Development Platforms

As you will read the discussion in the next few post, HTML is a framework that holds elements together including CSS styles which control the look and placement of components and JavaScript code which controls element behaviors. When building a more complex website that must process data, connect to a database, or enable ecommerce, you will need more firepower than HTML, JavaScript, and CSS alone can handle. You will probably need to enlist the help of a programmer, often referred to as a “developer,” who can code such features and integrate the code into your HTML framework.

There are numerous coding languages to choose from that are each capable of producing this kind of advanced functionality. Before you can proceed, therefore, you must first determine what programming “development platform” you will use. This is a critical fork in the web development road, and forces you to survey your existing systems. For example, if you have an existing product or customer database that you must leverage, you may already be restricted in terms of which programming languages work best. Your developer will advise you.