If you’d like to create and publish your own web site on the Internet, your first step should be to decide what type of web site you would like to create and what web design language you would like to use.
Although there are several web design languages to choose from, make sure you take some time to research your options to ensure you’re making the best choice for your project.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
The easiest and most popular web design language is Hypertext Markup Language, better known as HTML. This language is so simple you can type the syntax into a text editor, such as Notepad, save it with an .html extension and instantly have a web page.
Although HTML will enable you to create simple web sites, if you want something more dynamic, you’ll need to look into using other languages:
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, better known as PHP, is a highly popular, server-side scripting language that can be embedded directly into HTML coding.
PHP can do anything that CGI (Common Gateway Interface) can do, such as process form data and auto generate dynamic content. However, PHP can do much more. It can be used on all major operating systems and supports most web servers.
PHP’s main focus is development for the web, so it has a quick development time and can solve scenarios much quicker than some of the other web design languages.
ColdFusion
ColdFusion, developed by Macromedia, is used to build and serve web pages. It consists of ColdFusion Studio, which is used to create web pages, and ColdFusion Server, which is used to display the web pages.
One of the best features of ColdFusion is the ability to create web pages ‘on the fly’ from content stored within a database.
For example, a variety of content can be placed within a database as ‘pieces of content.’ When a user types in the web address to retrieve the web page, ColdFusion dynamically develops the pages, from the ‘pieces of content,’ as they are served.
Although it is very reliable, ColdFusion may be better suited for larger companies rather than individuals, as it is fairly expensive.
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