First of all, let’s remember what we’ve learned regarding Web programming:
- Code can be broken into three general areas: Markup (HTML/CSS), Scripting languages (JavaScript), and Programming Languages (Perl, Java, C++, etc.)
- HTML is used for structure, CSS is used primarily for style. JavaScript is used to add interactivity.
- HTML used ‘tags,’ which are wrapped in ‘carats’ (the greater-than / less-than symbols). The also have parameters (also known as attributes) which can modify them (like setting a link’s URL, or defining an image’s source file).
- Content is created locally, i.e. on the Desktop, which (obviously) cannot be seen by the world on the Internet. An FTP program is the conduit for transferring your local files to a server so everyone can see it online.
Regarding servers, domains, and the like:
- The Internet is not centralized, but rather a ‘network of networks,’ and is not owned by anyone or any government (nor can it be).
- The ‘world wide web’ is a subset of the Internet, and the primary way most of us interact with it. It uses http requests to show html content. But it’s not the only way information is transferred over the Internet (FTP is another example).
- A URL is the ‘English’ way of describing a Web address: ‘amazon.com,’ ‘elon.edu’ – but Web addresses are really just collections of numbers, known as IP addresses: ‘205.251.242.54 (Amazon’s IP address), ‘152.33.2.72‘ (Elon’s IP Address).
- A Domain Name Server (DNS Server) is the name of the application that pairs URLs with IP addresses, so we don’t have to memorize strings of numbers in order to visit our favorite Websites.
And finally, regarding Website content:
- A site that requires developer input to be changed is a ‘static’ site. The ‘bio’ page you made before is a static site – the contents and appearance of this page will not change unless you manually change it.
- Contrast that with a dynamic site, whose content can be updated by user input, search / purchase history (like Amazon), or new blog posts. Dynamic sites use databases to alter their content.
- A Website that is ‘responsive’ changes its layout and appearance based on your screen resolution. The new Elon website is a good example: open it up, adjust the width of the browser window, and see how the content and layout change.