Developing Web Applications

Building applications for the Internet is a complex and fast-moving field which utilizes a variety of continually evolving technologies. Whether your perspective is from the client or server side, there are many languages to master – X(HTML), JavaScript, PHP, XML and CSS to name but a few. These languages have to work together cleanly, logically and in harmony with the systems they run on, and be compatible with any browsers with which they interact.

Developing Web Applications presents script writing and good programming practice but also allows students to see how the individual technologies fit together. It includes recent technical developments to provide a practical and modern introduction to building web applications.

Assuming no prior programming experience, this concise, accessible book ensures that essential concepts on the client side are quickly grasped, and goes on to examine the server environment and available languages, including discussion of dynamic, modern scripting languages such as PHP. Network and security issues are also discussed. The aim of this book is to deliver exactly what is needed to start producing working applications as soon as possible – and have fun along the way.

Ideal for course use or self-study, this book includes practical suggestions for mini-projects which encourage the reader to explore his or her own imaginative solutions, as well as more theoretical end-of-chapter questions. It can also easily be used as a reference work as each section is self-contained, amplifying the key aspects of its particular topic. Most software covered is freely available in the public domain and no particular development environments are required. It is a direct, contemporary and extremely useful resource for anyone interested in learning how to program applications for the World Wide Web.

The book is a product of Ralph Moseley’s experience of developing the course ‘Developing Web Applications’ as module leader at Middlesex University. His research interest is developing adaptive systems which use the internet to reconfigure their hardware remotely.