How I Designed and Developed My Own Resume Builder App

Why I Built This App

As someone who codes and looks for jobs, I know how hard it is to make and update resumes. You want your resume to look good but also pass through job application systems. You need different versions for different jobs. Keeping track of everything is a mess.

One day, after spending hours fixing my resume for a job application, I had a simple thought: I could build an app to solve this problem. I wanted to create a tool that would make building resumes easy, store all my information in one place, and let me download professional PDFs without fighting with Word or Google Docs.

That's when I decided to build my own Resume Builder app.

Understanding the Problem

Before I started coding, I thought about what makes creating resumes difficult:

1. It's hard to make things look good - Most people struggle with formatting in Word or Google Docs
2. Keeping track of versions is confusing - Having different resumes for different jobs gets messy
3. Job application systems are picky - Your resume needs to be in the right format to get through
4. Space is limited - Fitting all important information on one or two pages is tricky
5. Making it look professional is hard - Not everyone has design skills

I also looked at other resume builders. Many cost money, limit what you can do, or are hard to use. I saw a chance to build something better—a free, open-source app that fixes these problems.

Planning the App

I wanted my app to be:

• Easy to use with a simple step-by-step process
• Full of features with all the resume sections you need
• Good-looking with different designs and layouts
• Private with data stored on your own device
• Modern using the latest web technology

For my tools, I picked:

const toolsIUsed = {
  website: "Next.js 15",
  coding: "TypeScript",
  design: "Tailwind CSS",
  components: "shadcn/ui",
  dataStorage: "Zustand",
  forms: "React Hook Form with Zod",
  pdfCreation: "@react-pdf/renderer",
  icons: "Lucide React",
  hosting: "Vercel",
};
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I chose Next.js because it's fast and modern. TypeScript helps catch mistakes. Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui gave me nice-looking designs without much work. Zustand made it easy to save user data.

Building the App

Setting Up the Basics

I organized my project files like this:

resume-builder/
├── src/
│   ├── app/             # Pages
│   ├── components/      # Reusable UI parts
│   ├── store/           # Data storage
│   ├── lib/             # Helper functions
│   └── types/           # TypeScript definitions
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This kept everything organized and easy to find.

Creating the Data Model

I spent time defining exactly what information a resume needs:

// A simpler version of what I actually used
export interface ResumeData {
  personalInfo: PersonalInfo; // Name, email, phone, etc.
  experiences: Experience[]; // Work history
  education: Education[]; // Schools, degrees
  skillGroups: SkillGroup[]; // Skills by category
  projects?: Project[]; // Optional projects section
  certificates?: Certificate[]; // Optional certifications
  achievements?: Achievement[]; // Optional achievements
  references?: Reference[]; // Optional references
}
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Each part had its own rules for what's required and what's optional.

Building the Forms

I created forms for each resume section:

1. Personal information - Your name, contact details, and social media links
2. Work experience - Where you've worked, what you did, and when
3. Education - Schools, degrees, and achievements
4. Skills - Your abilities grouped by type with skill levels
5. Optional sections - Projects, certifications, achievements, and references

I used React Hook Form and Zod to make sure users enter valid information and to show helpful error messages when they don't.

Creating the Preview

One of the hardest parts was making a live preview that shows exactly what the PDF will look like. I built a system that updates in real-time as you type:

<ComprehensivePreview data={resumeData} />
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This component shows your resume with your chosen design and layout, giving you instant feedback on changes.

Making PDFs

Creating downloadable PDFs was crucial. After trying several options, I used @react-pdf/renderer because it works well with React. It wasn't easy—I had to make sure the PDFs looked exactly like the preview, worked with job application systems, and supported all the design options.

Saving Your Work

I used Zustand to save all your resume data:

export const useResumeStore = create(
  persist(
    (set) => ({
      resumeData: initialState,
      activeSections: defaultSections,
      updatePersonalInfo: (personalInfo) =>
        set((state) => ({
          resumeData: { ...state.resumeData, personalInfo },
        })),
      // Other update functions...
    }),
    {
      name: "resume-storage",
      storage: customStorage,
    }
  )
);
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This saves everything in your browser's storage, so you can close the page and come back later without losing your work.

Adding More Features

As the basic app started working, I added more features:

Multiple Designs and Layouts

I created several design themes (Classic, Modern, Professional, Minimalist, Creative) and layouts (Standard, Compact, Elegant, Modern) so users can pick a style they like.

Cover Letter Builder

Based on feedback, I added a tool to create cover letters that match your resume style:

<CoverLetterEditor
  defaultValues={coverLetter}
  onSubmit={updateCoverLetter}
  personalInfo={personalInfo}
/>
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Resume Writing Guide

To help users write better content, I added a guide with tips for different industries and advice on getting through job application systems.

Problems I Solved

Making It Work on All Devices

Building an interface that works on phones, tablets, and computers was challenging. I used Tailwind's responsive design tools and created special layouts for small screens.

Getting PDFs to Look Right

Making sure PDFs looked the same in all browsers was tricky. I ended up using two methods:

1. HTML-to-PDF for quick exports
2. React-PDF for perfect-looking documents

Saving Data in All Browsers

Browser storage has limits. I added options to export and import your data as JSON files for backup and sharing between devices.

What I Learned

This project taught me important lessons:

1. Listen to users - Testing with real people showed me problems I couldn't see myself
2. Start simple, add complexity later - Building the core features first and adding more gradually kept the project manageable
3. TypeScript is worth the effort - It caught many bugs before they happened
4. Break things into small pieces - Making small, focused components made the code easier to manage
5. Build accessibility from the start - It's easier than adding it later

Future Plans

I'm planning to add more features:

• AI suggestions for resume and cover letter content
• Job application tracking
• Analysis to help improve your resume
• Collaboration tools for getting feedback
• More export options like Word and HTML

Wrap-Up

Building this Resume Builder has been both challenging and rewarding. It solved a real problem I had, and now it's helping others too. It reminded me that the best software comes from solving real problems with thoughtful solutions.

The app is free and open source on GitHub(opens in a new tab), and you can try it at Resume Builder App(opens in a new tab). I welcome your feedback and contributions!

If you're making your own project, I hope my story gives you some ideas. Sometimes the best apps come from fixing problems you face yourself.