Learn to be a Web Developer

Becoming a Web Developer

This page will talk about things you need to know or do to become (or improve as) a Web developer.

• Study Graphic Design, especially Web-based color and typography.
• Master HTML and CSS, including modern standards-based design (no tables for layout!).
• Get decent tools. Use an IDE like Dreamweaver (see below). FireBug or Venkman (Javascript debuggers). Browser Web toolbars. Validators. Text editors.
• Develop a working knowledge of Javascript and Ajax. Find plugins and working code and adapt them to your needs. Integrate a modern Javascript library like jQuery or Prototype into your site. Learn to program.
• Develop a working knowledge of PHP or some other backend technology. PHP is the engine behind many Web server applications, including Wordpress.
• Learn the basics of Blogging, including how to set up a blog on a popular blogging engine like Wordpress.
• Learn the basics of Databases, especially using MySQL, the open-source relational database.
• Develop a working knowledge of Ecommerce basics, including familiarity with some possible solutions (PayPal, ZenCart, osCommerce).
• Hang out where the developers go. Spend time with the top Web-oriented blogs: Smashing Magazine, DZone, Six Revisions, A List Apart, PopURLS.com.
• Keep doing it! Practice, practice, practice. Read developer blogs. Experiment.

Using a Web Development System (Dreamweaver)

There are several advantages to using a Web Development system like Dreamweaver. Normally, you create the files for your Web site on your own computer, and simply upload the pages to the Web server whenever you change them.

• The system can manage the synchronization of your Web site automatically.
• You can choose to design your pages in WYSIWYG mode, thereby reducing your need to know HTML. A good tool will also automate or facilitate certain tasks by understanding the task (highlighting source code, balancing braces, etc).
• The tool can validate links for you, and check your spelling and your HTML syntax.
• You can use templates to create a bunch of similar pages, allowing you to update all pages by simply changing the template.
• NOTE: We have an atypical environment at the College, since you don’t have private computers. You can either: (1) use your student directory on the class Web server as the primary version of your files, and then just work on copies locally at whatever machine you find yourself using; (2) use the same computer throughout the semester, allowing you to store your files locally on the hard drive. The first option is greatly preferred, since you cannot really count on your files being as you left them on a school computer.
• Just So You Know: I use Dreamweaver as my Web development environment.