Web Page Development Environment

[BobH]

This might not be the right forum, but none of the others seemed to fit either.

Does anyone here do any web page development? I've done a couple of rather simple ones in the past using just HTML and few other tools. Now, I'd like to set up a real development environment and experiment with building pages, simply as a retirement hobby pastime.

My ignorance of the subject is boundless. I've done a bit of searching and reading on the web and watching videos. I've become a bit befuddled by information overload, I think.

I plan to start out using Wordpress (free) for generating web pages, and Xampp web server. The UIs for those tools seem to be ok for editing, but I also plan to use notepad++ or something similar for an editor. I plan to use a drive attached via USB for all the tools and files. What, if any, other tools do I need for a development environment? Do you have any recommendations for tutorials or books on the subject?

TIA

[HansV]

I have moved this topic from 'Other Software' to 'Web Development'.

[BobH]

Sorry, Hans. Age has impaired my attention it seems.

[ChrisGreaves]

Does anyone here do any web page development? I've done a couple of rather simple ones in the past using just HTML and few other tools. Now, I'd like to set up a real development environment and experiment with building pages, simply as a retirement hobby pastime.

Hi Bob. I develop web pages for my two domains.

I do it using my home-grown web compiler.

Back in 1997 I met Word97’s saveAsHtml in the file menu, and noticed that it produced overly complicated files.
I used NotePad to build a simple web page (attached) and chose to write my own compiler.

Translating MSWord document text to HTML is not dificult and can be automated.

I need a CSS (style sheet) (attached) to map my MSWord styles to an html-compatible form
I learned how to implement images and downloadable files and the dear old mailto: doo-dad.
I learned how to do file transfers with FTP, but you can do that manually with an application such as FileZilla.

Assuming that you have a domain, I’d recommend that you use an FTP program (such as FileZilla) and upload my attached file to your domain. Then change the contents of my html file and re-upload it. Then start adding bits of HTML as you go.

I like my web compiler. I point it at any document, and it follows the hyperlinks until it has traversed all related documents, and wherever a document has a later date than its corresponding html file, it translates the DOC to HTML and uploads the updated HTML.
This is a great time-saver because I can make a one-minute edit to a web-page MSWord document, save and close the document and get on with my life, knowing that the next time the compiler crawls my drive, all outstanding updates will be implemented.

I hope that this helps
Chris

[BobH]

Thanks Chris.

[BobH]

Chris, who hosts your domains?

[robertocm]

Just ideas from my notes:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... th_the_web
http://www.fredshack.com/docs/javascript.html
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/1 ... go-review/
https://middlemanapp.com/basics/install/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanoc
https://gohugo.io/getting-started/quick-start/
http://www.fredshack.com/docs/babycms.html

[ChrisGreaves]

Chris, who hosts your domains?

Hostgator out of some forgotten corner of the USA.
But like all good entities in the USA they sprang from a point further east than that
I chose Hostgator based on the recommendation of my canoeing buddy, Fred, who was in the turnkey-website business at the time.
Cheers, Chris

[BobH]

Cheers!

[SofiaS]

It's great to hear that you're interested in exploring web page development as a retirement hobby pastime! Setting up a real development environment can be an exciting journey, and there are plenty of resources available to help you along the way.

It sounds like you have a solid plan in place with WordPress and Xampp for generating web pages and setting up a local server environment. Using Notepad++ or a similar text editor is also a good choice for writing and editing code.

In addition to these tools, you may want to consider using a version control system like Git to track changes to your code and collaborate with others if needed. Additionally, having a good understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript will be beneficial as you dive deeper into web development.

As for tutorials or books, there are countless resources available online to help you learn web development from scratch. Websites like W3Schools, Mozilla Developer Network (MDN), and freeCodeCamp offer comprehensive tutorials and guides for beginners.

For more structured learning, you might consider investing in a book like "HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites" by Jon Duckett or "JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development" by Jon Duckett.

Lastly, I recently came across Cleveroad, a custom web app development company that offers valuable insights and services for web developers. You might find their resources helpful as you continue your journey into web development.

Best of luck on your new hobby, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions along the way!