Introduction

Once upon a time creating Web pages was no more difficult than using a word processor. You learned a few HTML tags, created a few graphics, and presto: Web page. Now, with streaming video, JavaScript, ASP, JSP, PHP, Shockwave, Flash, and Java, the design of Web pages may seem overwhelming to anyone who doesn't want to become a computer programmer.

Enter Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Dynamic HTML (DHTML), Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax) technologies that give you the ability to take static HTML and create an interactive webbed environment.

With CSS, you can create virtually any layout you can imagine, not only adding visual interest to your content, but also creating a more compelling design.

With DHTML, you don't have to rely on plug-ins that the visitor might not have or complicated programming languages (except maybe a little JavaScript).

With Ajax (the new kid on the block), you can go even further than DHTML can take you, by being able to easily fetch fresh data from the server without ever having to reload the entire Web page, which creates a far better experience for site visitors.

That's what this book is about: How to create attractive Web layouts and interactive Web pages as simply as possible. This book will not turn you into the ultimate Web-design guru overnight, but it will give you the foundations you need to realize your own Web-design vision.

If you are learning Web design and do not know CSS, DHTML, or Ajax, this is where you need to begin. Welcome!