Front-End Website Development
This role in web development is responsible for the way things look - website architecture/UX, style, and making sure things work cross-browser.
Languages used for front-end development:
- HTML: HTML (including XHTML) is your standard markup language. This physically puts elements and objects in the DOM.
- CSS: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) style your elements. CSS is the "heavy lifter" on most websites regarding the style or look of the website.
- Javascript: Javascript is used to provide interaction with the user. While JS used to be needed to create gradients, make interactive buttons, move things and have carousels (slides), CSS has taken over quite a bit of those responsibilities. Nowadays, JS is usually used for more advanced things such as modal windows, interactive management of elements and positioning, etc. Usually, vanilla Javascript is abandoned for a popular library, such as
jQuery,
Zepto, or
MooTools.
Back-End Website Development
Back end development handles most of your server:database communication and is what powers applications, such as account management, form->database communication, etc.
Languages commonly used for back-end development:
- PHP: PHP was built to be a server language and is used simply to manage web applications. That's all it does - talks to a database and relays the information to the end user in whatever way it is formatted to.
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Other Scripting Languages
Other languages include Python, Ruby, C++, and Java (note that Java and Javascript are
not the same language). There are others, I'm sure, but these are the most popular ones that I, as a front end developer, know of.
These "general scripting langauges" are used for a wide variety of things - not just the web. While they can and are used to build web apps, they are also used to build GUIs, desktop applications, programs, web servers, graphing libraries, etc.
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Resources
I would first suggest that you sign up on
http://www.codecademy.com - it is an entirely free way for a beginner to learn the basics of most of the languages used today. Some of the courses get into some really advanced things, too.
As far as
what to study... that's entirely up to you. Personally, I learned HTML>CSS>PHP>jQuery>Javascript>Python>Ruby>Rails. Most of what I learned earlier was self-taught; the plethora of online resources now available to you wasn't available back when I was first learning.
After you've found a niche and discovered what you're comfortable with, I would suggest to subscribe to blogs, get involved with websites like CSS-Tricks and Smashing Magazine, join the Envato network, etc - knowledge is your friend, and there is always someone that knows more than you.
Most importantly... Have fun!
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