FEB 22, 2026 • 9 MIN READ
Why Most Next.js Portfolios Are Poorly Optimized (And How to Fix Yours)
Most Next.js portfolios look fast.
But they aren’t.
They just *appear* optimized.
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The Lighthouse illusion
You run Lighthouse.
Score: 100.
Feels good.
But real users still experience:
Because Lighthouse doesn’t measure everything.
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Too much JavaScript
Modern portfolios ship way more JS than needed.
Why?
Because everything is interactive.
Everything is client-side.
Everything uses libraries.
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Animation abuse
Smooth ≠ heavy.
Most developers:
The result?
Lag.
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What actually matters
Performance is not a score.
It’s a feeling.
Your site should feel:
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