Difference between revisions of "How to make a website"

==Developer-hosted website or user-installed website==

==Developer-hosted website or user-installed website==

The simplest way to make a website is to sign up for a free [[blog]] on a [[developer-hosted platform]]. The website software is operated by the developer for the benefit of the blog authors. It is very easy to create your own personal blog using a default format. If you want to configure your blog to a personal format, most of these platforms will let you do so, but you will generally have to know [[HTML]] and [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]]. So this "simple" solution can rapidly become quite complicated.

The simplest way to make a website is to sign up for a free [[blog]] on a [[developer-hosted platform]]. The website software is operated by the developer for the benefit of the blog authors. It is very easy to create your own personal blog using a default format. If you want to configure your blog to a personal format, most of these platforms will let you do so, but you will generally have to know [[HTML]] and [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]]. So this "simple" solution can rapidly become quite complicated.

It is somewhat more difficult, but much more rewarding, to learn to install your own websites. This is generally done by using a [[web hosting service]], which provides space on a [[web server]] that they own (or lease) and run, as well as the Internet connectivity. For more information on installing a website on a [[web hosting service]], see the following sections below. (For detailed instructions, see [[How to install a static website]] and [[How to install a dynamic website]].)

It is somewhat more difficult, but much more rewarding, to learn to install your own websites. This is generally done by using a [[web hosting service]], which provides space on a [[web server]] that they own (or lease) and run, as well as the Internet connectivity. For more information on installing a website on a [[web hosting service]], see the following sections below. (For detailed instructions, see [[How to install a static website]] and [[How to install a dynamic website]].)

There are fundamental differences between a [[static website]] and a [[dynamic website]]. A static website is far simpler to create, configure and manage. Novice [[webmaster]]s should logically start by making a static website, but they often begin by struggling to implement a dynamic site, through lack of familiarity with all of the alternatives.

There are fundamental differences between a [[static website]] and a [[dynamic website]]. A static website is far simpler to create, configure and manage. Novice [[webmaster]]s should logically start by making a static website, but they often begin by struggling to implement a dynamic site, through lack of familiarity with all of the alternatives.

The simplest form of [[static website]] is just a collection of [[static web page]]s, written in [[HTML]], and stored in the [[file system]] of the [[web server]]. These static web pages generally contain [[hyperlinks]], by which the pages point to each other, and which tie them together to make a "site." The webmaster needs few skills beyond a rudimentary knowledge of [[HTML]], for formatting the [[static web page]]s, and of [[FTP]] for installing the files on the [[web server]].

The simplest form of [[static website]] is just a collection of [[static web page]]s, written in [[HTML]], and stored in the [[file system]] of the [[web server]]. These static web pages generally contain [[hyperlinks]], by which the pages point to each other, and which tie them together to make a "site." The webmaster needs few skills beyond a rudimentary knowledge of [[HTML]], for formatting the [[static web page]]s, and of [[FTP]] for installing the files on the [[web server]].

A [[dynamic website]] is a highly complex system, made up of a hierarchy of files written in a mixture of [[HTML]], [[CSS]] and a [[scripting language]], and connected to a [[database]]. The website script dynamically reconstructs the [[web page]] each time the server receives a request for the page from a client. It uses a standard format stored in the file system, and fetches the appropriate content for each page element from the website's database. A [[dynamic website]] is generally implemented by using a [[Content Management System]] (CMS), selected from among the many that are available for creating and managing dynamic websites. While use of a CMS simplifies deployment of a dynamic website, such deployment requires knowing how to install and use the CMS software, and generally also requires some knowledge of database management, scripting languages and other more advanced Internet skills. This is a major undertaking, but is within reach if you are sufficiently motivated.

A [[dynamic website]] is a highly complex system, made up of a hierarchy of files written in a mixture of [[HTML]], [[CSS]] and a [[scripting language]], and connected to a [[database]]. The website script dynamically reconstructs the [[web page]] each time the server receives a request for the page from a client. It uses a standard format stored in the file system, and fetches the appropriate content for each page element from the website's database. A [[dynamic website]] is generally implemented by using a [[Content Management System]] (CMS), selected from among the many that are available for creating and managing dynamic websites. While use of a CMS simplifies deployment of a dynamic website, such deployment requires knowing how to install and use the CMS software, and generally also requires some knowledge of database management, scripting languages and other more advanced Internet skills. This is a major undertaking, but is within reach if you are sufficiently motivated.