The Basics of Web Design

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Journal #1  Learning Web Design

Robbins (2012). Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, CSS, Javascript, and web graphics (4th ed. p. 3-46). 

Summary: The first 3 chapters of the textbook had a lot of basic information about browsers, urls, and how the web works in general.  I find it interesting how complex the system is for something that seems so simple. Growing up with the a computer and internet access allowed to me to use the technology often and freely, but I don’t really think about the intricate parts that are required to send and receive a web page. 

I especially found the diagram on page 31 interesting.  I learned that typing in a URL sends a HTTP request, then the server responds to the request, and finally the browser assembles the data. It is amazing how fast the information is being requested and sent.  In just a few seconds, I can see the page being request from the browser. 

Q1. What are the different parts of a URL? 

There are 3 main sections to a URL.  The first part (http) lets the server know that the information is being requested in ‘web mode’.  The second section describes the name of the site based the host name and domain name.  The third and final section describes the path of the URL. 

Q2. How do devices other than computers show web pages?

I always assumed that the browser from my phone was the same exact browsers used from the computer, but at a smaller scale.  Responsive Web Design allows devices with different viewing windows to provide custom layouts for users.  Responsive Web Design condenses the content on a smaller device so that it is easier to view and also it is more user friendly when tapping the screen.