Technology Considerations
The last two pages hopefully got you thinking about what kind of web experience you want to create. So, now you probably have a better idea about the kind of features and functionality about your web project and how it should look and feel like aesthetically and the content-wise. If that is roughly the case, you are ready to find out which technology you want to use for building your web project.
For creating a website there are quite a few technologies involved. Therefore, it makes sense that you have a basic understanding about How the internet works to better understand which technology is responsible for which part of the bigger picture.
Writing HTML, CSS and JavaScript Code Yourself
By writing HTML & CSS code yourself you have the most control over the design and content of your website. After all, website builder tools are generating HTML, CSS (and occasionally JavaScript) code. So, while these tools cover the most important use case there might be a few things that browsers are capable of that a tools doesn't support. Writing HTML code is easier than you might think. You could at least give it a quick try in an online editor.
While HTML is the basic structure of a website, you can add JavaScript programs to a website for interactive features. For example, an images slider where the user can select the active image or a drop-down menu for navigating between pages. If you add a lot of interactive features your website could be considered a web application. For example, google maps, a social network or a music player. HTML, CSS and JavaScript are all client-side languages which are processed by a browser.
There are various website builder tools with varying degrees of control. Some are easier to use, while others are more sophisticated and powerful in the things you can accomplish. The latter might be a relatively close to writing HTML & CSS code. So, by using such a tool you basically learn many concepts of HTML & CSS without writing any code. Some tools also have content management features, so that multiple editors could edit and publish page contents as well as blog or news articles.
The most popular tools are:
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Webflow (has a Database and CMS features, is very powerful and very close to writing HTML & CSS yourself)
- webstudio.is: an open-source Webflow clone that can be self-hosted on your own (rented) server)
- tools for building one page landing pages (some are leveraging AI): leadpages.com, carrd.co, instapage.com, Kajabi, components.ai,
- Elementor-Plugin (within Wordpress CMS)
- ...
Content Management System (CMS)
A content management system (CMS) is a software platform designed to simplify the process of creating and managing digital content, such as websites and blogs. With a CMS, users can create, edit, and publish content without needing to know how to code or design.
Wordpress is the most popular CMS and powers a large percentage of website in the world. There are many plugins available in case you need additional features, e.g. an online shop or small enhancements. You can use a Plug-In like Elementor which gives Wordpress functionalities of a Website Builder Tool.
Many things like creating a new page or reusing a block of content can be managed in an admin area which is only accessible to you and selected editors. But with Wordpress you still have the full control of diving into the HTML, CSS and JavaScript code to make more fine-grade adjustments. You can even develop more advanced features by writing PHP code which is a server-side language which Wordpress uses. The server-side cod of a CMS can dynamically retrieve information from a database (e.g. the content of a blog post) and insert it into the respective HTML page before sending it back to the client.
A few examples of CMS
- Wordpress
- TYPO3
- Joomla
- CMS for e-commerce shops: Shopify, Magento, MedusaJS (open-source & self-hostable)...
- ...
Templates
Templates are pre-built designs for multiple web pages. A templates could be for any website like a personal blog, a marketing agency or e-commerce shop, etc. There are HTML & CSS templates out there as well as templates for website builder tools and content management system.
All in all, you shouldn't over-stress this decision. In the end, making a "wrong" choice doesn't have too many consequences. Some solutions have export options, so you can move your web pages to another technology. In the worst case you have created a website and run into a dead end with one technology. But then you are already multiple steps further in your understanding about the technologies at play and what kind of web project you want to create. So, rather start with something today than postponing to start indefinitely. Even if it is mediocre at first, that is still better than doing nothing by a lot! The journey is the reward! Have fun!