Going Beyond the Basics

Indeed, understanding HTML and CSS are the two languages you absolutely do need to get started on your way to becoming a webmaster. However, there are other languages too, and I’ll mention them here and highlight their usefulness so that you know when you need each one and when to go for it.

According to Stefan Mischook, a reputable webmaster and owner of Killersites.com, What to learn (as of 2011-2012) – in order of priority include:

1. HTML
2. CSS
3. PHP basics
4. JavaScript
5. JQuery
6. Wordpress
7. OOP PHP (for programmers only)
8. HTML 5 and CSS 3
9. IPad / iPhone (choice of either: Objective C or HTML 5 + CSS 3)


My Comment


To simplify this: you do not need to learn and understand all of the above listed languages to become a webmaster. For an informational site with just Home, About and Contact menu, learning HTML or CSS, may be all that you need.


For a site with interactive features such as dynamic menus, Slide shows, Shopping carts, Forums and contact forms, etc. you’ll have to go beyond web page design to learning programming languages like JavaScript, JQuery and PHP. I am presently working on these triplets.


So I’m assuming our goal is to learn how to build dynamic websites and that’s where the fun and money is. I therefore suggest you organized your learning in the following order:


HTML


This is the foundation of any site – you have to learn HTML. Much has been said about this.


CSS

CSS is the sister language to HTML: where HTML provides the structure, CSS provides the style.

JavaScript

JavaScript is the programming language used in web browsers … it compliments PHP and is a 100% must learn language. Like PHP, so many things that we expect in websites today rely on JavaScript.

JQuery

JQuery is a Javascript library. It is the de facto standard when it comes to creating effects on your web pages. Such effects as:

· Sliders

· Dynamic menus

· Slide shows, etc… JQuery is helping to replace Flash.

Wordpress

Wordpress is the most popular blogging engine / content management system (CMS) out there. Many websites are built entirely out of Wordpress because using Wordpress automatically gives a website a whole bunch of capability for free:

· Built-in search

· Ability to add images, mp3’s to pages

· Ability to edit and create new pages with no web skills, etc ….Wordpress does much, much more.

Note: You may also consider learning Joomla as well.

PHP Basics

PHP is the most popular Web programming language out there. PHP is used by millions of tiny sites and on mega web sites like Facebook. As a web professional, you need to learn at least basic PHP because so many standard things that people want on websites are built with PHP – for example:

· Shopping carts/e-commerce systems.

· Blogs and content management systems.

· Forums and contact forms.