Week One (MGDP2050)
This article lists topics for Week One of Web Design and Development II (MGDP2050).
Contents
Topics
Browsers
See Web browser.
Browser tools
See Web browser tool.
HTC web creative dot com
The domainhtcwebcreative.comis available for student use, with some cautions and restrictions.
See: http://htcwebcreative.com
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard tool for transferring files between computers over networks.
Working with FTP is a fundamental skill in this class.
LAMP, MAMP, XAMPP, etc.
Update: this section postponed until Week Two.
LAMP stands for:
- The Linux operating system
- The Apache HTTP Server
- The MySQL relational database management system (RDBMS)
- The PHP programming language, and the Perl scripting language
LAMP allows you to run a web server as a desktop application. This is very useful for web development.
See LAMP (software bundle) for more detailed information.
See also:
Fundamentals of web design and development
Bootstrap
Bootstrap is a framework for responsive web design.
General discussion:
Getting started, and download Bootstrap:
Frameworks, libraries, etc.
The difference between a framework and a library is often arbitrary and subject to debate over definitions. Both are software which share common principles and serve similar purposes.
In general, a framework is larger and more comprehensive software, while a library is smaller and does less.
Exercises in-class tonight
Folder structure
Create a folder for your class work.
Download Bootstrap
Download Bootstrap. Put the files in your class work folder.
Make a web page
Make a document namedindex.htmlin your class work folder.
Make this document a simple web page based upon the Bootstrap template example.
Override CSS styles
Make some visible change to the CSS. This can be a token gesture, like changing the page background, or a more comprehensive set of style changes (which will are required to do by next week, in any case).
Browse your work using MAMP and localhost
Browse yourindex.htmlpage. Confirm that your CSS changes are visible.
Save your files for next week.
Show your work to the instructor. A brief glance will do: see the background color, or whatever it is.
Exercises due by next week
Upgrade the template example
Modify your template example to suit your own personal taste.
- This page will become a table of contents, where you will provide links to various other pages that you will create later in the semester.
- It must be readable, but other than that, you are free to style the page any way you like.
- You will re-use these styles with many (not all) of the other pages you create later.
- You may continue to modify these styles through the semester, as you like.
- This is a general test of "can the student modify the default CSS, with readability and some design sensibility, and carry it through to other pages later"
- It is not a specific test of "how much HTML and CSS do you know". Use much or little, as you like.
- This page, and others like it, are "framework pages" -- useful for the instructor to navigate, and must comply with good web design practices, but only a supporting task, not a major exercise.
If you really, truly prefer the default Bootstrap styles because they are to your own personal taste, this is not a problem. Speak to the instructor about alternative strategies, all of which involve the student demonstrating the ability to override default styles in a comprehensive and cohesive manner.
Be familiar with FTP
When the instructor provides FTP credentials, are you able to log in and transfer files?
Review the basics
Anything related to HTML and CSS.
We will look at JavaScript later in the semester. At this point, JavaScript is an advanced topic, not a basic.
Responsive web design
Do your own reading about responsive web design.
We will discuss this topic extensively in the next several weeks.
