🧪 Testing the Modernized Site

Quick Local Test (Recommended)

Since the development environment doesn’t have Ruby/Jekyll installed, here’s how to test on your local machine:

Option 1: Simple Jekyll Setup

# In your local terminal (not the IDE):
cd /path/to/alexlimh.github.io

# Install dependencies
bundle install
npm install

# Build assets  
npm run build

# Start development server
./dev.sh
# or manually: bundle exec jekyll serve --livereload

# Open http://localhost:4000

Option 2: Docker (if you prefer containers)

# Create a simple Dockerfile for testing
echo "FROM ruby:3.1
WORKDIR /site
COPY . .
RUN bundle install && npm install && npm run build
EXPOSE 4000
CMD bundle exec jekyll serve --host=0.0.0.0" > Dockerfile

# Build and run
docker build -t academic-site .
docker run -p 4000:4000 academic-site

🎯 What to Look For

Homepage (/)

• Modern hero section with your name and role
• Interactive statistics cards (15+ Publications, 1000+ Citations, etc.)
• Call-to-action buttons (Publications, Google Scholar)
• Timeline-style news section with colored badges
• Smooth animations on page load

Publications Page (/publications/)

• Card-based layout instead of plain text lists
• Color-coded venue badges (NeurIPS=red, EMNLP=green, etc.)
• Paper abstracts and author highlighting
• Hover animations on publication cards
• Responsive grid layout

Author Sidebar

• Enhanced avatar with hover ring effect
• Categorized social icons (Academic, Professional, Social)
• “Get in Touch” contact button
• Improved mobile layout

Mobile Experience

• Responsive design on phone/tablet
• Touch-optimized buttons (44px minimum)
• Readable text and proper spacing
• Collapsible navigation

Performance

• Fast page loads
• Smooth animations
• No layout shifts
• Works without JavaScript (progressive enhancement)

🐛 Common Issues & Fixes

Bundle Install Fails

# Delete lock file and retry
rm Gemfile.lock
bundle install

NPM Build Errors

# Clear cache and reinstall
npm cache clean --force  
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

Jekyll Serve Issues

# Clean and rebuild
bundle exec jekyll clean
bundle exec jekyll serve --trace

Port 4000 Already in Use

# Use different port
bundle exec jekyll serve --port 4001

📋 Test Checklist

Desktop Testing

• Chrome/Edge (latest)
• Firefox (latest)
• Safari (if on Mac)
• Resize window to test responsive breakpoints

Mobile Testing

• Test on actual mobile device or browser dev tools
• Portrait and landscape orientations
• Touch interactions work smoothly
• Text is readable without zooming

Performance Testing

• Check browser dev tools Network tab
• Lighthouse audit (aim for 90+ scores)
• Test with slow 3G simulation

🚀 Expected Results

You should see a dramatically improved site with:

• Professional modern design instead of basic academic template
• Engaging visual hierarchy with cards, colors, and spacing
• Smooth interactions with hover effects and animations
• Mobile-first responsive design that works beautifully on all devices
• Enhanced content presentation that showcases your research effectively

If something doesn’t look right, check the browser console for errors and refer to the troubleshooting section above.

📞 Need Help?

If you encounter issues:

1. Check browser console for JavaScript/CSS errors
2. Verify all dependencies installed correctly
3. Try the manual setup steps instead of the ./dev.sh script
4. Make sure you’re viewing http://localhost:4000 (not https)

The transformation should be immediately visible - your old plain academic site will now have a modern, professional appearance! 🎉