🌐 Module 1: Introduction to Web Development – A Beginner’s Guide

🔹 What is Web Development?

Web development is the process of creating websites and web applications that run in a browser. It involves:

Frontend (Client-Side Development)
- This is what users see and interact with.
- Built using HTML (structure), CSS (design), and JavaScript (interactivity).
- Example: The login form on Facebook, the YouTube video player, the navigation menu on Amazon.
Backend (Server-Side Development)
- Handles the logic, database, and server communication.
- Built using languages like PHP, Python, Node.js, Java, C#.
- Example: When you log in, the backend checks your username/password in a database.
Full-Stack Development
- A full-stack developer works on both frontend and backend.
- Example: Building an e-commerce site where you design the product page (frontend) and also handle order saving in the database (backend).

🔹 How Do Websites Work?

Let’s break it down step by step:

You type a URL (like www.google.com) in the browser.
The browser sends a request to a server (using HTTP or HTTPS).
The server processes the request and sends back an HTML page.
The browser reads the HTML and displays the content to you.
CSS styles the page, and JavaScript makes it interactive.

👉 Think of it like ordering food online:

The browser is you placing the order.
The server is the restaurant kitchen.
The HTML, CSS, and JS are the final dish served to your table.

🔹 What is HTML, CSS, and JavaScript?

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
- The skeleton of a web page.
- Defines the structure: headings, paragraphs, images, tables, forms, etc.
- Example:
```
<h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
<p>This is my first blog post.</p>
```
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- The clothes and makeup of the website.
- Controls layout, colors, fonts, spacing, and responsiveness.
- Example:
```
h1 {
  color: blue;
  text-align: center;
}
```
JavaScript
- The brain of the website.
- Makes websites interactive (forms, popups, animations, dynamic content).
- Example:
```
alert("Hello, welcome to my blog!");
```

🔹 Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before we start coding, let’s get our tools ready:

Text Editor (Code Editor)
- Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code) – free and widely used.
- Alternative editors: Sublime Text, Atom, Notepad++.
Web Browser
- Use Google Chrome or Firefox.
- Both come with Developer Tools (Right Click → Inspect) to debug your code.
Local Server (Optional for Beginners)
- Install the Live Server extension in VS Code.
- This allows you to run your HTML file and see live changes in the browser.

🔹 First Example: "Hello World" in HTML

Let’s create our first webpage:

Open VS Code.
Create a file called index.html.
Add this code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>My First Web Page</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
  <p>Welcome to my first blog on web development.</p>
</body>
</html>

Save the file and open it in your browser.

🎉 You’ve just created your first website!

🔹 Understanding the Structure

<!DOCTYPE html> → Tells the browser this is an HTML5 document.
<html> → The root element of the page.
<head> → Contains metadata (title, links, SEO info, scripts).
<body> → Contains the visible content (text, images, buttons, etc.).

🔹 Summary of Module 1

Web development is divided into Frontend, Backend, and Full Stack.
A website works by browsers and servers communicating via HTTP/HTTPS.
HTML gives structure, CSS adds style, JavaScript adds interactivity.
You need a code editor, browser, and optional live server to get started.
Your first Hello World HTML page is the beginning of your journey as a web developer.

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Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Module 1: Introduction to Web Development – A Beginner’s Guide