Hey everyone, I made an x10hosting free account to learn about web hosting and put my work on the web. What I want to know is: where to start. I know some html, some java, and that is about it. Anyone have a good tutorial? Any key things to tell beginners like "what php is, or what the best place to learn javascript is. Feel free to post it here.
where to start with web design
- Thread starter draegon
- Start date
playminigames
New Member
- Messages
- 216
- Reaction score
- 6
- Points
- 0
The best beginning tutorials are over at http://www.w3schools.com. They are where i started out and they give you great examples, and you can also try them out on their site. They teach the basics of everything, PHP, (X)HTML, Javascript, CSS, SQL, and AJAX. This is probably the best place for beginners, and once you get the basics you can go to php.net it you want to learn even more, but it is the official reference, so it is a little bit more confusing.
I hope i helped!
I hope i helped!
- Messages
- 1,165
- Reaction score
- 27
- Points
- 48
- Messages
- 1,420
- Reaction score
- 46
- Points
- 48
Messing about with code and testing what you can do is the best way of progressing. Learn by doing tutorials that you read and you will find that you will remember the skills and techniques far more easily.
I have some tutorials about PHP, HTML, and a little CSS. You can check them out here: http://kallieashley.pcriot.com . Another one is http://heartdrops.org
Good luck! :]
Good luck! :]
W3Schools is outdated, inaccurate and incomplete. For example:
For better resources, read "Want to learn to program...." thread and the various questions on SO related to learning php and javascript tutorials, especially "PHP tutorial that is security-, accuracy- and maintainability-conscious?" Don't neglect database design.
Also, this forum is only for posting tutorials. The programming help forum is the best place for this issue.
- The PHP+MySQL tutorial is based on the twice-supplanted mysql driver and don't even mention SQL injection.
- The page on JS variables says that declaring a variable with var is the same as assigning to an undeclared variable (it's not; the former creates a local variable, the latter a global).
- The HTML tutorials use presentational elements. No mention of semantic elements is even made.
For better resources, read "Want to learn to program...." thread and the various questions on SO related to learning php and javascript tutorials, especially "PHP tutorial that is security-, accuracy- and maintainability-conscious?" Don't neglect database design.
Also, this forum is only for posting tutorials. The programming help forum is the best place for this issue.
Last edited:
geekiwan
New Member
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Some really good read me's here: http://www.thesitewizard.com/php/index.shtml
If you are used to looking at code like java & html sometimes its a good idea to upload some free scripts to your site, and mess about with the code / html content as it will give you some practical views on how things work. I would also always recommend keeping copies of the original files incase you fatally break the script and so you can re-upload and try again.
Couple of Coding 'Rules' (loosely) That will make learning easier::
1: K,I,S,S - "Keep It Simple Stupid"... my college professor taught me that one, not calling you stupid of course but if things are too complex it can be a headache so keep things simple is always a good idea.
2: Fully Comment your code! in php you can do a // and add some text to remind you later whats doing what. Each lang has is own version and its always advised especially if its something new you are trying to figure out.
3: And remember copy & paste is a programmers best friend if you write something that works, don't be afraid to reuse it else where with changes as needed.
If you are used to looking at code like java & html sometimes its a good idea to upload some free scripts to your site, and mess about with the code / html content as it will give you some practical views on how things work. I would also always recommend keeping copies of the original files incase you fatally break the script and so you can re-upload and try again.
Couple of Coding 'Rules' (loosely) That will make learning easier::
1: K,I,S,S - "Keep It Simple Stupid"... my college professor taught me that one, not calling you stupid of course but if things are too complex it can be a headache so keep things simple is always a good idea.
2: Fully Comment your code! in php you can do a // and add some text to remind you later whats doing what. Each lang has is own version and its always advised especially if its something new you are trying to figure out.
3: And remember copy & paste is a programmers best friend if you write something that works, don't be afraid to reuse it else where with changes as needed.
Copy & paste may seem like your friend, but it says the most horrible things about you behind your back; it's an anti-pattern. You should use proper abstractions, writing functions, classes, modules and libraries to reuse code.
Last edited:
Sick, I will remember these! I am so busy right now that I can't try many of you all's suggestions, though :frown:.
Thanks again for all the help, everyone!
Except number 3, since it's an anti-pattern. Another principle (formulated in Hunt and Thomas' The Pragmatic Programmer) is DRY–Don't Repeat Yourself. Copy & paste makes it very easy to repeat yourself, which is the reason it's an anti-pattern. Another book to check out is McConnell's Code Complete. Both of these books are on the Coding Horror recommended reading list.
An even more important (but harder to master) principle is separation of concerns–isolating features by functionality. This is what lies behind things like the Model-View-Controller architectural pattern and abstraction layers.
geekiwan
New Member
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Very very true m8, but we don't wanna scare him/her on his first site :wink::wink:
Thanks for the book tips Mission will have to read up, been a decade since i did any coding. Have litterally just restarted in the last month thought i would throw myself into php & mysql for a challenge. If you know of any good texts for learning would be most grateful of the direction.
Last edited:
Functions and classes are necessary from the start; leaving them out is just encouraging bad habits. Modules and libraries come quite naturally to group the functions and classes you write.
Check the recommendations linked to in "sql database" and "What should I learn?" as well as the many SO questions about web development books, especially "PHP tutorial that is security-, accuracy- and maintainability-conscious?".