Published on October 23, 2024

What Is Web Development? Learn About HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP

Web development, also called website development, involves creating, building, and maintaining websites and web applications that run in a web browser. It can also include tasks like web design, coding, and managing databases.

Web development is closely linked to designing how websites and apps look and work (web design). However, “development” usually refers to building these features through coding and programming.

The main tools used in web development are programming languages like HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript. Besides these, there are other programs that help build websites without having to write all the code from scratch. These are called content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress, Joomla! Drupal, TYPO3, and Adobe Experience Manager.

What Exactly is Web Development?

Web development is closely connected to designing how websites and apps look and function (often called “web design”). However, “web development” usually refers to the actual building and coding of websites and apps.

Think of all the websites you’ve visited over the years—Web Developers created those, ensuring they worked smoothly and provided a good user experience. They do this by writing code in different programming languages, depending on the tasks and platforms they are working with.

Web Development vs. Web Design

While web development and web design have some overlap, there are important differences between the two. Let’s break it down further:-

Web Designers:

Web Developers:

What Are the Most Common Programming Languages?

The most common programming languages used in web development are:

What is HTML?

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the standard language used to create websites. It acts as the foundation for all web pages. Think of HTML as the skeleton of a website—it gives structure to the content you see on a webpage, such as text, images, videos, and links.

How HTML Works

HTML uses “tags” to tell a web browser how to display content. These tags are written in angled brackets, like <html>, and they come in pairs, like <p> and </p> (used for paragraphs). Tags wrap around content to define how it should appear.

For example:

<p>This is a paragraph.</p>

Here, the <p> tag tells the browser to display the text inside it as a paragraph.

Key Parts of HTML:

Elements: These are the building blocks of an HTML page. An element is made up of a start tag, content, and an end tag. For example:

<h1>This is a Heading</h1>

In this case, <h1> is the element used for a large heading.

Attributes: These provide extra information about elements. They appear inside the start tag. For example:

<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description of image" />

Here, src specifies the image file, and alt gives a description.

Basic Structure of an HTML Page

A simple HTML document has a structure like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Page Title</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
    <p>This is a paragraph of text.</p>
  </body>
</html>

<!DOCTYPE html>: Tells the browser what version of HTML is being used.

<html>: This is the root element, which contains all the content of the page.

<head>: This section contains metadata (information about the page, like the title).

<body>: Everything inside the <body> tag is what shows up on the actual webpage, like headings, paragraphs, images, and links.

What is CSS?

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the language used to style and layout websites. While HTML provides the structure of a webpage, CSS controls how that structure looks and feels. It manages the colors, fonts, spacing, and overall design, making websites visually appealing and easy to navigate.

How CSS Works

CSS works by selecting elements in the HTML and applying styles to them. These styles include things like color, size, and positioning. CSS allows web developers to separate content (HTML) from design, making it easier to update and maintain the look of a website.

For example, using CSS, you can change the text color of a paragraph like this:

p {
  color: blue;
}

In this example, the rule applies to all <p> elements (paragraphs), turning their text blue.

Key Parts of CSS

Selectors: These tell the browser which HTML elements to style. Common selectors include tags, classes, and IDs. For example:

Tag selector: p { ... } (styles all paragraphs)

Class selector: .example { ... } (styles all elements with class “example”)

ID selector: #header { ... } (styles the element with ID “header”)

Properties and Values: Properties define what you want to change, like color, font size, or margin, and values specify the changes. For example:

color: red;
font-size: 20px;
margin: 10px;

How CSS is Added to HTML

There are three main ways to include CSS in your HTML:

Inline CSS: Style is added directly to the HTML element. For example:

<p style="color: green;">This is a green paragraph.</p>

Internal CSS: Styles are written inside the <style> tag within the HTML document’s <head>. For example:

<head>
  <style>
    p {
      color: red;
    }
  </style>
</head>

External CSS: Styles are written in a separate .css file and linked to the HTML file. This is the best practice for larger websites. For example:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />

In this case, the styles are stored in a file called styles.css.

Basic CSS Example

Here’s how you can use CSS to style a simple webpage:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
    <p>This is a paragraph of text.</p>
  </body>
</html>

And the corresponding CSS (styles.css) might look like this:

h1 {
  color: blue;
  font-size: 36px;
}

p {
  color: black;
  font-size: 18px;
}

This CSS will make the heading blue and large, while the paragraph text will be black and smaller.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript (JS) is a programming language used to make websites interactive. While HTML provides the structure and CSS handles the style, JavaScript adds behavior and functionality to web pages. It allows users to interact with websites in real-time by making things like animations, form validation, drop-down menus, and more.

How JavaScript Works

JavaScript runs directly in the web browser and can respond to user actions like clicks, typing, or scrolling. For example, if you click a button, JavaScript can make something happen on the page, like showing a hidden message or updating part of the content without refreshing the page.

Here’s a simple example of JavaScript:

<button onclick="alert('Hello!')">Click me</button>

In this case, when a user clicks the button, a pop-up message will appear saying “Hello!”

Key Features of JavaScript

Interactivity: JavaScript makes websites dynamic, meaning things can change on the page without needing to reload the whole site. Examples include updating live scores, auto-refreshing news feeds, or displaying form errors.

DOM Manipulation: JavaScript can access and change the structure of an HTML page in real-time through the Document Object Model (DOM). This means you can use JavaScript to update text, images, and other elements on a webpage without having to reload the page.

document.getElementById('myText').innerHTML = 'New Content!';

In this example, JavaScript finds the HTML element with the ID “myText” and changes its content.

Event Handling: JavaScript can detect and respond to user actions, known as “events.” Common events include clicking buttons, submitting forms, and scrolling through a page. JavaScript can be used to perform actions based on these events.

document.getElementById('myButton').addEventListener('click', function () {
  alert('Button clicked!');
});

Basic JavaScript Example

Here’s how JavaScript can be used to make a webpage interactive:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Website</title>
    <script>
      function changeText() {
        document.getElementById('myText').innerHTML = 'You clicked the button!';
      }
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1 id="myText">Hello, World!</h1>
    <button onclick="changeText()">Click Me</button>
  </body>
</html>

In this example:

What is PHP?

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a popular server-side scripting language used to build dynamic websites and web applications. Unlike HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are processed by your web browser, PHP is executed on the web server before the content is sent to the user’s browser. It’s widely used for building websites that interact with databases, manage forms, handle user logins, and more.

How PHP Works

PHP is embedded in HTML code and runs on the server when a user accesses a webpage. It processes the data (such as pulling information from a database) and generates HTML, which is then sent to the user’s browser. This makes PHP ideal for creating interactive and data-driven websites.

For example, a simple PHP script looks like this:

<?php
  echo "Hello, World!";
?>

When the server runs this script, it outputs “Hello, World!” in the browser.

Basic PHP Example

Here’s a simple example of a PHP script that displays a welcome message based on the time of day:

<?php
  $hour = date("H");

  if ($hour < 12) {
    echo "Good morning!";
  } elseif ($hour < 18) {
    echo "Good afternoon!";
  } else {
    echo "Good evening!";
  }
?>

This script uses PHP’s built-in date function to check the time and display a message accordingly.

Use Lazy Loading Techniques

Enhance Above-the-Fold Content Optimization

“Above-the-fold content” is the part of a webpage that users see right away without scrolling. Optimizing this content helps your site load faster and makes a good first impression. Here’s how to do it:

Optimizing above-the-fold content boosts your website’s speed and gives users a smooth browsing experience right from the start.

Reducing Redirects

Redirects happen when someone tries to open a webpage but is automatically sent to a different page. Although redirects are sometimes useful, having too many of them can slow down your site. To keep your website fast and improve user experience, try to reduce the number of redirects. You can do this by checking your website’s structure and removing any old or unnecessary redirects.

Broken links are links on your website that point to pages or resources that don’t exist anymore. These can frustrate users and may make them leave your site. Also, search engines see broken links as a negative sign for SEO. By regularly checking and fixing broken links, you help users have a smooth browsing experience, and search engines can index your site more effectively. This means doing regular link checks and quickly updating or removing any broken links you find.

Mobile Optimization for Website Speed

Responsive Design

Responsive design is a way of designing websites so they look good on different devices and screen sizes—like desktops, tablets, and smartphones. It uses flexible layouts and CSS media queries to adjust the design based on the screen size. This lets the website automatically adapt to the device being used, making sure users have the best experience whether they’re on a big or small screen.

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)

AMP, or Accelerated Mobile Pages, is an open-source framework created by Google with other tech companies to make mobile web browsing faster. It does this by creating simplified, lightweight versions of web pages that load very quickly on mobile devices. AMP pages remove non-essential elements and use streamlined code, making the content load almost instantly. This faster experience helps reduce bounce rates and can boost search engine rankings on mobile.

Reduce Mobile Page Size

Reducing mobile page size means making the webpage files smaller to help them load faster on mobile devices. Since mobile networks are often slower than desktop connections, a large page size can slow down loading times, frustrating users and possibly lowering your site’s ranking in search results. By keeping page sizes small, you improve loading speed, which leads to a better user experience.

To make mobile pages load faster, website owners can try several strategies to reduce page size. Compressing images and using smaller file types like JPEG or WebP can make a big difference. Also, removing extra code—like whitespace or unnecessary comments—helps make the files smaller. Browser caching and GZIP compression are other useful methods to speed up loading. The goal is to keep pages light so they load quickly on mobile devices, which boosts both user satisfaction and SEO performance.

Improve Mobile Browser Caching

Mobile browser caching optimization is about setting up mobile devices to store website content efficiently. With caching, parts of a website can be saved on the user’s device, which means pages load faster when they visit again. To do this, developers add specific settings in the website’s code or use caching plugins to manage how content is stored and accessed.

By optimizing caching, website owners help pages load more quickly, enhancing the user experience and saving mobile data.

Effective Strategies for Optimizing Website Speed

Continuous Monitoring of Website Speed

Keeping an eye on your website’s speed is essential for maintaining good performance and strong SEO. Regular checks allow you to spot any slowdowns or issues that might be affecting load times. By catching these problems early, you can quickly make improvements to keep your website running smoothly and provide a better experience for visitors.

Monitoring your website speed means using tools to check how quickly your site loads. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom Tools give detailed reports on your website’s performance. They help you identify issues that might be slowing your site down, like large images or unoptimized scripts, so you can make the necessary improvements for faster loading.

Regularly monitoring your website speed helps you spot changes or trends in performance. If load times suddenly increase, it could signal an issue that needs fixing. Monitoring also lets you benchmark your site’s speed, comparing it to industry standards or your competitors’ sites, so you know how well your website is performing.

Monitoring your website speed isn’t just a one-time task; it’s an ongoing effort. Many factors can affect your site’s speed, such as new content, additional plugins or scripts, and increased traffic. Regular checks help you quickly identify and fix any speed-related issues as they arise.

By regularly checking your website’s speed, you can ensure it’s optimized for fast load times, providing a better experience for users and improving your SEO rankings. This ongoing monitoring helps you make informed choices about speed optimization techniques and keeps your website performing at its best.

Maintain Regular Updates

Staying updated is essential for optimizing your website’s speed. This means regularly updating your content management system (CMS), plugins, themes, and other components. These updates usually come with performance improvements and bug fixes that can greatly enhance your site’s speed and overall performance. By keeping everything current, you ensure your website runs smoothly and takes advantage of the latest speed optimization techniques.

Schedule Regular Speed Assessments

Regular performance audits are important for checking your website’s speed and overall performance. They help you find any issues that might be slowing down your site. By conducting these audits, you can make sure your website runs smoothly and efficiently over time.

During these audits, you can use different tools to measure key metrics like how long it takes for pages to load, server response times, and how well various parts of your website perform. By looking at this data, you can spot any slowdowns or problems that might be affecting your website’s speed.

Regular performance audits also keep you informed about the latest industry standards and best practices. Since technology and browsing habits change over time, it’s important to regularly check and update your website’s performance. By evaluating your site’s speed often, you can spot areas that need improvement and make the necessary changes.

These audits should be done regularly—monthly, quarterly, or annually—based on your website’s needs and how much traffic it gets. By regularly conducting these audits, you can identify and fix issues early, ensuring your website consistently runs at top speed and performance.

In summary, regular performance audits involve checking your website’s speed and overall functionality to spot any problems that could slow it down. By being proactive and staying updated, you can ensure your website continues to offer a fast and smooth user experience.