Web Development Services Explained
Web development simply means any kind of development involved with a web site that is designed either for the World Wide Web, or for a closed intranet.
Web development includes such things as ecommerce enabled functions, the actual web site design, scripting for various reason, either client-side or server-side, and web search engine optimised (SEO) content development.
Most of the work in web development is behind the scenes. The programming is done through Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML) code as well as cascading style sheet code (CSS).
HTML is the basic coding language of the World Wide Web. It tells a browser how to display a web page. It has been largely superseded by XHTML, which is really little more than a better, stricter version of HTML.CSS code tells a web page how to be formatted. HTML can also do this to some degree, but CSS is more flexible and accurate in this respect. The CSS code can either be embedded, be placed in-line or pulled from an externally source. The methods of employing CSS have a hierarchy. For example, an in-line style will take priority over an externally pulled source of CSS code.
Web development focuses mostly on functionality as well as usability for the end user. In a web development team there are usually several members all working together to a common goal, but each one specialising and focussed on their particular field of skill.
There may be someone assigned to web design. They will determine the look and feel of the web site, as well as its navigational functionality. Someone else would be assigned to the creation of graphics. They would be responsible for the design and implementation of all the images used.
Another person may be assigned to programming. They would be responsible for the underlying HTML or XHTML code and the CSS code, and also perhaps any scripting language used. Other may also be in the team.
Web development is more than buying a domain name and throwing up a web page. It involves a greater holistic approach. Usually there are several people involved, each with a complementary skill set who all come together at the end to create something efficient and functional, and usually beautiful too.
