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Javascript Programming

One more widely used programming language in the modern web application design and development is Javascript. The main purpose behind the JavaScript programming is making web applications more interactive and responsive, subsequently providing the users with a much better user experience.

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What is JavaScript 

Javascript is a client-side language with processing engine embedded in web browsers. JavaScript programming was originally invented as part of web browsers. As a client-side language, JS allows users to interact with web pages and load the content without refreshing the web page.

Originally, JavaScript was developed in Netscape under the name LiveScript. The choice of “JavaScript” name caused a misconception that the language is a version of the programming language known as JAVA. However, although both have some common syntax, JavaScript and Java are different languages. JavaScript was developed at Netscape, while Java was originally developed at Sun Microsystems. The syntax of JavaScript was influenced by one more widely used programming language C. JavaScript is a multi-paradigm, prototype-based, object-oriented, imperative, and functional scripting language, not a real programming language.

Google Chrome extensions, Opera's extensions, Google Desktop Gadgets, Apple's Safari 5 extensions are implemented using JavaScript. Outside of web browsers and web pages, JavaScript are be used in PDF files as well as for desktop application creation.

JavaScript Features

Javascript brings more dynamic functions and features to HTML. The most common use of JavaScript is writing functions that are embedded in HTML and interact with the Document Object Model. Let us look at just some JavaScript programming features:

 • Loading the content via AJAX without reloading the web page
 • Manipulating, moving, resizing, etc web page elements, animation, visual effects
 • Interactive content using and developing, game development, audio/video
 • Performing web form validations, as well as calculations
 • Other

The latest version is JavaScript 1.8.5. jQuery and Prototype are popular JavaScript libraries. The development of Ajax enhanced the interest to JavaScript language using and implementation.

What Is jQuery

In modern website design and development, jQuery is the most popular JavaScript library in use. jQuery extends the possibilities of the website and simplifies the entire website development process. jQuery is a multi-browser JavaScript library aimed to simplify the client-side scripting of HTML. jQuery enables web developers to save web development time and write a minimum amount of code. 

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Why jQuery

jQuery is a well written, compact JavaScript code. jQuery library is a single JavaScript file. jQuery is free, open source software. Using jQuery, web programmers develop plug-ins on top of the JavaScript library. The jQuery allows the creation of dynamic web pages and web applications with powerful features.

The official jQuery slogan "Write less, do more" says it all. From jQuery official website: “it is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.”

jQuery features

jQuery increases the productivity of the website development process and boosts the website’s functionality. Let’s briefly look at jQuery features which make this JavaScript library so popular in website development today:

  • FREE, open source software 
  • Clean and compact JavaScript code 
  • Single JavaScript file 
  • Search Engine Optimized 
  • Works in all browsers
  • Improves web application functionality, interactivity 
  • Makes web pages more user friendly, faster loading, most browser-compatible
  • Saves web development time, enables web developers to write less code 
  • Simplifies using AJAX, makes it easy to handle DOM objects
  • Highly extensible with wide range of plugins
  • Saves web design and development time
  • Well organized documentation

In modern website programming, jQuery is the most efficient and widely used JavaScript library available. Google, Amazon, Twitter, Bank of America and many other worlds’ most powerful websites use jQuery.

Asynchronous JavaScript and XML: What Is AJAX?

AJAX is a combination of web development and programming technologies for creating fast-loading interactive websites and web applications based on XML, HTML, CSS and Java Script. Using Ajax technologies professional web designers and web developers are able to create modern web applications with cutting-edge accessibility and interactivity. 
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Developing Ajax Web Applications

AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. The technology allows developing better and quicker applications. The key is that Ajax web apps retrieve data from a server asynchronously without interfering with the display of the existing web page. In other words, the asynchronous nature of AJAX allows the browser to exchange data with a server while the user is doing other things. So, the user does not have to wait for the entire web page to refresh. 

Typically, the interaction between the user and the server is synchronous. It includes the processes requiring a lot of user waiting. The user accesses the web application. Then, the request is processed by the server. The server sends data to the browser while the user waits. AJAX acts independently of web server software. When the user clicks on an Ajax-based application, the page shows what they are asking for without reloading the entire browser page. Ajax uses XHTML for content, CSS for presentation and JavaScript for displaying dynamic content. 

One of the perfect examples of Ajax application is Google Maps. Google was the first to use web development technique "Ajax". Besides mapping applications, examples of AJAX apps are chats, e-mail applications, real-time searches, shopping cart apps, etc. 

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Building websites based on Ajax: 

• XHTML and CSS browser-based presentation 
• Interaction with the page through The DOM
• Data stored in XML and received from the server 
• Data retrieval with XMLHttpRequest in the browser 
• JavaScript 

The most appealing benefit of Ajax is that it works within the browser and allows for the interaction with the application and the user to go independently of the interaction with the server. But, remember that AJAX applications will not work in web browsers that do not support JavaScript. A mixture of web design and development techniques, AJAX has become an integral approach used in modern web development.

What Is MySQL, Why Use MySQL Database

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Website database is like a file storage cabinet. Any high-volume websites or web-based business needs a reliable database to monitor business processes, store information and gather all website data. One of the most popular databases used on modern database-driven websites contain websites is MySQL. This is a very powerful and efficient database system that runs as a server providing access to a number of databases. MySQL is open source and falls under the terms of GNU General Public License.

The world's largest websites like Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube are driven by MySQL database

What is a Database

Database is an organized collection of data. The database gives websites high functionality, allows monitoring data accuracy and manipulating a big amount of content. The database is maintained through Database Management System (DBMS), a system of programs providing essential data administration tools and functions. The choice of the database for a website depends on the type and amount of data to be stored and processed. The content in the website database is usually managed by using a Content Management System (CMS). High-volume websites that include information about users, customers, products, transactions, and more data need a reliable web database.

What is MySQL Database

MySQL (often pronounced as "sequel") is a popular free database management system used on modern web applications. This open source database is used on Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, and other applications. MySQL database works on many different system platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, etc.

MySQL is a relational database. A relational database uses tables to store information. Each table contains data categories in columns and rows. Relational databases are built using a special computer language, structured query language (SQL).

Why Use MySQL

As an open source program, MySQL is customizable and allows you to add specific requirements to the server. MySQL is a client/server system. For client programming can be used programming languages like C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, PHP. For the building of MySQL database driven apps there are many application programming interfaces and libraries. MySQL can be executed under a number of operating systems like Apple Macintosh OS X, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Unix.

MySQL database offers absolute security and data protection. MySQL is equipped with SSH and SSL support and powerful mechanisms for ensuring that only authorized users can access to the database server. MySQL backup utilities allow for complete backup and recovery. MySQL database server can be configured specifically for a particular web application, whether these are transaction processing systems (TPS) or high volume sites that deal with hundreds of queries every day. 

Equipped with many tools and performance-enhancing possibilities, as well as easy to use and reliable, MySQL has become the database of choice for modern website development.

How Website Works

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How a website works? How to make a website work? Like a living thing, a website works well when all parts work well with one another. When one part of the website is not working, it negatively affects all other parts and the website fails to work at its full potential. 

How to make a website work

A website is made up from web pages. All website pages are linked together. The website has a lot of files like images, graphics, texts, and more content. A web page is an HTML file coded by web programmers and viewed by a web browser. The web server is a computer dedicated specifically to host websites, so the website files are stored there. The website folder has an internet address (URL) and when you type in the website domain name, a browser finds the website on the server and displays the site on your screen. 

Knowing how websites work and how things are done is helpful for everyone looking to build a website. It expands your understanding of the web design and development process a lot clearer. Below, we shortly explain how website works and point out the fundamentals that make a website work

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Domain Name

Domain name is an online identity of the website. A website’s domain is a website identification on the web, such as woweb.com, about.com, wikipedia.org, etc. The domain name is a unique alphanumeric name that consists of English letters, numbers 0-9, and hyphens (-). Every domain name has a suffix or extension that indicates which type of organization or country it belongs. You can buy a domain name and server space from different companies or from the same company. A domain is not the same as URL. The domain name is part of website url that provides much more information, including the specific page address, folder name, machine name, and protocol language. URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address or a specific character string that constitutes a reference to a web resource. A domain name is actually a memorable "name" of the website, and it is not the same as IP Address. 

Web Browser

Web browser is a software program that retrieves and displays information resources on the web. A web browser translates the coding into a user-friendly form. Browsers access information provided by web servers and display the web page on the screen of your PC. The today’s most used web browsers are Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari. 
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Web Server

Web server is a remote computer developed to deliver web content that can be accessed through the Internet. When the user enters the domain in the browser, the Web server responds to a browser’s request for a web page. To host your website on the server you have to buy a server space. Domain Name Server (DNS) translates domain names into IP addresses. Every time you use a domain, the DNS translates the domain into the related IP. 

Web Hosting

Web hosting stores the website files and makes the site accessible on the internet. Web hosts are companies providing internet connectivity and space on a server. When a user enters the domain name into the browser, the website is loaded from its web host. There are different types of web hosting services that offer domain names, e-mail, databases, SSL encryption, and automated website backup in the event of a server outage. 
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HTML/PHP/CSS 

PHP is a reliable web programming technology used in modern website development to write dynamic websites. Websites like Wikipedia, Yahoo!, Delicious, Facebook are powered by PHP. A style sheet language CSS is used to style web pages written in HTML and XHTML. An HTML file can be uploaded to a web server, where any computer with a web browser and an Internet connection can access it. Most modern websites use PHP and CSS. 

Web Page Content

Web page content is any information you see and use on a web page and website, including graphics, images, texts, etc. The primary reason why people come to the website is the content. Web pages content should be unique, reliable, useful, well-organized, link-wise, keyword-smart, and fresh. Good website content builds user trust and boosts website prominence on search engines. 

CMS

Content Management System (CMS) is a software equipped with options for website content administration. CMS allows updating website content according to the website users’ needs and expectations. Having the right CMS gives an absolute control over the website content. Modern CMS are easy to manage and feature many add-ons for administration of various types of web page content. 

Now you know how websites work in general, what you need to make a website work and how your own future website will be working!

CSS: What Is Cascading Style Sheets

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Cascading Style Sheets CSS is an important web design and development tool meant to define the look and feel of websites and web pages. In simple words, web developers use CSS to add unique style to web pages. CSS defines how HTML attributes are to be displayed on a web page.

Cascading Style Sheets CSS

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) enables the separation of HTML document from document presentation, such as layout, colors, fonts. Styles are stored in .css files enabling web masters to change website layout by editing one single file. There are Author Style Sheets (created by the web page author); User Style Sheets (set by the web page user); User Agent Style Sheets (styles applied by the web browser to display the web page).

• CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets
• CSS defines how to display HTML elements
• CSS is used to style XHTML, XML markup
• Formatting styles stored in separate .css files
• All modern browsers support CSS

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CSS In Modern Web Design & Development

In modern website development, CSS programming is a service on demand. CSS helps web design and development professionals to add fonts, colors and other formatting to web pages. Developed and maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium, CSS helps web developers to separate content from design and save a lot of working time. Prior to CSS, the presentational elements of HTML docs were contained within the HTML markup. All colors, styles, borders, fonts, etc had to be repeatedly described within the HTML file. CSS allows creating a simpler HTML file and move the formatting information to separate file.

Cascading Style Sheets CSS is one of the most useful and helpful tools web designers and web developers use to build professional websites with unique look and feel. CSS gives many great options allowing enhancing the website design and functioning. Take a glance at some of WOWEB projects using CSS Cascading Style Sheets.

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CSS Coding, CSS/HTML, Programming

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CSS Coding, CSS/HTML, Programming

Web Professionals Who Make Websites

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Web Development and Web Design is a huge mechanism with many professionals standing behind. If you have ever wondered who makes websites and who is responsible for your website performance, we will tell you who is who in website development industry. Website building involves many types of IT specialists with different technical and creative professional specializations.
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Web Developers, Web Programmers

Web programmers or web developers are web specialists who convert the website design into the high quality code. Professional website developers and web programmers deal with different web programming languages and advanced technologies like PHP Programming, CSS, JavaScript, etc. Depending on the size of the web development team or company, a particular web developer can specialize in one or more web development aspects like front-end developing, databases development, shopping carts, etc. In a few words, website developers are responsible for website technical performance and non-design aspects of the website building.

Web Designers

Web designers develop and design visual stuff that attracts the user. Website designers focus on the development of the look and feel of the website, including website header, sidebars, menus, illustrations, and other elements. To design website, professional web designers use specialized image editing software applications and then transfer the files to web programmers who turn the design into the code and the real website. A web designer’s jobs encompass web graphic design, interface design, layout design, template design, website logo design, and more technical and creative disciplines in website design development.

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Website Copywriters, Web Content Developers

Website copywriters and web content developers create content for websites. Website copywriters work in various fields of web content development, including SEO content writing, article writing, advertising and sales writing, ghostwriting, blogging, etc. Website content developers create texts for all types of small and large websites. SEO copywriters specialize in developing the written content that appeals to the website target audience and contains certain keywords to attract search engines.

Website Optimization (SEO)

IT specialists providing SEO services. People involved in Search Engine Optimization review the website content and do keyword research. They use a variety of SEO tactics to promote the website and get the web pages shown up in the results of top search engines by choosing keywords that best relate to the website. They increase the webpage prominence by quality link exchange, keyword optimization, meta tags, relevant directories, etc. Without good SEO optimization, the website can’t work to it full capacity.
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Web Design and Development Companies

Website Design and Development Companies offer a range of professional web development services. It is often a small and medium sized organization with many web specialists under one roof. Today there are thousands of affordable web design and development companies providing web development and support services for clients around the world. With so many web development companies around, the most important thing is to make the right choice based on your web project goal and budget.

Web Hosting and Support Services

Web Hosting Companies or website hosting providers make websites publicly accessible online. They store websites’ files on their server, giving it a unique address. There are free and paid web hosting services. Some web hosting companies provide website ongoing technical support and maintenance services to increase the website traffic, fix technical errors, and improve website optimization.

Web Programming Languages Popularity 2013

Programming languages are the driving force behind the Web. Simply put, programming languages make things work on the World Wide Web. It’s difficult to determine programming languages which are utmost popular, because particular web languages are used for particular types of websites and web applications. The growth of web development industry gave birth to various web programming languages. The programming languages beginnings date back to 1950s, so there have been 100’s types developed. We look at the languages used in most popular websites and applied in modern web development.
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TIOBE Programming Community Index 2013

The TIOBE Programming Community index is an indicator of the popularity of programming languages. The index is updated once a month. The ratings are based on the number of skilled engineers world-wide, courses and third party vendors. The popular search engines Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube and Baidu are used to calculate the ratings. Observe that the TIOBE index is not about the best programming language or the language in which most lines of code have been written.

TIOBE April Headline: Objective-C's rise in popularity seems to come to a halt

“Before the summer of 2009, Objective-C was a programming language that was hardly known and used. Thanks to the success of the iPhone and later on the iPad, Objective-C started at that date with an incredible rally to the top. This resulted in two consecutive "TIOBE language of the year" awards in 2011 and 2012. However recently the popularity of Objective-C is not rising any more. For the first time since 2009 it loses a position in the index.” [source].

For web developers, the index may give understanding whether their programming skills are up to date. For clients, being familiar with top programming languages can help to realize how modern websites work and which web development company or a particular web programmer to choose for their new web project development.

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How popular and useful the programming languages are may also be determined by languages used in most successful and popular websites.

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Source: Wikipedia

PHP Programming

PHP Programming is developed in 1995. PHP is a widely used server-side general-purpose scripting language designed for web development. PHP is now installed on more than 244 million websites and 2.1 million web servers. PHP allows developing dynamic web applications. This is an open-source, interpretive, cross-platform web language that can be embedded into HTML pages. PHP is available for most operating systems including Unix and Windows, and is an excellent server-side programming language for professional web development.

C++ Programming 

C++ Programming started in 1983. It is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, object oriented, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. C++ is one of the most popular programming languages implemented on many hardware and operating system platforms. As an efficient compiler to native code, its application domains include systems software, application software, device drivers, embedded software, high-performance server and client applications, and entertainment software such as video games.

JavaScript

JavaScript (JS) was developed in 1995. JS is an interpreted computer programming language originally implemented as part of web browsers so that client-side scripts could interact with the user, control the browser, alter the document content that was displayed. JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed, and has first-class functions. Its syntax was influenced by the language C. JavaScript copies many names and naming conventions from Java, but the two languages are otherwise unrelated and have very different semantics. Embedded into HTML, used in millions of dynamic web pages to validate forms, create cookies, detect browsers and improve the design. JavaScript that is implemented as a part of a web browser to provide enhanced user interfaces. JavaScript use in applications outside of web pages (PDF docs, desktop widgets, etc) also makes up its popularity.

C# Programming

C# Programming was developed in 2000. Multi-paradigm, structured, imperative, object-oriented, event-driven, functional, generic, reflective, concurrent programming language developed by Microsoft. C# is intended to be a simple, modern, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language. The most recent version of the language is 4.0 which was released in 2010. C# is suitable for writing applications for both hosted and embedded systems, ranging from the very large that use sophisticated operating systems, down to the very small having dedicated functions.

JAVA Programming 

JAVA Programming was developed in 1995. JAVA is a general-purpose, concurrent, class-based, object-oriented computer programming language that is specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. Object-oriented, structured, imperative, generic, reflective. This is a programming language and computing platform with the underlying technology that powers state-of-the-art programs including utilities, games, and business applications. Java has proved its usefulness for thousands of applications long before the rise of native mobile apps. It’s one of the most flexible programming languages, useful in most operating systems. If building desktop-based apps and/or Android mobile apps will be your niche, then Java the best programming language for that purpose.

Web Development and PHP Programming


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PHP Programming Language

PHP is one of the core technologies used in modern web development. PHP is the most popular web programming language designed to write dynamic web applications. Many huge websites on the net like Wikipedia, Yahoo!, Digg, Flickr, Delicious, Facebook and millions of other websites run on PHP technology. Since its creation in 1995, PHP has proven to be a trustworthy foundation for a modern-day website. PHP is currently ranked 6th on the TIOBE Programming Community Index of 2013.

PHP Web Development

PHP programming language was originally developed to add interactivity to dynamic webpages. Originally named Personal Home Page, this programming language has become the basis for many web applications. The first great improvement to the PHP technology came in 1997 with the release of PHP 3 version. The name was also changed to PHP Hypertext Preprocessor.

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PHP is an open source general-purpose programming language that can be embedded into HTML. For years, PHP rules server-side scripting and remains a hugely popular for programming websites of any size. Main web development areas powered by PHP are server-side scripting, command line scripting, programming desktop applications. If used by professional web developers, PHP programming language can do lots of very good things for a website.

One of the PHP programming language strengths is its support for databases. PHP language interacts with databases like MySQL, Oracle, etc. PHP can be used on Linux, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, etc. PHP websites are based on WordPress, Joomla, Drupal; Zencart, Magento. 

Released in 2004 and powered by the Zend Engine II, PHP 5 is the latest PHP version. PHP 5 is equipped with new features dedicated for better productivity and security of web applications. PHP 5 improvements cover support for object-oriented coding, MySQL extension, XML extensions, and other web development benefits. 

Dynamic Web Development with PHP

Programming language PHP meets a wide range of modern web development needs. Since its beginnings, dynamic web development with PHP coding has won a significant popularity in professional website building. WOWEB is proud to have a team of seasoned PHP developers and web programmers skillful in PHP scripting and most advanced web development technologies. We deliver web development services that wow with good results, so you are always welcome to talk to us about your project !