What is Web Development?
Web development is the process of creating and maintaining websites and web applications. It involves a variety of skills, from designing the visual layout to writing the code that makes everything work. The internet is a vast landscape, and web developers are the architects and builders of this digital world.
At its core, web development is about communicating information and services to users through a web browser. This can range from simple informational pages to complex, interactive applications like social media platforms, online stores, and productivity tools.
The Core Technologies
Every website you visit is built using a combination of three fundamental technologies:
1. HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
HTML is the backbone of every webpage. It structures the content, defining elements like headings, paragraphs, images, links, and more. Think of it as the skeleton of a webpage.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>My First Webpage</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
<p>This is my first paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>2. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
CSS is responsible for the presentation and styling of the HTML content. It controls colors, fonts, layouts, and the overall visual appearance of a website. CSS is what makes a website look beautiful and engaging.
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background-color: #f4f4f4;
color: #333;
margin: 20px;
}
h1 {
color: #0056b3;
}3. JavaScript (JS)
JavaScript adds interactivity and dynamic behavior to webpages. It allows you to create features like image sliders, form validation, animations, and much more. JS is what makes a website come alive and respond to user actions.
function greetUser() {
alert("Welcome to our interactive page!");
}
document.querySelector('button').addEventListener('click', greetUser);What You'll Learn
In this introductory lesson, we'll cover:
- The basic syntax and structure of HTML.
- Key CSS properties for styling elements.
- How to link HTML and CSS files.
- Introduction to JavaScript for basic interactivity.
- The workflow of a web developer.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to create a simple, well-styled webpage with basic interactive features.
Getting Started
The best way to learn is by doing. Start by experimenting with the code examples provided. You'll need a simple text editor (like VS Code, Sublime Text, or even Notepad) and a web browser.