CS-2100: Introduction to Web Development

Web Patterns and principles

When designing web pages there is one thing that every web designer should know, and that is that the web page is not for him/herself but for an audience. One should always code for the persons who will be using the page not for themselves. This can be difficult but with a small arenal of toold in the proverbial toolbox it can be accomplished.

Seperation of Concerns

This can be one of the most important aspects of web development for the developer, and this simple solution translates to a great user experience. The rule is simply that all things have their place and should not be mixed with unlike items. For example, when one creates a folder for images they should not mix other files in with the image files within that folder. This sounds very simple, but many people do not obey thsi rule and get stressed when they cannot find a file at 3am in the morning; however all the stress could have been prevented with a little planning.

DRY: Don't Repeat Yourself

The most important aspect about not repeating yourself is it reduces load time and strain on your users system. If anyone has ever been to a web page with broken links or a picture that will not display one can bet that it has to do with bad coding, but also a developer copy and pasting their way to get things done faster.

Low representational gap

This is basically how easy a web page or application can be used. The representational gap can be "lowered" by building web pages that are easy/fun to use and accomplish the goal of the end user. By haing a small representational gap one can ensure repeated business to their web page. This can usually be guranteed by using the other three pattern rules.

High Cohesion

This follows closely with seperation of concerns, and basically states that each page or modue of a web page should have a purpose and that purpose should be easily discerened by the user. The more simple the page the better the high cohesion.

XHTML

HTML and XML were sitting in a bar and their eyes met, and the rest is history. The outcome was XHTML that combines the best of both programming languages to make for simple implementation of graphic rich web page programming. Everything a user sees on a web page is programmed carefully in just the right places to make for a wonderful user experience.

CSS

Here is where things get tough for developers of web pages, but for the end consumer this is what makes the magic happen. In half the time it would take to position XHTML pages manually a web page can be positioned and color and graphics added. By using the semantics and commands of Cascaded Style Sheets updates to web pages and site maintence can be done much more quickly allowing a user to reap the benefits. For developers the use of CSS allows us to be what we always wanted to be, lazy geeks. A lazy geek likes to change one thing, in one file, and it magically change all the other files simultaneously CSS allows us to be lazy and we love that!

JavaScript

The uses of JavaScript are almost endless and as with most things in web development it allows the developer to create interesting user centered web pages. Another simple programming language JavaScript adds functionality to webpages giving them more depth and "spice." This is what drives the e-commerce crazy of the modern era and makes it possible to e-mail a site owner or dubmit forms without having to open your e-mail.

Page and site design

Deep in the dark fathoms of a basement somewhere in America sits a geek who has worked tirelessly for a year building the next Facebook but will it succeed? That depends of how easy to use it is and how it looks. Humans like other animals are first attracted by how something looks and then stay for the simpicity of completing a task. A proper balance must be struck between design and simplicity, and that will make for a return audience. Many aspects fall into the design category font size, line length, and whitespace balance to name a few. Proper design falls into the category of visual impact really. Make an impact and the users will come back.