CS506 Web Design and Development

CS506: Web Design and Development

CS506 Web Design and Development is a comprehensive, hands-on course that covers the A-to-Z of building modern, dynamic websites. This course is your entry point into becoming a full-stack developer. You will learn the three core languages of the front-end (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) as well as the server-side technologies required to build a complete, database-driven web application.

The course is typically divided into two major parts: front-end and back-end development. The front-end is what the user sees and interacts with in their browser. The back-end is the server, database, and application logic that powers the site from behind the scenes. You will learn how these two parts communicate using the client-server model and protocols like HTTP.

Key Topics Covered:

• Front-End Development (Client-Side):
  • HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The fundamental structure and content of all web pages. You will learn semantic HTML5 tags.
  • CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): The language for styling and designing web pages, responsible for layout, colors, fonts, and responsiveness (making a site look good on both desktop and mobile).
  • JavaScript (JS): The programming language of the browser. You will learn to make web pages interactive, validate forms, manipulate the DOM (Document Object Model), and fetch data from servers (using AJAX/Fetch API).
• Back-End Development (Server-Side):
  • Server-Side Language: An introduction to a language used to run on the server, such as PHP. This includes handling variables, control structures, and processing incoming requests.
  • Database Interaction: Learning how to connect your server-side code to a database, typically MySQL. You will write SQL queries to create, read, update, and delete data (CRUD operations) in response to user actions.
  • Form Handling: The complete process of capturing user input from an HTML form, sending it to the server, validating it, processing it (e.g., storing it in the database), and sending a response back to the user.
• Core Web Concepts:
  • Client-Server Model & HTTP: Understanding the request-response cycle that powers the web.
  • Sessions and Cookies: Techniques for maintaining state and remembering users across multiple page visits (e.g., for login systems).

Course Objectives:

1. Build standards-compliant, semantic, and accessible web pages using HTML5.
2. Design beautiful and responsive layouts for multiple devices using CSS3.
3. Create dynamic and interactive user experiences using client-side JavaScript.
4. Develop a complete, database-driven web application using a server-side language (like PHP) and a database (like MySQL).
5. Understand the full client-server architecture and the request-response lifecycle.

By the end of CS506, you will have the practical skills to design, develop, and deploy a functional, dynamic website from scratch. This is one of the most in-demand skill sets in the technology industry, opening doors to careers in front-end, back-end, or full-stack development.