Build log note
How the portfolio stays useful when the API is offline
A build-log note describing the static-first contract that keeps the portfolio credible when enhanced services are unavailable.
The static shell carries the recruiting story: positioning, projects, case studies, resume access, contact fallback, and build evidence all render before any enhanced service is required.
That decision keeps the Rust API in the right role. It demonstrates backend engineering through health, contact validation, and cached project metadata, but it does not control whether a reviewer can understand the work. If the API is slow, absent, or intentionally disabled, the page still shows the public-safe artifact trail and explains what changed.
The verification path reflects that contract. Browser tests cover API-down behavior, no-JavaScript routes, notes and RSS output, and the visible telemetry fallback. Backend tests cover validation and stale-safe metadata behavior. The tradeoff is duplication between static copy and enhanced status data, but that is cheaper than making a portfolio’s credibility depend on one live service.