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3 min read

Building My New Website with AI: A Collaboration with Claude

After years of meaning to update my personal website, I finally sat down and built something I'm proud of. The twist? I did it in collaboration with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant, using Claude Code.

The Vision

I wanted a clean, modern site that reflects who I am: a technologist, outdoor enthusiast, and community builder. The site needed to showcase my work at Aslan Interactive, my volunteer roles with Ski Brule Ski Patrol, the City of Caspian, and Iron County Trail Club, plus a space to share thoughts through a blog.

The Tech Stack

We settled on:

  • Next.js 16 with the App Router for a modern React framework
  • Tailwind CSS v4 with CSS-first configuration for styling
  • TypeScript for type safety
  • MDX for blog posts (like this one!)
  • GitHub for version control

The dark mode aesthetic felt right - it matches my preference and looks great showcasing outdoor photography.

The Process

What surprised me most was how natural the collaboration felt. I described what I wanted, shared assets like logos and images, and Claude helped translate that vision into code. When something didn't look right - like when my logo appeared too small in the navigation - I could simply say "the logo looks terrible" and we'd iterate together.

Some highlights from the build:

  1. Custom theming with CSS variables for consistent colors
  2. Responsive design that works beautifully on mobile
  3. Adaptive favicon that switches from blue to white based on system dark/light mode
  4. MDX-powered blog for writing posts in markdown with React components

Lessons Learned

Building with AI assistance is genuinely different from traditional development. It's not about handing off work - it's about having a capable collaborator who can help you move faster while you stay in the driver's seat.

The key is clear communication. When I was specific about what I wanted (the blue accent color #3b82f6, my name pronunciation "PAWL EYE-dent"), the results were spot-on. When I was vague, we needed to iterate.

What's Next

This is just the beginning. I plan to:

  • Add more blog posts about technology and outdoor adventures
  • Potentially add a lab section for experiments with AI agents and MCPs
  • Continue refining the design based on feedback

If you're thinking about building a personal site, I'd encourage you to try AI-assisted development. It's not about replacing your creativity - it's about amplifying it.