[solodolo]

I am currently a college student fluent in C++ and Java. I really want to get into web development just to be able to build websites (such as a personal portfolio) and understand how they work.

I want to stay updated with the latest technology in web development. Which languages would you recommend for me to learn? Should I begin with HTML or learn HTML5? How does PHP, Python, CSS, and database languages all fit in into web development? Are any languages outdated and not worth learning? Does my experience in C++/Java matter at all towards learning web development?

Please help me out so I can know where to begin, I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

[drhowarddrfine]

Learn HTML5.
Java is the most used language on the web and the basis of Android apps.
C/C++ is the most used language for everything else.
Python and Ruby are the up and comers.
CSS and Javascript are essential for today's web.
Database languages are very important, particularly for mySQL and Postgre SQL (essentially the same thing).
I really don't want to say that Perl is not worth learning.
Bash is essential on *nix.

[Dogstopper]

So much of that is skewed. Java is rising past C/C++ every second in all varieties of application, web and desktop. PHP is a VERY important language nowadays for things like server side scripting and Database Programming. Javascript allows for client-side dynamics, and PHP is responsible for server-side dynamics. CSS is used these days for styling and structuring web sites. That's all I have experience with, so I will stop there.

[Brewer]

Make sure to check out W3Schools! It is a great resource for all things web development-related.

[publicFunction]

Due to the lack of support for HTML 5 over the board, learn XHTML 1.1 first. HTML5 wont become a popular standard until MS get their finger out of their own rears and start to follow standards.

If you already know Java, then grab Netbeans with the web services and get cracking.

Good Luck.

[Dannyboy997]

drhowarddrfine, on 06 October 2010 - 03:48 AM, said:

Java is the most used language on the web and the basis of Android apps.

This is by far not true.

Look at this: http://blog.jasonhan...frameworks.html

PHP is the most used web language out there.

Other than some business websites that are in Java, Everything else is in PHP.
Take a look at the most popular website such as google (Which doesn't use Java, but some PHP and perl / python), Facebook(Which uses PHP not JAVA). Almost all of the web apps out there are in PHP / MYSQL.
Have you ever seen a forum that is run on java? Or a blog site that is run on Java? The biggest frameworks, forums, blog apps such as Codeigniter, PHPBB / The software that Dreamincode is running, Wordpress / Joomla.

So as you said that Java is the most popular web language out there, that is completely wrong.

Cheers,
-Daniel

This post has been edited by Dannyboy997: 06 October 2010 - 08:12 AM

[Brewer]

Try checking out Django too! It is a great up-and-coming Python Web Toolkit

[drhowarddrfine]

Dannyboy997, on 06 October 2010 - 08:03 AM, said:

drhowarddrfine, on 06 October 2010 - 03:48 AM, said:

Java is the most used language on the web and the basis of Android apps.

This is by far not true.

Look at this: http://blog.jasonhan...frameworks.html

PHP is the most used web language out there.

Rather than quote some guy's blog, let's look at what the people who study this say.

publicFunction, on 06 October 2010 - 07:46 AM, said:

Due to the lack of support for HTML 5 over the board

ALL modern browsers support HTML5. Only IE is the exception though it can be force fed with a javascript "shiv".

Quote

learn XHTML 1.1 first.

XHTML 1.1 is an XML only application. Do NOT use it if you aren't serving it as XML!

Quote

HTML5 wont become a popular standard until MS get their finger out of their own rears and start to follow standards.

You can find HTML5 usage all over the web now.

[Brewer]

Is HTML5 a completely new implementation of HTML or does it just add to previous versions of the language?

[Dannyboy997]

Jambr, on 06 October 2010 - 09:26 AM, said:

Is HTML5 a completely new implementation of HTML or does it just add to previous versions of the language?

Think of HTML5 as bling. HTML5 is virtually HTML4 but with some bling to it.

Think of HTML as the following:

HTML1 ------- HTML2 ------- HTML3 ------ HTML4 ---- HTML5
Cheers,
-Daniel

This post has been edited by Dannyboy997: 06 October 2010 - 11:10 AM

[Brewer]

Danny, you earned a + rep for making me laugh. Good explanation too!

[Shane Hudson]

@Dannyboy997 Wow that is the best explanation of it ever! +rep!

[drhowarddrfine]

HTML5 solidifies a lot of HTML4 and defines better how browsers are to handle invalid markup. It also adds a number of new elements to help semantically define containers. So instead of <div id="footer"> you have a new element called <footer> since it was found to be one of the most common id names on the web including <header>, <nav> and so on.

In addition, there are new APIs and interfaces for scripting languages. This includes <canvas> for drawing, <video> and <audio> for built-in you know what. Far too many things to go into them all so read this.

This post has been edited by drhowarddrfine: 06 October 2010 - 02:17 PM

[Brewer]

Would you all consider that HTML is more difficult to use because of HTML5?

[Dannyboy997]

Personally HTML5 isn't really harder than previous html versions. I think that it makes life easier for now. As IE has not yet included HTML5 in a official release, html5 isn't to its full potential. Once IE releases IE9 then HTML5 will be easier than ever, because IE has finally got their rendering up to pare. Well enough to be able to code once for every browser.

But with the doctype, special tags, cool new features that will enhance web apps. HTML5 isn't any harder, you just need to get used to it.

Cheers,
-Daniel