Choosing Your Tool
After this, you'll be able to choose between Claude chat + Netlify, Squarespace AI, and Lovable based on what you actually need, and understand exactly why each choice is right for a different situation.
Before you start
Complete What a Creative Portfolio Actually Needs first; this lesson assumes you know what sections you're building.
The idea
There are three good starting points for a creative portfolio at Level 0, and the wrong choice costs you an afternoon of backtracking. The right choice gets you live in under two hours. The decision comes down to three questions: how much do you want to spend, how easily do you want to update it later, and do you want to own the code. Each answer maps to a different tool: Claude chat plus Netlify (free, single-page, updates require regenerating), Squarespace AI (paid site-builder plan, admin dashboard, no code), or Lovable (credit-based plan options, multi-page, code ownership). One more factor worth asking yourself now: how often will you add new projects? If you are adding work once or twice a month, Squarespace's admin panel earns its monthly cost: you update without touching Claude. If you update a few times a year, Netlify's drag-and-drop is enough. Lesson 7 of this track gives you the system either way.
Here is the before and after: Someone who skips the tool decision and picks Squarespace because it feels safe ends up with a polished but generic template and no way to add custom behavior. Someone who picks Lovable when they need something live today hits a credit or plan limit mid-build and stalls. Someone who picks Claude chat plus Netlify knowing it produces a single-page site gets a portfolio live in under two hours with zero cost, and knows exactly what to do at Level 1 when they want more.
Now try it: run the exercise prompt below, answer the six situational questions honestly, and ask Claude to give you a single recommendation with one reason why the other two options are wrong for your situation. The tool you choose today is not permanent. It is the one you will actually finish with this week.
Try it (5 min)
Watch out for
- Choosing Squarespace because it feels 'safer' and then feeling stuck with a generic template. If distinctiveness matters to you, go with Lovable instead
- Choosing Lovable when you need something live today. Credit and plan limits can slow down first-time builds
- Starting with Claude chat + Netlify and expecting a multi-page site with an admin dashboard. It produces great single-page portfolios; for an admin-editable site, Squarespace is the right call at Level 0
- Trying v0.dev or bolt.new at Level 0. These tools produce better results faster, once you have the briefing skill from this track. Do Level 0 first.
- Not thinking about update frequency before you choose. If you know you will be adding new projects monthly, that changes the right answer. Ask Claude to factor it in.
Paste this into Claude
[Paste your Portfolio Brief here: the paragraph you wrote in Lesson 0] --- Help me choose the right tool to build my portfolio. Here's my situation: - My budget: [free / I can spend $15-25/month / I can spend more] - How fast I need it: [today / this week / I have time] - How important easy updates are: [I want to update it myself without going back to Claude / I'm okay going back to Claude to make changes / I don't know yet] - How important it is that it looks unique vs. polished: [unique and mine / professional and fast / I don't know] - My situation: [I'm just starting out / I have an existing site I'm replacing / I need something to show clients this week] - My tech comfort level: [I've never built anything / I've used drag-and-drop tools before / I'm comfortable following instructions] Given my situation, which of these three options is right for me: (1) Claude chat + Netlify (free, custom, single-page to start, updates require Claude), (2) Squarespace AI (paid site-builder plan, polished templates, admin dashboard for easy updates), or (3) Lovable (credit-based plan options, custom multi-page site, code ownership; check lovable.dev/pricing for current rates)? Tell me your recommendation and one reason why the other two are wrong for my situation.
What good looks like
- Claude gave you a single clear recommendation, not 'it depends'
- The recommendation matches the budget and speed constraint you gave it
- You understand whether your chosen tool has an admin dashboard for updates or requires regenerating with Claude
- You know which lesson to go to next (this level = Claude chat + Netlify, Level 1 = Lovable)
- You know the names of the Level 2 tools (v0.dev, bolt.new, 21st.dev) and that they are covered in separate tracks
When this breaks
- Breaks when the user tries to do all three tools at once to 'see which is better'. Pick one and build; comparing tools is a way to avoid shipping
- Breaks when 'unique' and 'fast' are both requirements. They are in tension; force yourself to pick one
AI can help with this
Use Claude or your build tool to help you you can choose between Claude chat + Netlify, Squarespace AI, and Lovable based on what you actually need, and understand exactly why each choice is right for a different situation. Start with the exercise prompt and your real input. Ask for one draft, then check it against this proof: Claude gave you a single clear recommendation, not 'it depends'. Accept only the version you can verify yourself.
You can now
Claude gave you a single clear recommendation, not 'it depends'
- The recommendation matches the budget and speed constraint you gave it
- You understand whether your chosen tool has an admin dashboard for updates or requires regenerating with Claude
- You know which lesson to go to next (this level = Claude chat + Netlify, Level 1 = Lovable)
- You know the names of the Level 2 tools (v0.dev, bolt.new, 21st.dev) and that they are covered in separate tracks
Key takeaways
Claude chat + Netlify is the fastest free path to a live portfolio. Squarespace is the fastest polished path with an admin dashboard. Lovable is the best path if you want code ownership. Choosing the right tool for today does not mean you are stuck with it forever.
- Tool choice is a today decision, not a forever decision.
- Free and custom: Claude chat + Netlify. Fast and polished with admin dashboard: Squarespace. Custom with code ownership: Lovable.
- Squarespace is the only Level 0 option with a built-in admin panel for editing content without touching code.
- Level 2 tools (v0.dev, bolt.new, 21st.dev, Google AI Studio) are faster and more powerful. Each has its own dedicated track.
- The best tool is the one you will actually finish with this week.