[censored] o aspiring web developer and designer, and welcome to web design and development for the complete novice. Join us here to find out the bare basics of how to get started in web design, whether it be WordPress development or more traditionally built HTML websites.
Here you’ll learn which web design languages to learn, how to recognize good web design, what kind of principles in web design and development to abide by, and how to sharpen your skills as a web designer.
First of all, all websites are made up of two basic components; client side, and server side. And each side has its own unique set of languages that every aspiring web developer must learn thoroughly. Client side refers to what most people can see and click on when they open a website, as a matter of fact, you’re reading this article on the client side of things. Server side refers to “behind the scenes” of a website, where the web developer can add things, change code and optimize performance, and do various other things no one else ever sees.
The client side of a website is made up of two basic languages, HTML AND CSS. HTML deals with the content, while CSS deals with how that content is presented. While the server side can be dealt with using any myriad of programing languages, the two most po[censored] r are PHP and Python. But you can find one that suits your tastes personally and get working from there.
Of course, if you want Flash content, you’ll need to learn that language, and JavaScript as well for various other important functions on the client side of things. Web design development is a task that requires the working knowledge of quite a few languages, but the bare basic three are, HTML (HTML 5 preferably), CSS and PHP.
These three languages are enough to make a basic website; about your cute dog dressed in tiny clothes.
Next up, figure out how web hosting works, how to put a website up for hosting, how to use tools provided by web hosts and all the other little tricks and tips involved with the company which owns the servers where your website is going to live for a while. While we’re on the issues of servers, consider buying one yourself and learning how to operate and optimize it.
Always keep a website’s design clean and simple, but visually popping and tastefully colored. Check out JelliDesign.com.au, a web design company that actually nails all the above mentioned principles.
Sharpen your skills by using a browser that’s developer friendly (Firefox comes to mind), so as to see how well your website looks, and get the opportunity to use in-built browser tools to learn more and tweak better. Another way to sharpen your skills is by looking at the code of websites you admire, and trying to build something similar, or better, on your own.
And one final word before parting, please don’t build websites with Flash.
