The part of BakerLinks I enjoy working on most is the profile editor. The public page gives someone a place to share their projects, but the tools behind it determine how much effort it takes to make that page their own.

In my original post, I emphasized keeping the first version focused: create a profile, add links, and share a page. Returning to the project has given me more to work on within that basic idea. I want to offer more choices while keeping the interface simple enough that those choices feel useful.

A place for projects

I use my BakerLinks page to bring together my other projects and talk about creating diverse web prototypes. The same basic format could work for creative work, technical projects, professional material, or something personal. If someone has things they want to share online, I want the page to give them a useful place to put them.

That is where my attention is now. I am less concerned with how BakerLinks compares with other sites than with making something people would want to use.

More choices, less friction

The Profile and Style panels are the most satisfying part of that work for me. Profile brings together details such as a name, bio, images, and social links. Style handles choices about layout, fonts, themes, and custom colors.

Those are tools for the person managing their own page. They are separate from the administrator controls used to verify profiles.

I think we have done a good job of keeping many choices within reach without making the interface feel complicated. I have not measured the number of clicks saved, but reducing the steps between wanting to change something and seeing the result is a useful way for me to judge the work.

I use a lot of apps, and I often find myself frustrated by small obstacles. It feels good to notice that kind of friction in something I am building and have an opportunity to resolve it. That interest in the management side connects BakerLinks to the profile panels and administrative experiences I enjoy working on across my projects.

Seeing the result

The preview helps connect the controls to the page they affect. On a wider screen it sits alongside the Profile and Style panels; on a smaller screen it can be opened separately. Being able to see the appearance while making choices is part of what I like about the editor.

Animated backgrounds have also added some flash I felt was missing. I was not especially particular about the individual designs: Codex offered options that satisfied what I wanted. With an animated background selected, the preview has more of the visual energy I was looking for.

The profile tools remain the part I like most. The background gives me something more engaging to look at while working with them.

Building and using it

BakerLinks is a collaboration between Codex and me. Codex handles the heavy lifting in code, while I help direct the work and make decisions about the experience. I do not read every line, but participating in those decisions and running commands myself helps me stay connected to what I am building.

I am currently the only user. My own use gives me a way to notice problems and decide what to work on, but it does not tell me how well the editor will work for someone else. I want to keep that distinction clear as I develop it further.

For now, I have a page I use to share my work and a set of profile tools I enjoy improving. The next question is whether those tools make it straightforward for someone else to share projects of their own.

Visit BakerLinks or read the current project overview.