Carol at Zoar

Learning the Web: HTML, CSS and eventually JavaScript.

The Web

The World Wide Web (Web) is a network of information resources. The Web relies on three mechanisms to make these resources readily available to the widest possible audience:

1. A uniform naming scheme for locating resources on the Web (e.g., URIs).
2. Protocols, for access to named resources over the Web (e.g., HTTP).
3. Hypertext, for easy navigation among resources (e.g., HTML).

—Introduction to HTML 4 in the HTML 4.01 Specification

URIs

Reading material:

• Cool URIs don't change, by Tim Berners-Lee (1998) — essential!
• URL as UI, by Jakob Nielsen (1999)

HTTP

Reading material:

• The Introduction above
• HTTP in the Wikipedia — I wish I could find a shorter one

Tools:

• The Net tab in Firebug (see HTTP requests and responses)

HTML

Reference:

• HTML 4.01 Specification
• HTML 4.01 Strict DTD — the definitive answer to “what can go where”
• W3C HTML validator

CSS

Reference:

• CSS 2.1 Specification
• Full property table
• W3C CSS validator

Tools:

• The HTML tab in Firebug (modify styles interactively)

JavaScript

Reading material:

• A re-introduction to JavaScript.

Reference:

• JavaScript at the Mozilla Developer Center

Tools:

• The Console tab in Firebug (a JavaScript command line)