Published on March 9, 2025 by Richard Beermier
Introduction
Web development is an exciting and ever-growing field that allows you to build anything from small business websites to large-scale web applications. If you're just starting, it might feel overwhelming, but don't worry—this guide will walk you through every step, from setting up your development environment to launching your first website. Whether you want to become a front-end, back-end, or full-stack developer, this guide will help you get started the right way. Let’s get started!
Setting Up Your Development Environment
Before diving into coding, you need the right tools. The best place to start is by installing a code editor. We recommend Visual Studio Code (VS Code), a powerful and free editor built for web development.
Installing VS Code
Download and install VS Code from the official website. Once installed, you can enhance it with extensions to improve your workflow.
Recommended VS Code Extensions
Prettier – Automatically formats your code for consistency.
Material Icon Theme – Enhances the file explorer with beautiful icons.
Live Server – Runs a local server for testing web pages in real-time.
ESLint – Helps you write clean and error-free JavaScript.
Understanding the Basics of HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundation of every web page. It structures content using elements and tags.
Important HTML Elements to Know
<h1> to <h6>– Headings used to structure content.<p>– Paragraphs for text content.<a href="URL">– Links to other pages or sites.<img src="image.jpg">– Displays images.<ul>and<ol>– Unordered and ordered lists.
<h1>Welcome to Web Development!</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph with a <a href="https://example.com">link</a>.</p>
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Example Image" />
CSS: Styling Your Web Pages
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used to make your web pages visually appealing.
Basic CSS Properties
color– Sets text color.background-color– Changes background color.font-size– Adjusts text size.margin&padding– Controls spacing around elements.
body {
background-color: #f4f4f4;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
h1 {
color: blue;
}
JavaScript: Making Your Website Interactive
JavaScript adds interactivity to your website, like animations, popups, and form validation.
Basic JavaScript Concepts
console.log()– Outputs messages to the developer console.document.querySelector()– Selects elements in the document.addEventListener()– Adds interactivity to elements.
document.querySelector("button").addEventListener("click", function() {
alert("Button clicked!");
});
Version Control with Git and GitHub
Git allows you to track changes in your code, and GitHub lets you store and collaborate on projects.
Basic Git Commands
git init– Initialises a new repository.git add .– Stages changes for commit.git commit -m "Message"– Saves changes.git push origin main– Uploads changes to GitHub.
Deploying Your Website on Vercel
Vercel is one of the easiest platforms to deploy a website, especially for static sites or Next.js projects.
Steps to Deploy
Sign up for a free account at Vercel.
Connect your GitHub repository.
Click "Import Project" and follow the prompts.
Vercel will automatically deploy your site!
Conclusion
Getting into web development is an exciting journey! Start by learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, use GitHub for version control, and deploy your first website on Vercel. As you grow, explore frameworks like Next.js and databases like Microsoft SQL or MongoDB to build more advanced applications. Keep practicing, and you'll soon become a skilled web developer!
