Parallelism

Parallelism is a free, responsive portfolio site template from HTML5 UP that turns a collection of project thumbnails into a clean, image-first gallery for showcasing creative work.

What is Parallelism?

Parallelism is a responsive portfolio template published by HTML5 UP, a platform that releases open-source HTML5/CSS3 designs. It takes a set of project images with titles and renders them as a single-page gallery, making it a straightforward starting point for a portfolio website. The template runs in any modern browser with no server-side requirements; you edit the HTML and CSS files directly and upload them to any static hosting provider.

Key Features

• Responsive gallery layout — The demo shows eight project thumbnails (01.jpg through 08.jpg) with titles such as "Ad Infinitum" and "Kingdom of the Wind," arranged so the grid reflows on mobile and desktop screens.
• Replaceable demo content — Every thumbnail and heading in the demo is placeholder content, so you can swap in your own projects by editing the HTML.
• Built with standard web technologies — The template uses plain HTML and CSS (as with all HTML5 UP releases), so no build tool or CMS is required to run it.
• Social media preview support — The page includes an Open Graph image meta tag (parallelism.jpg) so links shared on social platforms display a preview card.
• Embeddable social widgets — The demo includes a Twitter widget iframe, indicating the layout can accommodate external social feeds.

Who is it for?

• Photographers and visual artists — Present a clean, image-centric gallery of their work with minimal text and maximum visual impact.
• Web designers and developers — Use Parallelism as a base to build a custom portfolio site without starting from scratch, modifying the CSS to match a personal brand.
• Freelancers and small agencies — Quickly stand up a professional-looking portfolio page for client pitches or personal branding, with no back-end setup.

What can you do with Parallelism?

• Build a personal portfolio: Replace the eight demo thumbnails with your own project images and titles, then publish the static HTML/CSS files to any hosting service.
• Create a client showcase: Link each thumbnail to a separate case study page to turn the gallery into the entry point of a larger portfolio site.
• Test a layout for a design project: Use the template's structure as a wireframe for presenting image-based content in a responsive grid.

FAQ

Is Parallelism free to use?

Yes, HTML5 UP publishes Parallelism for free. All templates on the site, including this one, are released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.

Does Parallelism require a content management system?

No. The template is a static HTML/CSS design. You edit the files directly and host them on any static web server or even open them locally.

Can I use Parallelism for commercial projects?

Yes, the Creative Commons Attribution license allows commercial use as long as you credit HTML5 UP for the original design.

What happens if I remove the thumbnail images in the demo?

The layout still works; the gallery will simply show empty slots or missing images until you add your own image paths. The structure of the grid remains intact.