Reading List: Introduction to Web Development

Goal: Gain an overview of web development as both a career and craft. Dismiss some common misconceptions regarding the industry and web technology; set expectations for the learning ahead.

Required skills: none

Total time (core material): 30 minutes

Core Material

1. What Is The Web?
2. Why not DreamWeaver?
3. XHTML or HTML5?

Supplementary Material

Watch the first two segments in the “Don’t Fear The Internet” video series by Jessica Hische and Russ Maschmeyer: Fear Not! and Not A Series Of Tubes. (Total time: 6 minutes)

Watch HyperText and The Web at the Treehouse site. (Total time: 6 minutes)

Recommended Reading

Read The History of the Web (español • 日本語 • Türkçe) and How Does The Internet Work from WebPlatform Docs

Read Preface and Part 1: Getting Started (Chapters 1, 2 and 3) in Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics (2012) by Jennifer Niederst Robbins.

Read “So What Does a Web Developer Actually Do?” at The Odin Project.

When You’re Finished

After completing the core material, you'll be ready to set up your web development tools, including a basic text editor and your browser, addressed in the next article.

If you feel that there is something missing, or have suggestions for further resources, please feel free to add them in the comments section below!

Photograph by Ben Canales, used with permission.