What is JavaScript?

Another term you are going to hear good bit about working with web pages is JavaScript. JavaScript is a scripting language often use for adding interactivity and functionality to web pages. It was created in 1995 by Netscape. It is been gaining popularity ever since. Although it shares the similar name, Java Script actually has nothing to do with the programming language Java.

What is CSS?

Another standard web technology that you will need to become familiar with when designing websites is CSS or Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is a collection of styles that control layout and presentation of XHTML. Styles can target specific elements, IDs, class names or combination these elements to write greater control over specific style application. The main purpose of using CSS is to separate structure and presentation.

File name conventions

As you create files for the web understanding the rules governing the naming is vitally important. If your files are not named correctly certain pages might become inaccessible or just not work properly. Remember the web pages contain links to other web pages and assets. If file naming isn’t handled correctly your site’s functionality can really suffer. Fortunately, the rules for file naming conventions on the web are pretty easy to follow.

What is an index page?

You may have noticed when surfing online that often you pointing directly to the page such as lynda.com/aboutus/mission.esp like we are here. Other time you are simply pointing to directory or root directory such as lynda.com so if we go backup and we browse to lynda.com we are still to the page even though we are pointing a specific page that lynda.com.

Current Web Design Practices

In past web pages have almost been self content. All the content, presentation, interactivity and structure have been contained within one file. Links were made to external assets such as images but by enlarge the code for the web page contented everything the browser needed to display the content. That way of working had considerable limitation not the list of which was HTML’s poor presentational capability. As web standards, such as CSS and XHTML began to gain wider adaption.

What is XHTML?

Around January of 2000 the World Wide Web consortium the group that works to define and establish web standards announce the move from the current standard at that time which was HTML 4.0 to the new standard XHTML. XHTML stands for Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language now over 8 years old this standard XHTML is no longer than new standard it is the standard markup language for creating web content. If you never learned HTML don’t let the prospect of learning XHTML intimated you.

Basic Site Structure

If you are brand new to web design and brand new to Dreamweaver you are probably egger to open it up and get started. However before we start using Dreamweaver is symphonic over some of the more fundamental concepts and best practices of web design. That way you ensure that you are using  Dreamweaver coreiclick. And you understand why Dreamweaver operates the way it does when building websites.