Section 1.3. The Ingredients of a Web Site

1.3. The Ingredients of a Web Site

The trickiest part about building a Web site is coordination. To get it right, you not only need the right tools to create Web pages, but you also need to coordinate with other companies to get your Web site onto the World Wide Web and ( optionally ) to give it a catchy address like www.StylinViolins.com . In this section, you'll create a quick Web shopping list that maps out what you needand tells you where you'll learn about it in the rest of this book.

• Web pages . Every Web site is built with individual pages. In order to create a basic Web page, you need to understand HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the language of the Web. You'll create your first Web page next , in Chapter 2.

• Web space . Creating Web pages is fun, but in order to let other people take a look at them, you need to put them on a Web server. In Chapter 3, you'll consider your options for getting your first Web page online, either through a fee-based service or a free alternative.

• A domain name . There's a world of difference between the Web site address www.inetConnections.com/Users/~jMallone012/web and www.JackieMallone.com . You can get your own personalized domain name , if it's available. It's not free, but the cost is usually quite low. If you want to put your Web site address on a business card or a brochure for a small business, there's really no better choice. In Chapter 3, you'll learn how to buy your own domain name.

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  Note: The domain name is the first part of the Web address, which identifies the Web server that's storing and serving up your site. In the URL www.ebay.com/help/index.html, the domain name is www.ebay.com. You'll learn much more about domain names and URLs (short for Universal Resource Locator) and how they work in Chapter 3.

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• Web design tools . Creating Web pages from scratch is a great way to learn, but it's far too slow and painful to create a complete Web site that way. To get to the next level, you'll need to step up to a professional Web design tool. If you have a commercial program like FrontPage or Dreamweaver, you're in good hands. Even if you don't, there are many good free and shareware products that can help you out. Chapter 4 explains your options and helps you get started.

• Hyperlinks . On its own, a Web page can do only so much. The real magic begins when you bind multiple Web pages together using links. Chapter 8 introduces the versatile hyperlink, which allows visitors to surf around your Web site.

• Indispensable extras . Once you've mastered the basics of Web pages and Web sites, there's still more ground to conquer. You can get your site listed in a search engine catalog (Chapter 11), establish your own forum (Chapter 12), and sell items (Chapter 13). Still hungry for more frills? Why not animate your page with a sprinkling of JavaScript (Chapter 14), create eye-catching buttons (Chapter 15), and add audio and video (Chapter 16)? All these features take you beyond ordinary HTML and well on the road to becoming a genuine Web guru.