Overview
Web Programming, also known as Web Development, refers to writing, markup, and coding Web content, pages, Web clients, etc. It’s a broad term encompassing many activities, from developing simple, static web pages and websites to complex, dynamic web-based applications, services, and e-commerce applications.
Web programming can also involve server-side scripting and databases used on the server side.
Web Programming
Engineers who are involved in web development tasks are called Web Developers. Web development tasks are divided into:
- Front-end Development
- Back-end Development
Front-end development focuses on the user interface and user experience. It involves the use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back-end development focuses on the server, database, and application logic. It involves languages like PHP, Python, and Ruby and platforms like Node.js.
Web Languages
The main languages used in web programming are as follows:
Client-side
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard markup language for creating web pages. It structures the content on the web.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used for styling and laying out web pages. It describes how HTML elements should be displayed.
JavaScript: A scripting language used to create dynamic content on the web, such as interactive forms, animations, and complex user interactions.
Server-side
PHP: A widely-used open-source server-side scripting language.
Ruby: Ruby and the Rails framework are popular for web development due to their emphasis on simplicity and productivity.
Python: Known for its readability, Python is increasingly used for web and Internet development with frameworks such as Django and Flask.
Node.js: Node.js is not a language but a runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript on the server.
Web applications often require databases to store data like:
SQL databases: Such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
NoSQL databases, such as MongoDB, are often used to store semi-structured data.
Modern Web development
Modern web development also involves using various frameworks, libraries, and tools to simplify the development process, improve code quality, and enhance user experience. These include frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js for front-end development and Django, Rails, and Express for back-end development.
Web programming is a dynamic field constantly evolving with new standards, technologies, and best practices.