Chapter 1. Overview of Website Development
Understanding the fundamentals of website development is the first step for anyone aspiring to create an online presence. This chapter provides a high-level introduction to how websites work, essential terminologies, and the key stages of website creation, including design, coding, and publishing. Whether you are new to web development or looking to refresh your knowledge, this chapter equips you with foundational concepts that are crucial for creating effective and functional websites. By the end of this chapter, you'll have a clear understanding of what it takes to bring a website from concept to reality.
What We Cover in This Chapter
The following topics are covered in this chapter:
How Websites Work
This section explains the basic mechanisms of how websites function, including the roles of clients, servers, and key technologies such as HTTP, URL, and IP addresses. You’ll learn the essential steps in how a web browser communicates with a server to display a website.
Designing, Building, and Publishing Websites
This part provides an overview of the three main stages in website development: designing the structure and user flow, coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and publishing your website using hosting services.
Designing Websites
In this section, you’ll explore the four critical steps in web design: concept design, user flow creation, wireframing, and designing mockups or prototypes. Each step ensures that your website meets its objectives and appeals to your target audience.
Building Websites – Frontend and Backend Coding
You’ll learn the difference between frontend and backend coding, their roles in website creation, and common technologies used in each area. Topics include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for frontend development and server-side languages like PHP and Python for backend systems.
Web App vs. Website
This section outlines the distinctions between websites and web applications, emphasizing their purposes and functionalities. Websites are typically static and focused on delivering information, while web applications are more interactive and dynamic.
Frontend Coding
This part introduces the key technologies in frontend coding—HTML for structuring content, CSS for styling, and JavaScript for adding dynamic interactions. The focus is on HTML and CSS, with examples of their real-world applications.
Web Framework and CMS
You’ll learn about tools that simplify website development, such as web frameworks and content management systems (CMS). Popular frameworks include React.js and Bootstrap. Popular CMS platforms include as WordPress and Shopify.
Publishing Websites
This section covers hosting services for making your website accessible online. It introduces cloud-based hosting services like GitHub Pages, Vercel, and Netlify and their role in publishing websites effectively.
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