I am not a full back-end developer, more full stack currently. I do not have a portfolio. Linking to github and highlighting projects is usually enough for prospective employers and gets me into interviews.
It's easy to get distracted tweaking it and having it take the blame for why you might not be having more interviews.
I only have a portfolio because there has been a good handful of job applications that HAVE required a "personal website / portfolio".
I can see that not everyone needs a portfolio.