The Basics of Web Coding

Web coding is the art of creating websites using HTML and CSS. These languages are used to structure and style a website’s content, and provide the foundation for many other web development tasks. As a result, fluency in these languages is essential to becoming a web developer and pursuing a career in digital design.

There are many different programming languages you can learn to become a web developer, but the most popular and useful ones for front end web development are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Knowing these languages will enable you to create dynamic, responsive websites that meet the needs of a wide range of users.

Aside from the languages listed above, there are several other coding tools and platforms that will help you build websites. These include text editors, browsers, and web server utilities like XAMPP.

You can also use a number of programming and developer communities on the Internet to find answers to your questions or help you solve problems with coding. Stack Overflow is one of the most popular online coding and developer community sites, and it offers forums and tutorials for a variety of coding languages. Additionally, there are a number of coding podcasts that offer expert advice and tips on various web development topics.

Learning to code can be a challenging task, but it’s worth it in the long run. With a good understanding of the basics, you can create professional-looking websites that stand out in the crowd and make your employer happy.

Using HTML as a basis for building websites allows developers to create flexible, responsive websites that are compatible with any device or operating system. This is especially important as more and more people are accessing the internet from their mobile devices.

For example, if a user is using a smartphone to view a page, the site’s layout will be altered accordingly, based on the screen size of the device and its orientation. This is referred to as responsive design, and it’s essential for modern web developers to understand.

Another common way to catch errors in your web markup is to validate it, which is a simple process that allows you to check that your web pages are valid HTML. This can be done by opening up your page in a browser and viewing it through the “View Source” menu option.

You can also see your code with the HTML inspector, a tool that lets you open up your page and view it through a side panel while looking at its source code. The inspector will show you what the page’s HTML is, which elements are being used, and how those elements are arranged.

It is essential that you know how to write the correct syntax for each element, as the wrong syntax can lead to strange results in the browser. In general, most HTML elements should have an opening tag and a closing tag. The opening tag is usually the name of the element, and the closing tag is often a forward slash.