I Built a Cyberpunk Terminal Portfolio with Next.js, Antigravity and Gemini AI

This is a submission for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI I’m Inusha...

*This is a submission for the [New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI](https://dev.to/challenges/new-year-new-you-google-ai-2025-12-31)*

I’m Inusha Gunasekara, an IT undergraduate at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, and the co-founder of Tekkeys, where we're building agentic AI tools.

For this challenge, I didn’t want to build just another "landing page." I wanted to build a Digital Twin. I conceptualized "System 1"—a sentient, terminal-based operating system that represents my skills, projects, and personality as code. The goal was to create an interface that feels alive, combining the raw utility of a CLI with the polished aesthetics of a cyberpunk interface.

I initially engineered the system as a fully autonomous clone powered by the Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite API. However, to guarantee 100% uptime and zero latency for public access, I pivoted the architecture to a deterministic "Simulation Mode." This hybrid approach preserves the sentient "vibe" of the AI while ensuring the reliability required for a production-grade portfolio.

Portfolio

<!-- Embed your Cloud Run deployment here using the instructions from https://dev.to/devteam/you-can-now-embed-cloud-run-deployments-directly-in-your-dev-posts-1jk8 Don't forget to include the dev label! --> {% embed https://inusha-portfolio-326006174526.us-central1.run.app %}

https://inusha-portfolio-326006174526.us-central1.run.app

(Type "help" to see available commands, or try "projects" to see what I'm working on.)

How I Built It

<!-- Share your tech stack, design decisions, and development process. What Google AI tools did you use? --> My portfolio is a **Stateless Terminal** built for extreme performance, security, and zero-cost scaling.

**The Tech Stack:**

• **Framework:** Next.js 16 (App Router) for the core React architecture.
• **Styling:** Tailwind CSS v4 for the utility-first, cyberpunk aesthetic.
• **Infrastructure:** Google Cloud Run (Serverless) for scalable, containerized deployment.
• **Containerization:** Docker (Multi-stage build) using the `standalone` output mode.

**The "Digital Twin" Architecture:** The core of this project is "System 1"—a digital representation of my persona.

• **Initial Prototype:** I originally built a fully autonomous agent using the **Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite API**. While powerful, I identified that relying on a metered API for a high-traffic public landing page introduced potential latency and quota risks ("The Reddit Hug of Death").
• **Production Optimization:** To ensure a production-grade user experience, I engineered a **Deterministic Simulation Engine**. This engine mimics the streaming "typing effect" of an LLM but pulls from an optimized, local knowledge graph. This decision reduced API latency from ~400ms to **<5ms** and eliminated all running costs, while preserving the "sentient" feel of the terminal.

**Deploying to Google Cloud Run:** I chose Cloud Run for its "Scale to Zero" capability. By using a multi-stage Dockerfile, I reduced the final container size by approximately 80%. This ensures the portfolio spins up instantly when a user visits but costs $0 when idle.

What I'm Most Proud Of

<!-- Highlight the features, design elements, or technical achievements you're most excited about. -->

1. The "Halt Sequence" (`sudo delete`)

I wanted the terminal to feel like a real, vulnerable operating system, not just a read-only website. I implemented a hidden "kill switch" where users can type `sudo delete` followed by `confirm`. This triggers a dramatic, system-wide crash simulation—turning the screen black and forcing a "reboot" sequence. It adds a layer of gamification that encourages users to explore the boundaries of the interface.

2. Engineering the "Simulation Engine"

While it was tempting to keep the live Gemini API connection, I am most proud of the decision to build a **Deterministic Simulation Engine**. I realized that for a portfolio, **reliability is a feature**. By architecting a local "mock stream" that replicates the exact typing patterns and latency of an LLM, I achieved the "sentient AI" feel without the risk of API quotas or network latency. It taught me that sometimes the best engineering solution is removing a dependency, not adding one.

3. Secure Live Data (Gas Tracker)

I built a real-time Ethereum Gas Tracker that fetches live data from Etherscan. Instead of exposing my API keys on the client side, I built a secure **Next.js Server-Side Proxy**. This route acts as a gateway, injecting the secrets on the server before forwarding the request to Etherscan.

4. The "Cyberpunk" Polish

I spent significant effort fine-tuning the visual details. Balancing these high-fidelity "glitch" effects with the performance requirements of a web app (using Tailwind CSS v4) was a rewarding challenge in frontend optimization.

<!-- Don't forget to add a cover image (if you want). -->

<!-- Thanks for participating! -->

Check The portfolio live in action: https://inusha-portfolio-326006174526.us-central1.run.app

Have questions about this article?