Section editor
APC

• Introduction
• JavaScript/Dynamic HTML
• CSS
• Perl / CGI
• PHP
• Cold Fusion
• ASP
• XML
• RSS
• General

Introduction

Web programming allows you to add greater interactivity to your site. You do not need to learn all the languages in this section to create an interactive site. One is often enough.

Before you start choosing a language, look at the open source section of this website. What you want to build might already available. Even if you do not find exactly what you want, looking at this section will give you a better idea of what computer languages will be useful to learn

For those of you who want to get a better idea of how the web works start with the Webmonkey tutorial on Javascript. It will give you an idea of the most widely used language.

121 Javascript Tutorials

Developed by: 121 Javascript Tutorials.com
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

This site offers a good introduction to javascript aimed at users who already have some basic familiarity with programming languages. 121 Javascript Tutorials provides an overview of javascript basics, versions of javascript, embedded format, and object oriented programming.

Dhttp://www.121-java-script-tutorials.com/

Editor's choice: Zen Garden: The Beauty of CSS Design

Developed by: Dave Shea
Type of resource: web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

A demonstration of what can be accomplished visually through CSS-based design. Several design proposals and their CSS sheets are available for exploration to see how the same text can be manipulated with creative CSS design. Look at each page's html, source code, and style sheet to understand how to label elements in CSS and avoid the use of tables. The style sheets are very detailed, to guide you through the creation of your own sheets and to learn new tricks. Please note that designers have shared their creativity in this site so that others may learn, but designs cannot be duplicated without artist permission.

Dhttp://www.csszengarden.com/

Thau's JavaScript Tutorial

Developed by: Webmonkey
Type of resource: Online tutorial
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

This five-part tutorial offers a step-by-step introduction to javascript.

Dhttp://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/programming/ja
vascript/tutorials/tutorial1.html

Web Programming - CSS

Editor's choice: CSS Reference

Developed by: Stylegala
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Stylegala offers descriptions and examples of the most common CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) syntax and properties.

Dhttp://www.stylegala.com/features/css-reference/ba
ckground.htm

HTML and CSS Tutorial

Developed by: BrainBell
Type of resource: web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Fifteen tutorials take you through understanding html and cascading style sheets to improve web design capabilities. The tutorials provide theory, practical images and code, as well as a bit of history of each of the different features to facilitate web developer decision-making. Each tutorial covers a series of specific topics and ends with a review of content and a quiz to test your knowledge. Comparisons of results in different browsers, especially when using CSS, are useful.

Dhttp://www.brainbell.com/tutorials/HTML_and_CSS/

Introduction to Style Sheets

Developed by: Dave Raggett
Type of resource: Web article
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

This short guide to styling your web pages looks at how to use W3C's Cascading Style Sheets language (CSS) and at alternatives using HTML.

Dhttp://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Guide/Style

NYPL Online Style Guide

Developed by: New York Public Library
Type of resource: Web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

"All developers are familiar with HTML, the web’s original markup language. But the W3C currently recommends using XHTML instead. This hybrid language looks and works much like HTML but is based on XML, the web’s “super” markup language." This style guide from the New York Public Library explains the basics and benefits of XHTML, and helps you make the transition painlessly. The guide also includes guidelines on using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

Dhttp://www.nypl.org/styleguide/

The CSS Know-How Site

Developed by: MaKo
Type of resource: Website
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

What you always wanted to know about CSS...

Dhttp://www.mako4css.com/index.htm

Web Programming - Perl / CGI

Programming: Perl/CGI

Developed by: Webmonkey
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Webmonkey's Perl/CGI section offers a variety of articles, tutorials and links to external resources, from basic to advanced levels.

Dhttp://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/programming/pe
rl_cgi/

Web Programming - PHP

PHP is an increasingly popular Open Source (i.e., free) server-side scripting language used to create dynamic web pages. Like ASP, it is embedded in the code of HTML pages.

As any PHP programmer will say "www.php.net is all you need"

Developed by: php.net
Type of resource: Resource web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

The hub of the php community on the internet. This site is a comprehensive resource for reference and tuorial material on PHP. For beginners, start with this simple tutorial.

Dhttp://www.php.net

O'Reilly PHP resources

Developed by: O'Reilly
Type of resource: Web Site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Comprehensive PHP resources including instructions for Installation on a Windows System.

Dhttp://www.onlamp.com/php/

PHP Tutorials

Developed by: Open Directory Project
Type of resource: Web directory
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Annotated links to PHP tutorials from the Open Directory project.

Dhttp://dmoz.org/Computers/Programming/Languages/PH
P/Tutorials/

Tips from the Creators of PHP

Developed by: Zend Technologies Ltd
Type of resource: Web Site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

From the creators of PHP a series of articles on tips and tricks for PHP programming. For an overview of what PHP is and does, take a look at this Introduction to PHP. For those actively learning PHP, the three part series of Top 21 PHP Programming Mistakes is highly recommended.

Dhttp://www.zend.com/zend/art/

Webmonkey PHP Resources

Developed by: Webmonkey
Type of resource: Web site with information sheets and tutorials
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Variety of PHP resources including a PHP/MySQL tutorial, using Oracle with PHP, and threaded discussions with PHP/MySQL, and links to external PHP resources.

Dhttp://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/programming/ph
p/

Web Programming - Ajax

Mastering Ajax

Developed by: Brett McLaughlin
Type of resource: Web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Ajax - "Asynchronous JavaScript and XML" is a web architecture for creating interactive web applications. Part 1 of this guide introduces Ajax, explains what it is useful for, and provides links to a wealth of other Ajax learning resources; Part 2 looks at how to make asynchronous requests with JavaScript and Ajax.

Dhttp://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/views/web/li
braryview.jsp?search_by=Mastering+Ajax

Web Programming - Cold Fusion

Cold Fusion is a tag-based programming language from Macromedia that builds upon the basic principles of HTML, but uses a database to provide dynamic content through a website. A free version, Cold Fusion Express, can be used for developing basic applications.

ITrain Introduction to Cold Fusion Programming

Developed by: Bellanet
Type of resource: Students' and instructors' manual in PDF and zipped MS Word format
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

This introductory course covers the design & development phase of application development; how to create a database using MS Access; and how to create online forms and integrate with Cold Fusion to add, edit and delete data from a database. The objective is to establish a good basic understanding of Cold Fusion, so that you can independently continue to learn more about CF programming.

Dhttp://www.bellanet.org/itrain/materials.cfm

Web Programming - ASP

Active Server Pages (ASP) is a server-side technology from Microsoft which allows for the development of dynamic and interactive Web pages.

15 Seconds

Developed by: 15 Seconds
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

This site includes basic and advanced resources on Active Server Pages and an ASP listserver. 

Dhttp://www.15seconds.com/

Web Programming - XML

An XML Primer for Technical Communicators

Developed by: TECHWR-L
Type of resource: Web article
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Part One of Sean Hower's primer provides a conceptual and technical introduction to XML and answers questions such as "What is XML", "Why should I care about XML", while . Part Two looks as some XML-related technologies and tools.

Dhttp://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technic
al/xml_primer_part1.html

What is XML?

Developed by: TechSoup
Type of resource: Web article
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Good, basic introduction from TechSoup.

Dhttp://www.techsoup.org/howto/articlepage.cfm?Arti
cleId=482&topicid=13

Web Programming - RSS

Easy Ways to Publish Your Own RSS Feeds

Developed by: TechSoup
Type of resource: Web article
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Brian Satterfield looks at ways to set up an RSS feed to deliver new information to your communities.

Dhttp://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/pa
ge5820.cfm

Explanation of RSS, How You Can Use it, and Finding RSS Feeds

Developed by: Fagan Finder
Type of resource: Web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Guide to using RSS from a non-technical standpoint.

Dhttp://www.faganfinder.com/search/rss.shtml

How to Create an RSS Feed With Notepad, a Web Server, and a Beer

Developed by: Stephen Downes
Type of resource: Web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Step-by-step guide from Stephen Downes. His Introduction to RSS for Educational Designers provides useful background information.

Dhttp://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=
Article&key=1059503386

Sharing your site with RSS

Developed by: WebMonkey
Type of resource: Web tutorial
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

RSS is an easy way for sites to share headlines and stories so that other sites can integrate them into their pages. This tutorial by Jason Cook tells you how to set up RSS for your own site.

Dhttp://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/03/17/index3a.
html

Web Programming - General

Editor's choice: Tutorials on HTML, XML, Browser scripting etc.

Developed by: W3schools
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

An excellent tutorial site with a commitment to standards compliance, including a tutorial about the Web Standards Body, the W3C (recommended). Good tutorials on:

• HTML/XHTML/CSS
• Client side scripting (JavaScript, DHTML))
• XML, XSLT
• Microsoft Server-Side scripting languages such as ASP and the newer .net framework

Dhttp://www.w3schools.com

Cold Fusion/ASP comparison table

Developed by: House of Fusion
Type of resource: Table of comparison
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

An annotated comparison of ASP and Cold Fusion 4 features such as syntax, architecture and database connectivity.

Dhttp://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?body=body/a
sp

Fusebox coding standards

Developed by: fusebox
Type of resource: Web site
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

There are many different coding standards. You dont need to follow any, however if you plan to work with someone else, or intend to take another job, it is good to pick one.

Dhttp://www.fusebox.org/

Informit Reference Libary

Developed by: INFORM.IT
Type of resource: Web site - Reference manuals
Target audience: General, Trainers
Cost: Free access

A reference website offered in collaboration with Sams Publishing, the site offers free online versions of selected "Sams Teach Yourself" series, featuring "Teach Yourself" in 24 hours, 10 minutes, or 21 days tools in operating systems, programming, databases and productivity software. Tutorials cover Microsoft Office, Visual Basic, SQL, HTML, and JavaScript, among others.

Dhttp://www.informit.com/library/index.asp

Using the .htaccess File

Developed by: Wise-Women
Type of resource: Web guide
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

"Web designers often ask how to handle redirects or to password protect directories. The .htaccess file can do these things and more." This article by Miraz Jordan shows you how.

Dhttp://www.wise-women.org/tutorials/htaccess/

Wise-Women

Developed by: Wise-Women
Type of resource: Web site and mailing lists
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

Wise-Women is "an international community and network dedicated to supporting women who work as, or aspire to becoming, Web designers, developers, and programmers." Membership is open to all, men as well as women. The Wise-Women Web site includes tutorials, articles and discussion lists on topics such as writing for the Web, promoting your site, Web programming and graphics.

Dhttp://www.wise-women.org/

XSL-List -- Open Forum on XSL

Developed by: Mulberry Technologies, Inc
Type of resource: Listserver
Target audience: General
Cost: Free access

An archive of the XSL-List listserv, which provides advice on XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language for Transformations).
The list is very active and has an FAQ to allow the beginner to develop the skills necessary to start using XSL.

Dhttp://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list/