What exactly is website development?
The effort that goes into creating a website is referred to as website development. This could range from producing a single plain-text webpage to developing a large web application or social network.
While web development is most commonly associated with web markup and coding, it also encompasses all related development responsibilities such as client-side scripting, server-side scripting, server and network security settings, e-commerce development, and content management system (CMS) development.
What is the significance of web development?
You could be a business owner looking for a freelance developer to design your website, a marketer selling a vision to your development team, or a student interested in pursuing a career in development. Understanding the fundamentals of website building can be beneficial in today's technology-driven world, regardless of who you are or why you are reading this tutorial.
The internet will not go away any time soon. In reality, it has evolved into the world's principal portal and method of inquiry, connection, education, and entertainment. There are 4.2 billion internet users worldwide as of 2019. That's more than half of the world's population, and they use the internet for a wide range of purposes.
What do all of these reasons have in common? They demand a website, and each website necessitates the Web Development Services of a qualified web developer.
Web Development Services is another rapidly growing business. Web developer employment is expected to grow by 13% between now and 2028. That is substantially faster than the majority of other technological occupations.
Fundamentals of Web Development
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What Is a Website?
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What HTTP Means Is
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What an IP Address Is
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What Is Coding?
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What Does Front-end Mean?
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What Does Back-end Mean?
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What Is a CMS?
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What Is Cybersecurity?
Now that we've defined web development, let's go over some web development fundamentals to familiarize you with the subject.
1. What Is a Website?
Websites are files that are saved on servers, which are computers that host (that is, "hold data for") websites. These servers are linked to a massive network known as the internet... or the World Wide Web (if we're using 90s terminology). In the following section, we will go through servers in greater detail.
Browsers, such as Google Chrome or Internet Explorer, are computer programs that load websites over your internet connection. Your PC is often referred to as the client.
2. What Is an IP Address?
Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of protocols that regulate internet interaction.
You must know a website's IP address in order to access it. An IP address is a one-of-a-kind string of integers. To differentiate itself from the billions of websites and devices linked to the internet, each device has an IP address.
You may also use your search browser to obtain your device's IP address by typing "what's my IP address?"
While an IP address can be used to reach a website, most internet users prefer to utilize domain names or search engines.
3. What Does HTTP Stand For?
The HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connects you and your website request to a remote server that contains all website data. It is a set of rules (a protocol) that specifies how messages should be transmitted over the internet. It enables you to navigate between site pages and websites.
While you type a website into your web browser or use a search engine, HTTP offers a foundation that allows the client (computer) and server to communicate in the same language when making requests and responding to each other over the internet. It acts as a translator between you and the internet, reading your website request, reading the code sent from the server, and translating it into the form of a website for you.
4. What Is Coding?
Coding is the use of computer languages to create code for servers and applications. Languages are so-called because they include vocabulary and grammatical norms for communication with computers. They also incorporate specific commands, abbreviations, and punctuation that only devices and programs can understand.
Every piece of software is created in at least one coding language, however languages differ depending on platform, operating system, and style. There are numerous coding languages...all of which are divided into two categories: front-end and back-end.
5. What Does Front-end Mean?
The front-end (or client-side) of a website or software is the part that you see and interact with as an internet user. Front-end coding languages allow a website to run without needing to constantly "connect" with the internet when information is transmitted from a server to a browser.
Front-end programming enables users like you and me to engage with a website by playing videos, expanding or minimizing images, highlighting text, and so on. Client-side development is performed by web developers who work on front-end coding.
In the following section, we'll go through front-end development in further detail.
What Does the Term "Back-end" Mean?
When you utilize the internet, you don't see the back-end (or server-side). It's the digital infrastructure, and it appears to non-developers as a jumble of numbers, letters, and symbols.
Back-end coding languages outnumber front-end coding languages. That's because browsers only comprehend JavaScript on the front end, whereas a server on the back end can be configured to understand almost any language. Following that, we'll go over back-end development in greater depth.
7. What Is a Content Management System (CMS)?
A content management system (CMS) is a web application or a collection of tools that is used to create and manage web content. (Please keep in mind that CMSs are not the same as site builders such as Squarespace or Wix.)
While it is not needed to use a CMS to construct a website, it does make things easier. It gives the building pieces (such as plugins and add-ons) and allows you to construct the structure with your own code. CMSs are commonly used for e-commerce and blogging, although they may be used for any sort of website.
8. What Exactly Is Cybersecurity?
There will always be users hunting for weaknesses in websites in order to reveal private information, steal data, and crash servers as long as the internet exists. The practice of securing data, networks, and computers from various dangers is known as cybersecurity.
Hackers' methods are continuously evolving, as are the security measures put in place to guard against them. Failure to comprehend how your site might be targeted can lead to disaster.
Web Development Types
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Front-end Programming
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Back-end Programming
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Development of the Entire System
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Design of a Website
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Desktop Creation
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Mobile Application Development
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Game Creation
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Development of Embedded Systems
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Security Advancement
Whether you want to employ or become a web developer, you need to be aware of the various forms of web development that developers may grasp.
These various types of Web Development Services largely refer to the various sectors of the profession in which web developers might operate — some of which we mentioned in the preceding sections. Some of these distinctions overlap, and web professionals frequently learn various forms of Web Development Services.
1. Front-end Programming
Front-end developers work on the client- or user-facing side of websites, programs, and software – what users see. They create the visual aspects, such as the layout, navigation, graphics, and other aesthetics.
These developers' primary responsibility is to create interfaces that assist users in achieving their objectives, which is why they frequently have a hand in the user experience side of their projects. A background in user experience can assist front-end developers in developing empathy for end users.
2. Development of the backend
The front-end is what users see, while the back-end is what they don't. Back-end web developers work behind the scenes on the servers of websites, programs, and software to ensure that everything functions properly.
These developers maintain the code for security, content, and site structure in systems such as servers, operating systems, APIs, and databases. They work with front-end developers to make their products available to users.
3. Development of the Entire System
Full stack developers are responsible for both the front-end and back-end of a website. They can design a website, application, or software program from beginning to end. The term "Stack" refers to the several technologies that manage distinct functionalities on the same website, such as the server, interface, and so on.
Because full stack developers must spend years in the field to gain the appropriate experience, this position is in high demand. Their broad knowledge enables them to optimize performance, detect problems before they occur, and assist team members in understanding the various components of a web service.
4. Website Creation
Website developers can be classified as front-end, back-end, or full-stack. However, as opposed to mobile applications, desktop software, or video games, these specialists concentrate in website development.
5. Desktop Programming
Desktop developers create software apps that run locally on your device rather than across the internet in a web browser. If an application can run both online and offline, the skillset of these developers may overlap with that of web developers.
6. Mobile Application Development
Apps for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are created by mobile developers. Mobile applications operate in a very different way than other websites and software programs, necessitating a distinct set of development talents as well as understanding of specialized programming languages.
7. Game Creation
Game developers specialize in writing code for video games, including console games (Xbox, PlayStation, and so on) and mobile games – hence this expertise overlaps with mobile development in some ways.
Game developers, on the other hand, specialize on creating game experiences, which requires a whole different skill set.
8. Embedded Development
Embedded developers work with any gear that isn't a computer (or, at the very least, what most of us think of as a computer, with a keyboard and a screen). This includes electrical interfaces, consumer gadgets, Internet of Things devices, real-time systems, and other components.
With the recent increase of networked products such as smart appliances, Bluetooth technology, and virtual assistants, embedded development is becoming a popular method.
9. Security Enhancement
Security developers create strategies and procedures for ensuring the safety of a software program or website. These developers often operate as ethical hackers, attempting to "break" websites in order to uncover flaws without malicious intent. They also create technologies that detect and eliminate security issues.
Let's get started with the web building process (which involves many of these types of development).
The Development of a Website
It is not as simple as 1-2-3 to create a website. Depending on the type of website, programming languages, and resources, each development path is unique.
The sections that follow provide an overview of the web development process as well as a brief introduction to the most common languages and CMS solutions.
1. Make a plan.
Before putting pen to paper or fingers to computer, it's critical to collaborate with teams and employees across your organization to build a website strategy.
Here are some questions to think about before creating your first site draft:
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What is your website's purpose?
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Who is your target audience, and what do you want them to do when they visit your website?
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What kind of website is it? (For example, simple informative, membership, or an online store) What kind of content do you want to publish, and how much of it do you want to post? What is the goal of this content?
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In the grand scheme of things, how will you build your website for the optimum navigational experience?
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What is your financial situation?
Answering the questions will necessitate collaboration between your web development, marketing, and financial departments in order to make educated decisions. From here, you can prioritize your tasks and plan your day till lunch. It is much easier to design a plan at the start of the process than it is to reverse your progress at a roadblock.
2. Design a wireframe.
Every good website begins with a plan. This is referred to by developers as a wireframe or sitemap (not to be confused with sitemap). XML, which is an XML file that assists SERPs in crawling and finding your website). It doesn't have to be an official document; it's simply a vision for your site that will provide guidance and a starting point for both you and your developer(s). You may do it on a whiteboard or with a tool such as Invision, Slickplan, or Mindnode.
A sitemap, like a business plan, provides a developer with an understanding of what you're envisioning and the information required to accomplish your vision. You can construct your sitemap on your own or with the assistance of your developer (s).
Here are a few questions to consider when designing your Custom Web Design:
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Which specific pages do you require? What kind of information will be available on those pages?
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How can you categorize those pages? (If it helps to think about it that way, these categories may represent your homepage menu.)
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What is the page hierarchy on your site?
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How will the pages be linked?
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Which pages and categories are critical to your site's and users' experiences, and which may be eliminated or combined?
Again, consulting with other teams inside your organization is a good idea. If you have an SEO and/or content strategy team, their advice will be invaluable in terms of linking structure and page categorization.
3. Create the webpage code.
Writing code is the next phase in the web development process.
Different coding languages will be used by developers for the front-end and back-end of websites, as well as for other site functionality (such as design, interactivity, etc.) These various languages collaborate to construct and operate your website.
Let's begin with the most widely utilized languages. Almost every website employs these three simultaneously, and yours will most likely as well.
HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) has been in use since the 1990s. It serves as the foundation for all websites and represents the basic minimum of what is required to build a website. (Yes, you can build a website with simple HTML.) It wouldn't be very attractive, though.)
CSS and JavaScript are programming languages that augment and modify the basic site structure created by HTML codes. HTML5 is the most recent version, and it provides cross-platform browser capability, making it ideal for mobile app development.
CSS
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) was created in the late 1990s. It adds design features to websites such as font, colors, and layouts - it's the cosmetic code.
CSS enables developers to modify your website to reflect the style you envisioned for your site, and CSS, like HTML5, is browser-independent.
JavaScript
JavaScript is the icing on the cake of programming languages. JavaScript, which was developed in the mid-1990s, is used to enhance the functionality of websites. It is used by developers to provide animations, automate processes within certain pages, and add interactive features that improve user experience.
JavaScript is constantly evolving. JavaScript, formerly considered a "toy" language, is today the most commonly used coding language on the planet. It is now a back-end coding language thanks to Node.Js. It's the first language understood by browsers, and some have even suggested applying machine learning to it.
The "big three" of web development are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Almost every website makes use of them in some way. There are many others, such as server-side languages like Java, C++, Python, and SQL, but understanding these three is essential for website creation.
4. Create the website's backend.
Writing code is one of the most difficult aspects of web development, but it is far from the only one. You must also create the back-end and front-end site architecture and designs.
Let us begin with the backend.
The data that supports the functionality on the front-end is handled by the back-end. For example, Facebook's backend stores my images so that the front end may display them to others. It consists of two major components:
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Databases are in charge of storing, organizing, and processing data so that it can be retrieved by server requests.
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Servers are the hardware and software components that comprise your computer. Servers are in charge of transmitting, processing, and receiving data requests. They serve as a bridge between the database and the client/browser. In effect, the browser will tell the server, "I need this information," and the server will know how to retrieve that information from the database and provide it to the client.
These elements operate in tandem to form the foundation for any website.
Backend developers will establish three things when constructing your website.
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Your logic code is simply a set of rules that govern how your website responds to specific requests and how its objects interact.
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Your database management, which is how your website's data will be organized, managed, and retrieved.
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Your infrastructure, which will host your website. Hosting your own site gives you more control, but it is far more expensive and necessitates your own server health and security.
Your website will be ready for front-end development once these components and decisions are in place.
Note: The back-end is ancillary to web development because you don't always need one if you're not storing any data. “Data” in this context indicates any user-entered information that you need to save and persist. Consider logging in to a website. How could they remember your login credentials if they don't have a back-end? Or do you know what your profile settings are? A back-end is required to obtain this information.
Facebook, for example, needs to know who is on your Friends list, what events you've attended, what postings you've made, and so on. All of this is "data" stored in a database. They wouldn't be able to access that data if they didn't have a back-end with a database.
A back-end is not required for a website that is just informational and does not require users to enter any data.
So, if you don't have any data, you don't need back-end development. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't understand the fundamentals. You never know when you'll require it.
5. Create the website's front end.
You've touched front-end web development if you've ever dabbled in Custom Web Design or experimented with a website in WordPress, Squarespace, or Google Sites.
The front-end is crucial since it is what your visitors, clients, and users view and how they will interact with your website.
Front-end (or client-side) development combines JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. It also manages elements like typography and fonts, navigation, positioning, browser compatibility, and responsiveness. This section will cover more of your original site vision and what you included in your wireframe.
Client-side coding tends to become obsolete far faster than back-end programming as technology and consumer preferences evolve. This is when coding resources (such as the ones listed below) come in handy.
6. (Optional) Collaborate with a CMS.
Why would someone pick a content management system (CMS) over coding "by hand" or "from scratch"? A CMS, on the other hand, is easier to use (you have to write less code), and it frequently includes tools for hosting the site. However, it is less adaptable and, as a result, gives you less control over your front-end.
CMS alternatives frequently offer plugins that eliminate the requirement to develop a backend. There are WordPress plugins for eCommerce, for example, so that instead of creating a complicated back-end to charge consumers' credit cards, you can just utilize an existing plugin and avoid dealing with databases and server-side code entirely.
7. Purchase a domain name.
Your website will now be assigned an IP address. It also requires a domain name, which is a memorable website name that your visitors may use to find your website.
You've probably heard of GoDaddy and Hover. These Web Development Services assist you in purchasing a domain name and registering it with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Most domain registrations are valid for a year before they must be renewed.
Website builders and hosting providers, such as WordPress and Squarespace, allow you to buy a domain name as well.
8. Go live with your website.
After you've registered a domain name and linked it to your host, you're almost ready to publish your work on the internet.
But wait a minute — there are a few things you'll need to double-check before the formal launch. These include delegating duties on your team, extensively testing your site for bugs, optimizing for SEO, and performing the last check before "turning the switch" and bringing your site live.
Resources for Website Development
Do you want to learn more about development and coding? Aside from meeting and networking with other developers, there are numerous tools available to help you advance your grasp of web development.
Courses and Classes in Web Development
TutorialsPoint
All of the content and resources on TutorialsPoint are completely free. TutorialsPoint offers a variety of learning options, including tutorials, ebooks, and videos.
egghead
"egghead is a collection of working web development experts and open source contributors that present you with brief, information-dense video courses on the top tools in the field," according to their website. Users can learn about Custom Web Design and Development by taking courses, listening to podcasts, or taking lessons.
The Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a well-known and well-liked free educational resource. Users can learn about everything from macroeconomics to linear algebra to US history, as well as a few computer topics.
freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp is a non-profit organization (similar to Khan Academy) that teaches individuals how to code for free. With thousands of articles, videos, and interactive training, as well as global study groups, freeCodeCamp assists thousands of developers and engineers in learning about programming and land development careers.
Treehouse
Team Treehouse is an online learning program that requires a subscription. Users pay a monthly subscription to obtain access to hundreds of courses covering more than 20 areas. Treehouse can teach you everything you need to know about Custom Web Design and Development, from JavaScript to Python to PHP.
Web Development Groups
Web developers are masters of the internet, so it stands to reason that they would congregate there.
According to Code Condo, developers join these communities for the following reasons:
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Current information and problem-solving
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Insightful responses, fresh insights
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Tips and tips for programmers of various skill levels
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Resources, presentations, and research papers can all be found here.
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Making new acquaintances, coding partners, and possible partners
Stack Exchange
Stack Overflow was founded ten years ago and has since grown to become one of the world's most prominent programming communities. "[Stack Overflow] is by programmers, for programmers, with the ultimate goal of jointly expanding the sum total of good programming knowledge in the world," says co-founder Jeff Atwood.
Stack Overflow is a wonderful location to ask questions because other developers have usually asked and answered the same ones. The Stack Overflow forums keep you linked to other developers while also informing you.
Mozilla Developer Network (MDN)
The Mozilla Development Network (MDN) is well-known for being more comprehensive and accurate than other internet resources. It is more of a comprehensive resource and collection of documents for coding languages than a community. MDN is great for learning how to utilize specific functions and staying up to date on coding and Custom Web Design and Development news.
Reddit is a forum-based community for developers of all skill levels to ask and answer questions. It's really interactive, with participants from all over the world. You can also join "subreddits" based on specific themes like Custom Web Design, JavaScript, or freelancing.
Immerse Yourself in Web Development
The internet is not going away. It's growing better by the day, and web developers are at the forefront of these advancements and breakthroughs. Custom Web Design and Development influences practically every aspect of your day — and your business — from this blog to your favourite social network to the apps on your phone.
Take the time to learn about coding and programming in order to better not just your life but also the lives of your clients.