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What languages does a well-rounded Web Designer should know?

by Lucky500
17 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
    • |
I know that there is a big difference between a web designer and a web developer. And I also know that you won't be able to master all the different languages out there.

But if you want to become a competent Web Designer/Developer what languages should you learn? (apart from the obvious HTML/CSS) and I would say that PHP is pretty important too.
#designer #languages #web #wellrounded
  • Profile picture of the author luis23
    I will agree with you too. PHP is important too. But these days you can easily outsource to others especially in the programming thing. In that way you can build your own Web Development Company without the need to know any programming at all.

    I mean it is always good to have some grade of knowledge but I don't thing you will need to submerge in the whole knowledge to become a web designer and run your own company.
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    • Profile picture of the author phpbbxpert
      Originally Posted by luis23 View Post

      I will agree with you too. PHP is important too. But these days you can easily outsource to others especially in the programming thing. In that way you can build your own Web Development Company without the need to know any programming at all.

      I mean it is always good to have some grade of knowledge but I don't thing you will need to submerge in the whole knowledge to become a web designer and run your own company.

      I do not believe that is the proper way to handle a business and can also get you in a jam.

      For instance, I hire a company to write a script for me and the company outsources it and then hands it to me without having the knowledge to read through it and inspect it for security or major errors.

      Who do you think is responsible? (The company that I hired)

      Anyway,
      You should have a strong understanding of JavaScript also and most likely one of the popular libraries, I prefer jQuery but everyone has their thing.
      Even using something like jQuery you should still have a strong understanding of JavaScript so you can properly debug and profile your scripts.

      It also helps to understand SQL and its syntax for those days when you need to work on a database for whatever reason. It's usually not the job of a designer, but you never know what you may end up getting into.
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      • Profile picture of the author luis23
        Originally Posted by phpbbxpert View Post

        I do not believe that is the proper way to handle a business and can also get you in a jam.

        For instance, I hire a company to write a script for me and the company outsources it and then hands it to me without having the knowledge to read through it and inspect it for security or major errors.

        Who do you think is responsible? (The company that I hired)

        Anyway,
        You should have a strong understanding of JavaScript also and most likely one of the popular libraries, I prefer jQuery but everyone has their thing.
        Even using something like jQuery you should still have a strong understanding of JavaScript so you can properly debug and profile your scripts.

        It also helps to understand SQL and its syntax for those days when you need to work on a database for whatever reason. It's usually not the job of a designer, but you never know what you may end up getting into.
        I totally respect that it is not the right way to handle this thing but if the person who does it in this way and he/she is smart and can handle it, he/she will succeed.

        I do run my own Web Company and I have never studied Web Design, HTML, CSS, PHP, JAVASCRIPT or any other language. I just understand how everything works. I mean there will be people who can disagree with me, but if a person can become millionaire without going to college why this cannot be possible?

        Everything is possible regardless if others think it is the right way or not...

        And please don't get me wrong in here, I am not trying to offend anyone and not even trying to imply that I am right. It is just what I believe...

        Cheers my friends
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        • Profile picture of the author CarloD.
          HTML 5 won't be the norm for a while,

          You should know HTML/CSS have a good understanding of Javascript and a library ie: prototype...JQuery... Knowledge of PHP is great and understanding SQL.

          When it comes to programming, don't outsource if you are trying to build a foundation. Find A programmer that you know, or someone local. Start working with them, that way if you run into issues you have a programmer that can look into it.
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  • Profile picture of the author soniamax
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author thriftgirl62
      Never let a designer build a website! If you do, a Back-end Programmer won't touch it. They won't work around a designers limited knowledge of how to plan a working website. Get the website working first, then design the rest of it.

      btw - It's a proven fact, serious buyers don't care about a SFE and even prefer plain, ugly pages instead of all that "design" you think they want. They don't.

      Scientist Solutions

      That site is well optimized - especially the home page!!
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      I retired in 2005 at 43 and now I give away websites like these for FREE [hosting excluded]

      When you make at least $100+ per month, we split the profit 80/20 and YOU get the 80% Until then, you keep 100% and I'll help you drive traffic, get backlinks and put the domain in your name too!
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      • Profile picture of the author IndigoJack
        Originally Posted by thriftgirl62 View Post

        Never let a designer build a website! If you do, a Back-end Programmer won't touch it. They won't work around a designers limited knowledge of how to plan a working website. Get the website working first, then design the rest of it.

        btw - It's a proven fact, serious buyers don't care about a SFE and even prefer plain, ugly pages instead of all that "design" you think they want. They don't.



        That site is well optimized - especially the home page!!
        It's true. Some of the most successful sites are not what you would describe as pretty. Example - parts of Google are pretty clunky and the links disappear when you go to another page and you can't find the link to get back because that's moved and the section you were on previously before you clicked on said link is now inaccessible from where you are and you have to logout in order to find it again.........................and on and on....

        Also, you should have a working knowledge of the script languages that you are using. Why?

        a)Because you can't be as baffled as your client when a problem arises.
        b)Cost. If you are farming out the work that means higher costs to your client which means that you are less able to compete with those that undertake the work in house.
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        • Profile picture of the author marcusuk
          For a web designer; XHTML,CSS and one of the javascript frameworks like Jquery or Mootools.

          Familiarity with mysql, php or a relevent language would be a bonus. But this is largely role of a developer.
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  • Profile picture of the author Arrowsharp
    ActionScript used to be pretty important if you wanted to use Flash aspects, but now the language is pretty simple to use with newer versions.
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  • Profile picture of the author GeJo
    PHP, JavaScript, ajax, jquery, flash, that's my bet.
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  • Profile picture of the author madno
    HTML5 and CSS3
    Jquery
    PHP

    What else?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason.Saeho
    HTML5 is starting to be really popular and the hype keeps building up on it.

    But as a designer you must know CSS/XHTML/JQuery/Javascript. As a Developer I would either pick a programming language to specialize on like PHP/MySQL or ASP.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason.Saeho
    On another note, I think web design is such a joke profession. There's absolutely no money in pretty design just like there is no money in "art". You have to be really lucky to make good living as a "designer" or an "artist" in my opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author darthdeus
    You should be able to write valid (X)HTML + CSS that works in standard browsers without thinking about how to do it.

    As for JavaScript, it's much better to learn jQuery and Prototype (scriptaculous), because vanilla JS is rarely used.

    For programming backend, I strongyl recommend Ruby on Rails, because it's simply the best solution for web . Nobody here will probably agree with me on that one so go with PHP
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  • Profile picture of the author careybaird
    I pickup what I need as I go along. Learn the tools for your work, don't bend your work for your tools.

    So after 10+ years in web dev I know PHP, SQL, HTML and CSS inside out. I know a lot of Javascript including frameworks like jquery. I know systems like wordpress, zen cart, drupal, magento etc.

    I also know PHP Frameworks like CakePHP and Codeigniter.

    Then there are all the other bits like server admin, ssh, hosting config etc. etc.

    Just learn it as you go along is the best way.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanhall789
    HTML5 is the latest buzz among web developers, but for a web developer mastering only one language is not enough, knowledge of different language is must.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marketing Profits Software
    MARKUP LANGUAGES:

    - XHTML
    - XML

    DATABASE:

    - SQL

    STYLE:

    - CSS
    - XSL

    PROGRAMMING/SCRIPTING:

    - PHP
    - ASP
    - Javascript
    - Actionscript
    - Ruby On Rails
    - Python
    - Perl

    ENTERPRISE:

    - Java
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  • Profile picture of the author aesoft
    Honestly, it really depends on the the direction you would like to go.

    Development technology can be a hit & miss... every year it seems the demand in one area will be higher than another. Key is to find what works for you, that you are comfortable with and find strength... then build from there.

    You can start by just creating scripts for yourself and tinkering as you go. Like some others said, learn it as you go. At least this way it's not like "learning" and more fun (IMHO).
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