Now that you understand the basics, let's move on to hands-on exercises and start building!
Course Overview
Welcome to Part 1 of the Full-Stack Web Development Course! In this section, we'll explore the fundamental concepts of web development and set up your development environment.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this part, you will understand:
- The difference between front-end and back-end development
- How client-server architecture works
- The role of each technology in the web stack
- How to set up your development environment
- Basic browser developer tools usage
Understanding the Web Development Stack
What is a Web Development Stack?
A web development stack is a combination of technologies, frameworks, and tools used to build web applications. Think of it as a layered approach where each layer has a specific responsibility in creating a functional website.
Front-End Development
Front-end development focuses on what users see and interact with in their web browser. It's responsible for the visual design, user interface, and client-side functionality.
Front-End Technologies:
- HTML5: Structure and content markup
- CSS3: Styling, layout, and visual design
- JavaScript: Interactivity and dynamic behavior
Front-End Development Jobs:
- Front-End Developer: Build user interfaces and interactive features
- UI/UX Developer: Focus on user experience and interface design
- Web Designer: Create visual designs and layouts
- JavaScript Developer: Specialize in interactive functionality
- Mobile Web Developer: Optimize websites for mobile devices
Back-End Development
Back-end development handles the server-side logic, database operations, and business logic that users don't directly see but is essential for the application to function.
Back-End Technologies:
- PHP: Server-side scripting language
- MySQL: Database management system
- Apache: Web server software
Back-End Development Jobs:
- Back-End Developer: Build server-side logic and APIs
- PHP Developer: Specialize in PHP server-side development
- Database Developer: Design and optimize database structures
- API Developer: Create and maintain application programming interfaces
- DevOps Engineer: Manage server infrastructure and deployments
Client-Server Architecture
How Web Applications Work
Web applications follow a client-server architecture where the client (web browser) requests information from the server, and the server responds with the requested data.
User
Interacts with the web application through a browser
Web Browser
Client that sends HTTP requests and displays responses
Web Server
Processes requests and serves web pages
Database
Stores and retrieves application data
Request-Response Cycle
Every interaction with a web application follows this basic cycle:
- User Action: User clicks a link, submits a form, or navigates to a URL
- Browser Request: Browser sends an HTTP request to the server
- Server Processing: Server processes the request (may involve database queries)
- Server Response: Server sends back HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or data
- Browser Display: Browser renders the response and updates the page
Setting Up Your Development Environment
Essential Tools
To develop web applications, you'll need several tools installed on your computer. These tools work together to create a complete development environment.
Development Environment Checklist
- Install Text Editor (Visual Studio Code, Notepad++, Sublime Text, etc.)
- Install Google Chrome or Firefox (web browser)
- Install XAMPP (local server environment)
- Install GitHub (optional)
- Test local server setup
- Create your first project folder
Code Editor - Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is a free, powerful code editor that's perfect for web development. It includes features like syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging tools, and extensive extension support.
Recommended VS Code Extensions:
- Live Server: Automatically opens HTML files in your browser
- PHP Intelephense: PHP language support and IntelliSense
- Auto Rename Tag: Automatically renames paired HTML/XML tags
- Prettier: Code formatter for consistent styling
- GitLens: Enhanced Git integration and history
Local Server - XAMPP
XAMPP provides a local server environment that includes Apache web server, PHP, and MySQL. This allows you to develop and test your web applications locally before deploying them online.
XAMPP Components:
- Apache: Web server that handles HTTP requests
- PHP: Server-side scripting language
- MySQL: Database management system
- phpMyAdmin: Web-based database administration tool
- Adminer: Lightweight alternative to phpMyAdmin (single PHP file)
Free Hosting Options
Once you've developed your web applications locally, you'll want to deploy them online so others can access them. There are several excellent free hosting services available for students and developers.
Popular Free Hosting Services:
- Netlify: Free hosting with automatic deployments from Git
- 000webhost: Free PHP hosting with MySQL databases
- InfinityFree: Free hosting with unlimited bandwidth and storage
Hosting Service Comparison:
| Service | Best For | Limitations | Setup Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netlify | Static sites, forms, functions | 100GB bandwidth/month | Easy |
| 000webhost | PHP applications, databases | 1GB storage, 10GB bandwidth | Medium |
| InfinityFree | PHP, MySQL, unlimited | Ad-supported, slower speeds | Medium |
Getting Started with Free Hosting:
- Choose a service based on your project requirements
- Create an account on your chosen hosting platform
- Upload your files or connect your Git repository
- Configure your domain (many offer free subdomains)
- Test your deployment to ensure everything works
Browser Developer Tools
Modern web browsers include powerful developer tools that help you debug and optimize your web applications. These tools are essential for front-end development.
Key Developer Tools Features:
- Elements Panel: Inspect and modify HTML/CSS
- Console: View JavaScript errors and run commands
- Network Panel: Monitor HTTP requests and responses
- Sources Panel: Debug JavaScript code
- Performance Panel: Analyze page performance