Newb question: How do I make a website template?

[Kurther Reich]

I'm new to web development so I can't do much, but I would like to make a template for my website. The problem is I don't know how to make a template. I originally thought I could just stick in a big background image, but that doesn't work well.

So can someone please tell me where to start in creating a website template? I'd really appreciate it if someone could just give me the basics or even point me to a website that explains it. I just don't know what I'm doing. inch:

 

[Nathan]

HTML or PHP. HTML is the very most basic way. You can always create a template in Photoshop, splice it and open in Dreamweaver and edit it.

 

[AsPeRiTy]

ya... thats the easiest way. But if you want something more complicated like a homepage with a shoutbox in it or with an easy log-in it requires php.

 

[Kurther Reich]

But what exactly is a template? Is it one big picture in the background with all of the other page elements placed over it, is it a bunch of stylish divs, or do I have the wrong idea?

 

[Nathan]

http://www.google.com/search?q=define:+template

 

[AsPeRiTy]

ya that pretty much hits the nail on the head

 

[NewFuture]

you really need to research, yes i understand we all were new sometime for webdesign but its so difficult to explain, if your totally new to webdesign use something like freewebs, to get you started i presuem your a bit more advanced than that, but you will learn the basics there, websites are made of a code called html, you can search gogle for html codes what you add to a .htm or .html file, or get a program which you basicly design the site using visual ways but having the option of viewing the basic html code, i recommend dreamweaver and frontpage, we all learn from playing around on these. a template can be anything, its just a design, though you can download templates this emans basicly you can download there site and customise yourself

 

[Bryon]

Ok, I have recently helped a friend making a very basic template/layout, and I think maybe could give you some pointers.

When I first started with "web design", it was with HTML. I didn't know much, and all I could pretty much do was edit other peoples Markup, (html). After a while, I started tryign things on my own, and after a while, I knew enough to do pretty much whatever I wanted, and how to completely control every aspect of a page I made.

Ok, so to help you. I would say first, start with tables in HTML, (eg: <table ..><tr><td ..>, etc). You can make really nice things just using tables. Once you begin to learn more HTML and HTML tags, you would be able to use other things to create layouts, like divs, images, etc. So I guess my two pointers would be, 1. Start using HTML, and trying to learn as much as you can about it. That includes using other people's layout/templates and editting them for what you want. 2. Start useing basic table's and font tags to make things that you want.

I hope that helped you somewhat. Remember taht if you ever have any questions, Google can be a lot of help

 

[Vietkid58]

a template is where you design the way a site looks. it may or may not have images. you can simplly use coding for it.

how do you code a template after desigining one in Photoshop if you dont have dreamweaver?