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Where the hell do I start?

by Eric X
12 replies
I really want to learn web development and web design. My issue comes in with understanding the proper sequence I should take to learn it. I have spent allot of time learning html/css so far, but have no idea what to do next.
Can you guys/gals give me any suggestions on where to start?

Thank you very much.
#hell #start
  • Profile picture of the author georgeweb13
    web development and web design is totally different things.
    web development ->is programming
    web design -> comes from graphic design that makes graphics for the web. its more artistic.

    I dont think for a newbie, is a good to start learning both....
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  • Profile picture of the author PBClemens
    Have a look at Develop a Job :: Change Your Career & Learn an In-Demand Skill for Free. This site outlines a good curriculum for learning either web design or web development (or both). It lays down a good path toward learning the basics, developing a portfolio, and getting certified so that you could land an entry level job. The curriculum then goes on to continue learning and advancing after you're in the field.
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  • Profile picture of the author disha
    Hi,
    If you want to learn web designing and web programming, so they are totally different thing to do. As you say that you can learned html and css so you can learn web design properly with the help of online tutorials regarding to web design and how it work and make a carrier in designing field.
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  • Profile picture of the author puedall
    As already pointed out before, web design and web development are two different things.

    1. Web developmentt = programming

    2. Web design = php, css, html, etc = basically anything you do to design a website either with a programming language ( in a simple text editor ) or with an Html editor ( like Kompozer or Dreamweaver ).

    3. Graphic design is a part of web design = it is anything you do with images and graphics in general to include in your web design.

    The best place to start is W3Schools.

    And YouTube.

    I think you should learn wordpress, php, Kompozer (free ) or Dreamweaver (paid ) and java next.

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  • Profile picture of the author bjadams
    a programmer & a designer are 2 different things

    a programmer is responsible for functionality whilst a designer created the look & visuals

    so fed up for companies hiring & wanting 2 people for the price of 1
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    • Profile picture of the author Terry Crim
      Originally Posted by puedall View Post

      As already pointed out before, web design and web development are two different things.

      1. Web developmentt = programming

      2. Web design = php, css, html, etc = basically anything you do to design a website either with a programming language ( in a simple text editor ) or with an Html editor ( like Kompozer or Dreamweaver ).
      Web development and web design are pretty much the samething at least in typical conversation and both terms are used interchangeably. I am sure there is specific definitions somewhere but for practical purpose they hold the same meaning for most people.

      Originally Posted by puedall View Post

      I think you should learn wordpress, php, Kompozer (free ) or Dreamweaver (paid ) and java next.
      Kompozer is too out of date to be useful anymore, I find dreamweaver too slow to be of practical use in real world development. I have both CS6 and the newest 2014 version and I rarely open them.

      For a development environment I use NotePad++ and with various plugins you can get drop down completion with direct tie to PHP manual. I don't have the link for it but there are tons of plugins that make it closer to what Dreamweaver is, minus the built-in previewer. Though there is a direct plugin combo with chrome which I haven't tried.

      For an IDE, I used to use phpStorm but it's be all for everyone has made it's usefulness to me less than useful.


      Originally Posted by bjadams View Post

      a programmer & a designer are 2 different things

      a programmer is responsible for functionality whilst a designer created the look & visuals

      so fed up for companies hiring & wanting 2 people for the price of 1
      That is an archaic view which I don't find that often. In real world development you are required to know both. Unless you are talking about graphic design which is a different skill set.

      If you don't understand Javascript, Html, CSS, backend development with programming languages such as php and database design then you are going to get beaten in the marketplace by people who do. Wordpress development requires all these skills to some degree or another and that is just a CMS.

      Actually making the graphics and imagery, no, that is something else entirely though if that is a route someone wants to take there are entire sites developed that are just graphics and put together with photoshop and various WysWyg softwares.
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  • Profile picture of the author ashish sharma
    If you have learned html,css then start javascript and then jquery which completes your web design part then you should study java or any other development language.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ten Writer
      Originally Posted by ashish sharma View Post

      If you have learned html,css then start javascript and then jquery which completes your web design part then you should study java or any other development language.
      I would recommend this. There are tons of Javascript tutorials available on Youtube
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Ray
    Html/CSS is a good way to start. The next step should be php or Python. Then you should learn Linux -CentOS because it's a good thing to understand the environment where your web applications will be deployed.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
      Originally Posted by georgeweb13 View Post

      web development and web design is totally different things.
      Originally Posted by disha View Post

      Hi,
      If you want to learn web designing and web programming, so they are totally different thing to do.
      Originally Posted by puedall View Post

      As already pointed out before, web design and web development are two different things.
      Originally Posted by bjadams View Post

      a programmer & a designer are 2 different things
      Eric did say he wants to learn BOTH (thus the "and"). Pretty sure he knows they're different things or he wouldn't have listed them both as things he wants to learn.

      Originally Posted by Eric X View Post

      I really want to learn web development and web design. My issue comes in with understanding the proper sequence I should take to learn it. I have spent allot of time learning html/css so far, but have no idea what to do next.
      Can you guys/gals give me any suggestions on where to start?

      Thank you very much.
      Eric, if you already know HTML and CSS it sounds to me like you started a long time ago. I suggest you start learning PHP next. What are your goals? Why do you want to learn? Do you want a career in web design, development, building or just want to know for your own uses?

      As for design, if you're not a designer by flair then just use your artistic eye to choose good designs. Starting a design from scratch can be pretty daunting sometimes - it is for me anyway - so I express my design skills (what few there are) by modifying, trimming, perfecting, and debugging themes, skins, templates...etc

      Even if you don't ever want to use anyone else's work in your design (no themes, skins or anything) you will still benefit tremendously from using and studying them.
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      • Profile picture of the author pomodorium
        You can try many places with free tutorials, but make sure to firstly understand the programming (web developing), before you pass to the web design. Codeacademy has very good free tutorials for web development, if you can pay for tutorials you might as well try Treehouse or Udemy.
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        • Profile picture of the author Terry Crim
          It really depends on what it is you want to do, though from your original post it seems you want to create database driven websites that look nice and are responsive to users.
          • Html and CSS is the formatting and visual display part. Understanding the DOM is vital and the most important thing you need to understand and know how to manipulate.
          • Javascript is used in helping to process forms such as making sure all the fields that need to be filled out are and contain the correct formatting for an email address or phone number. Though it is heavily used in animating elements and content it is extremely important in AJAX where information is submitted and retrieved from a web page without the need to refresh the page.
          • PHP is the most common and easier to learn language especially for web development.
          • MySQL database is the most common you will find being used for the typical websites you would design.

          What you should focus on next after learning html and css?

          It is not an all or nothing approach though you do need to understand the DOM and know it pretty well since everything you will be doing will be focused on manipulating the DOM.
          1. Learn some Javascript and play around with injecting information into the DOM, taking information and elements in and out. Also study up on moving elements around the DOM with Javascript then add the JQuery libraries into the mix and see what you can do with that.
          2. Once you are comfortable with working with html, css and javascript then study PHP and play around with submitting information and retrieving information to and from PHP and Javascript. The most common way of doing this is using JSON formatted information.
          3. Then add MySQL and learn SQL query formatting to be able to properly insert, retrieve and update information.

          Download and install one of the many software programs such as WAMP if you are using windows to setup a testing server environment so you don't have to work on a live hosted website to learn with. Something that has PHP, MySQL built-in. If you are technically inclined you can manually install Apache, MySQL and PHP yourself but there are a lot of things you need to know to be able to do it correctly.

          There are sites that are bringing in six figures weekly that are nothing more than graphic images surrounded by href links and injected iframes with various types of content inside from video to text and images. You do not have to know much technical stuff at all.

          If you focus learning a content management system such as wordpress you can make money by catering to marketers but you will need to know how to alter and install plugins and create themes.

          If you are serious about expanding your skills spend a month or two on Youtube going through all the 10 hour courses you can find and follow along with the tutorial. I usually don't download their available code as I learn by doing and typing along with them.

          Those are my suggestions.
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