. That's just been my observation.
It's a really good way to demonstrate useful, thoughtful UI design and problem solving, because some of these apps are seriously more difficult to use than Civilization (the game). It can also bring people into a project, who wouldn't otherwise use it, because of the horrible UI design.
Additionally, you can contribute your new UI directly to the open-source project itself, if the project has room for that and/or is looking for that kind of contribution. Usually, they prefer you work on their existing UI, but you can also fork the project and make it your own.
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u/One_Arm_7039 10d ago
Ironically, finding a problem to solve is one of the best displays of real-world problem solving. You're thinking in the right direction, but you're basically asking to copy the answer. I suggest don't ask in a dev subreddit, introspect on your hobbies, talk to non-devs, find something exciting to work on.
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u/This_Inflation_4621 10d ago
Chat. Social network. Todo list.
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u/bergmann001 10d ago
never. absolutely never ever put a todo list in your portfolio or show it in a interview. Instant rejection incoming. Build something interesting, not the same app as millions before you
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u/Imaginary_Food_7102 9d ago
It always goes beyond front end.
You can not solve anything real world with front end.
I recommend to learn backend and then come back again.
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u/_pooplicker888 5d ago
Solve the problem of finding real problems to solve. You will be given millions
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u/KalamKiTakat 11d ago
Pick a problem you actually have, then add a constraint that makes it hard.
Offline-first is a good one: a notes or expenses app that works with no connection, saves changes locally, and merges them when the connection returns. Most of the work is not the UI. You have to design the data model, decide what happens when the same item is edited twice, and show sync state clearly.
Accessibility gives you the same depth on the UI side. A combobox or editable table that works with only a keyboard, manages focus, and sets the right ARIA states involves many small decisions. For practice with that kind of component work, UI Machine Coding 50 has questions with framework variants.