Website development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site for the World Wide Web or a private network. This can include web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development. However, among web professionals, “website development” usually refers to the main non-design aspects of building web sites: writing markup and coding. Website development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, or social network services.
People who develop websites are called web developers. For larger organizations and businesses, web development teams can consist of hundreds of people. Web development may be a collaborative effort between departments rather than the domain of a designated department.
Business online presence with Website, App, or social media is a valuable base or asset for its success. Complete control on the content with engaging look-and-feel serves as the crucial resources for customers. Do every business has a website! No. The number of companies who don't have a website or any other online presence is impressive. It makes the web hosting and website development business look more lucrative.
WordPress, PHP Scripts, drag and drop web builder, E-commerce tools, intelligent editors, content management systems (CMS) and many platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal have made the daunting task of responsive website development more comfortable. The un-experienced non-technical practitioners are also able to create a fully functional and professional-looking website. At a time, when designers and developers were not targeting the small businesses, now the small businesses are not looking towards them for their website development.
An experienced business owner knows everything about its business, the type of customers, markets, products, promotional strategies which works, marketing, and branding. Entrepreneurs consider every minute details which impact their business, whether online or offline. The business card, social media presence, blog, news published in magazines or reputed newspapers complement or help to create their brand identity. So many things or details are crucial, hence a lot of brainstorming sessions required for business websites to decide the color, menus, call-to-action-buttons, locations of various content and images.
Web Development can be split into many areas and a typical and basic web development hierarchy might consist of:
Client Side Coding
- Flash Adobe Flash Player is a ubiquitous browser plug-in ready for RIAs. Flex 2 is also deployed to the Flash Player.
- JavaScript is a ubiquitous client side platform for creating and delivering rich Web applications that can also run across a wide variety of devices.
- JQuery Cross-browser JavaScript library designed to simplify and speed up the client-side scripting of HTML.
- Microsoft Silverlight Microsoft's browser plug-in that enables animation, vector graphics and high-definition video playback, programmed using XAML and .NET programming languages.
- HTML5 and CSS3 Latest HTML proposed standard combined with the latest proposed standard for CSS natively supports much of the client-side functionality provided by other frameworks such as Flash.
Server Side Coding
- ASP (Microsoft proprietary)
- CSP, Server-Side ANSI C
- ColdFusion
- CGI
- Groovy (programming language) Grails (framework)
- Java, e.g. Java EE or WebObjects
- Lotus Domino
- Perl, e.g. Catalyst, Dancer (all open sources)
- PHP (open source)
- Python, e.g. Django (web framework) (open source)
- Real Studio Web Edition
- Ruby, e.g. Ruby on Rails (open source)
- Smalltalk e.g. Seaside, AIDA/Web
- SSJS Server-Side JavaScript, e.g. Aptana Jaxer, Mozilla Rhino
- WebDNA (WSC proprietary)
- Websphere (IBM proprietary)
- .NET and .NET MVC Frameworks (Microsoft proprietary)
Web engineering is multidisciplinary and encompasses contributions from diverse areas: systems analysis and design, software engineering, hypermedia/hypertext engineering, requirements engineering, human-computer interaction, user interface, information engineering, etc. Web engineering is neither a clone, nor a subset of software engineering, although both involve programming and software development. While web engineering uses software engineering principles, web development encompasses new approaches, methodologies, tools, techniques, and guidelines to meet the unique requirements for web-based applications.
Client Side + Server Side
- Google Web Toolkit provides tools to create and maintain complex JavaScript front-end applications in Java.
- Opa is a high-level language in which both the client and the server parts are implemented. The compiler then decides which parts run on the client and which parts run on the server. The developer can tune those decisions with simple directives.
- Tersus is a platform for the development of rich web applications by visually defining user interface, client side behavior and server side processing.
- However languages like Ruby and Python are often paired with database servers other than MySQL. For instance some developers prefer a LAPR (Linux/Apache/PostgreSQL/Ruby on Rails) setup for development.
Website development takes into account many security considerations, such as data entry error checking through forms, filtering output, and encryption. Malicious practices such as SQL injection can be executed by users with ill intent yet with only primitive knowledge of web development as a whole. Scripts can be exploited to grant unauthorized access to malicious users trying to collect information such as email addresses, passwords and protected content like credit card numbers.
Latest News
- A workshop on ‘Creating a Website' on 24th February 2020 – 14:00 – 16:00 at Llandysul – Glanyrafon Arms. Limited space to 20 per workshop on a first-come, first-served basis. It aimed at people to build a website or find a web developer to have a good and useful website. There would be demonstrations of the best DIY options with tips on what to include. The participants would learn how to pick up the right domain name and web hosting? Promote Website and get it listed on the search engines such as Google and explore options for reaching customers with email marketing, social media, and link building.
- Incubator Hosting Web Workshop
(SEP 14, 2019) A free and open 90-minute effective design workshop on building aesthetic, user-friendly, and engaging website conducted by the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of SCORE. It would hold on Tuesday, September 17 from 9 am to 10:30 at the Fredonia Technology Incubator located at 214 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY, 14048.
The workshop will discuss the website goals, content, mobile-friendly design, and SEO. Registration required, as has limited seats.
About Workshop Instructor Lisa Churakos
A certified SCORE mentor and a business owner experienced in fields such as research, business services, consulting, manufacturing, mining, nonprofit, public and professional organization, restaurants and hospitality, technology and web-based services, and transportation and Warehousing.
About Buffalo Niagara SCORE
Establishment: 1964
- Mentors to America’s Small Business with 10,000 volunteer business mentors in 300 chapters
- It serves in the eight Western New York counties.
- Has helped 10 million+ aspiring small business owners and entrepreneurs through mentoring and business workshops through entrepreneur education dedicated in their formation, growth, and success.