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The internet is home to a variety of websites, all with different functions and purposes. Some are blogs, some are e-commerce stores, and some are simply there for aesthetic purposes. Despite the different categories of sites out there, all websites — regardless of purpose — require users to input information and browse through different pages in order to find what they’re looking for. Web developers create the structure and layout of these websites using various programming languages and techniques. Because of this, the job of a web developer isn’t as simple as it may seem on the surface. With that being said, if you aspire to become a web developer one day, you should know about some key concepts that may come in handy along the way.
Basic HTML and CSS Concepts
A web page’s source code is written in a programming language, and that language is translated into a website by a “server.” In order for this process to take place, the server needs to recognize the code written in the programming language, and the programming language needs to know what to do with the website once it’s been created. When it comes to programming languages, the most popular one is “HTML.” HTML stands for “Hyper Text Markup Language,” and it’s used to create the layout and structure of a web page. In other words, a web developer uses HTML to create the visual elements of a website. A web page’s source code is written in “HTML,” and it’s used to display text, images, videos, and other content. You’ve probably noticed that the “source code” of a page doesn’t look like a conventional page. If you’ve ever viewed a source code, you’ll know that it’s written in a different language than a normal page is. That’s because source code is written in HTML.
Javascript Basics
As mentioned earlier, every website requires some form of programming. The programming language used to create the core of a website is called “server-side language.” There are many different server-side programming languages out there, but the two most popular ones are PHP and Javascript. Javascript is a “client-side” language that’s used to make a website interactive. This means that Javascript makes websites dynamic by allowing users to change the website’s content and functionality. Javascript is primarily used for two things. First, it allows website owners to create interactive websites. Second, it allows developers to create automated tasks for websites.
DOM and HTML Concepts
While designing a website, a web developer uses a computer program called “coding software” to view and edit the source code of a website. A browser — such as Google Chrome — is used to view the website and display the code. A browser reads the code and translates it into a visual website that can be viewed by people. While viewing a website, you can see the HTML code that was used to create it. A piece of code that’s located within an HTML document is called an “element.” An element can be any visual feature of a website, such as an image or a paragraph of text. When a browser displays a page, it looks at the code and translates it into an image or a paragraph.
AJAX and JSON Basics
As mentioned earlier, a server-side language is used to create the core of a website. In addition to using server-side languages, website owners can also use client-side languages to create a website. Javascript is one of the most popular languages in use today, and it’s often used in combination with a server-side language. A website that uses a combination of Javascript and a server-side language is said to be using AJAX. AJAX stands for “Asynchronous Javascript and XML.” It’s a combination of Javascript and XML that allows users to load data on a website asynchronously.
Conclusion
There are immense benefits of learning software development, and web development itself is a complex process, and it requires a variety of skills and knowledge. The ten concepts listed above will help you understand the process of web development better and become a more informed web developer in the process. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in web development, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these concepts. They are likely to come up in any programming language you decide to use and in any coding environment you decide to work in.