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Web Development - some languages to know
So many different languages and codes, where should I start? If you are interested in Web Designing and Development, here is a brief introduction of the computer language to help you get started.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
HTML is a language for building web pages. It is not a programming language but codes written to manage presentation of a webpage.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)
CSS is primarily used to describes the style of an HTML document.
Similar to HTML, CSS is not a programming language, but codes that describes how HTML elements are to be displayed in a browser.
While HTML codes output text onto a webpage, CSS provides instruction on how the texts should be displayed. The CSS codes control appearance characteristics such as colors, font, layout, and other visual effects.
JavaScript
JavaScript is a scripting language of HTML and the Web. It is important to know that scripting language is different from programming language. Scripting language can only write scripts, which is only part of a programming code, while programming language produces standalone codes that can be executed.
JavaScript allows your HTML web pages to be interactive and reacts to specific events. Just like CSS changes the appearance of your webpage, JavaScript can make your webpage more appealing by adding interactions between your webpage and the user such as message alerts at a click of a button. Another common examples of JavaScript is the Google Maps embedded in various websites.
PHP
PHP is a server-side scripting language for making dynamic and interactive Web pages
A little bit of trivia - PHP originally stood for Personal Home Page, not some fancy technical term!
Similar to JavaScript, it is considered to be a scripting language that helps make web contents interactive. However, PHP directly runs on the server itself (as opposed to JavaScript, which is loaded within the webpage content itself); and therefore PHP can access server database for a different type of feedback, such as posting messages you submit to a message board.
SQL (Structured Query Language and pronounced "ess-que-el")
SQL is a standard language for storing, manipulating and retrieving data in databases.
SQL works hand in hand with server-side scripting language such as PHP to retrieve data stored on the server. An example of SQL in webpage development is registration of membership information such as shipping address on a retail website. The information is stored in a database when you input it on the website. SQL is then used to retrieve the shipping information back to the webpage display for your final shipping confirmation.
Python
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics.
While HTML allows you to output texts, and CSS, JavaScript, and PHP adds more depth such as styles and interaction, Python is powerful that it essentially runs a program you can see on the web. Here is a list of some well known websites powered by Python to visualize how Python can impact web development:
- YouTube
- DropBox
As you can see, depending on the kind webpage you want to make, different languages can be used. From my experience, HTML is the simplest to get started, and most friendly, because it works much like word processing. You can give it a go at our HTML tutorials.
If you are interested in exploring more about programming games and applications (apps), check out our introduction of some of the languages involved in making iPhone, iPad, and and Android Apps here.