Web Development Basics: Understanding the Technologies
Web development is a complex and constantly changing field, but it all begins with understanding the basics and foundational technologies. These technologies can be divided into three main categories: Frontend, Backend, and Databases.
To understand the difference imagine a restaurant ordering system. The?frontend?is like the restaurant’s menu. It shows customers their options and helps them place orders. The?backend?is like the kitchen staff. It receives orders, checks that all ingredients are available, and prepares the order quickly. The?database?is like the restaurant’s inventory. It keeps track of all the items and customers’ order histories.
Frontend Technologies
Frontend technologies are responsible for creating the user interface.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the three core technologies used in web development. Each one plays a different role in creating websites and web applications.
HTML
HTML, also known as Hypertext Markup Language, is what builds the structure and content of a web page. It is like the foundation of a website. HTML is used to create headings, paragraphs, lists, images, links and so on. Without HTML, a website cannot exist.
CSS
CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is used to style the content of a web page. For example, you can use CSS to alter the background color of a web page, adjust the font size and color of text, and create hover effects.
JavaScript
JavaScript is used to make websites more interesting and interactive. It can be used to create forms, animations, interactive maps, and other things.
Imagine a simple webpage that has a button, when you click on this button it will show an alert message. In this example, HTML will be used to create the button element, CSS will be used to style the button and JavaScript will be used to create the function that triggers the alert message when the button is clicked.
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Backend Technologies
In web development, the backend refers to the server side of the application, it’s responsible for the functionality and logic of the application, it’s not visible to the user but it’s what makes the frontend work.
There are lots of technologies that can be used to make a web app. The most common ones are Python, Java, Node.js, PHP, and Ruby.
Databases
In web development, databases are used to store and manage the data that is used by the application.
There are many different types of databases that can be used in web development, some of the most popular include MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and Microsoft SQL.
Each of these databases has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which one to use will depend on the specific requirements of the web application.
Summary
To conclude, the frontend — the part of the application that users interact with — uses technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and communicates with the server. The backend, which handles the app’s functionality and logic, talks to the database. The backend technologies like Python, Java, Node.js, PHP, or Ruby take care of requests, get data from the database, and send it back to the client.
All these technologies work together to create a seamless and responsive user experience, and the choice of technologies will depend on the specific requirements of the web application.