CDN biz – Website Basics Guide for Beginners. In general, the definition of a website can be interpreted as a page that contains information in the form of images, sounds, and text that can be accessed by many people online via the internet.
For internet users, the term website is certainly no stranger. Search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, to social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram have become part of our daily lives.
Based on information from WeAreSocial, a global agency that studies technological developments in the world, Indonesia has 88.1 million internet users out of a total population of 259.1 million. This number is the 6th largest number of internet users in the world.
However, not all of them have a website. Some are just users who search for information via the Internet by visiting websites.
Why is that?
Some people argue that they don’t have a website because of their limited expertise to create a website. Meanwhile, some others are caused by not knowing the function of the website and the benefits of the website itself.
Talking about the benefits and effectiveness of the website, let’s look at the data on the behavior of website users in Indonesia in the field of e-commerce / online buying and selling.
Understanding Website Based on Functions & Benefits
As explained earlier, a website can display information in the form of images, sounds, and text for users, according to the purpose for which it was created. Broadly speaking, this is also the same as the meaning and purpose of the understanding of the website according to the experts in the book.
Example …
The company profile website is used to explain the profile of a company, products owned, and contacts that can be contacted.
In addition, there are also types of e-commerce websites (such as online shops, ticket sales, online payments, etc.) that are used as a means of online transactions.
Suppose you own a shop that is used to sell clothes. Then you use the shop to display the clothing products that you sell.
Likewise, if you have a website, you can display the clothing products that you have on the website and the great thing is that your clothing store website can be visited by anyone and anywhere so that the market reach is wider. Store views, as well as your information and products, can be represented by page views, information, and pictures on the website.
For complete information and explanations, you can also refer to the articles that we have summarized on the meaning of this website.
How can a website display information?
The website is created using a programming script that can display data that has been defined at the time of creation for the needs of its users. The information you want to display can be retrieved from the website database itself (written images, videos, etc.) or from external sources stored on the hosting server. Furthermore, the programming script on the hosting server will be translated by a web browser to display predetermined information.
- You ask a web browser to access a website address.
- The web browser will instruct the Internet to access the server that stores website data.
- The internet will ask for data in the form of information and images on the hosting server.
- The server provides the requested data to the internet.
- The internet sends back the data provided by the server to the browser.
- The browser receives information data from the internet.
- The browser displays the data you request from the destination website address.
- You can access the information and images on the website that you want.
From the flow above, you can see that the website that you normally access is actually stored on a storage server and the view that you access is the view that is taken from the server and displayed on your website via a web browser.
Talking about data storage, the website is divided into static websites and dynamic websites. What is the difference between the two?
Check out the following explanation.
Types of Websites Based on Data Storage Media (Static / Dynamic)
From the data storage media, the website can be divided into 2 types, namely static websites, and dynamic websites.
Static Website
websites that display static data, where information is written, stored and displayed on the same page. If there is a change in data, the developer must manually edit the website script that he wants to change.
The advantages of a static website
- Relatively easy and quick to set up.
- Relatively small website file size.
- Potential for minor hacking crimes.
Disadvantages of Static Websites
The process of adding & editing website content is troublesome.
Every time you add new content, you have to create a new page.
Static websites are suitable for…
- A website that rarely updates products.
- A website that only puts forward the appearance, not updated information.
- A website that does not require a special system for operation.
Dynamic Website
A website that displays data that can be changed (added, subtracted, or edited), where any information on the website is written and stored in the database on a new server and then presented on the viewer page to the browser.
When likened to a static website, it is a kiosk that displays only the products on display, while a dynamic website is a supermarket that has a warehouse filled with a stock of the items on display.
If data changes need to be made (additions, subtractions or edits), the developer does not need to edit the website script. He only needs to access a special page called the administrator page to perform data management so that the information can appear on the desired page.
The advantages of a dynamic website
Easy information update via special page.
Able to process data & display according to the system that has been created.
Disadvantages of Dynamic Websites
- Relatively long time to create the website.
- The creation process is relatively more complicated than a static website.
- Potential for hacking if security is poor.
- If data is fetched from large databases, the website can become slow.
Dynamic Websites Suitable for…
- You need a website with complex features.
Website Development Platform
So far there are 4 platforms that are often used by web developers: Manual Coding using native scripts (PHP, ASP, etc.), Framework, CMS, and Web Builder.
1. Manual coding
The website is created from scratch manually using a programming script along with the script’s built-in functions.
Advantages
- Can make the appearance according to your needs & desires.
- Can make features according to your needs and desires.
- Only the developer knows the structure.
Disadvantages
- Have to design, type in script code & build a database from scratch.
- Requires a relatively take a long time to build.
- In-depth script knowledge is required.
2. Framework
The website is created using a library of programming scripts, where the basic functions that are commonly used have been defined so that developers only need to use the library to develop a website. For those who are familiar with programming scripts, creating a website using a framework will feel faster & more practical.
Advantages
Can make the appearance according to your needs & desires.
Can make features according to your needs and desires.
The structure of the website is organized according to the rules for writing the framework used.
Relatively faster to create because it uses a library that lives in use.
Disadvantages
- Have to design, type in script code & build a database from scratch.
- In-depth script knowledge is required.
3. CMS (Content Management System)
CMS is a ready-to-use website creation system, where generally users don’t need to touch too much with scripts. Basic functions and features on the website are available & can be used immediately after the CMS is installed. Generally, CMS implements a system of modules, components, and add-ons or plugins.
Advantages
- No deep programming knowledge is required.
- Already available a display theme that is ready to use.
- There is already a plugin/extensions feature that is ready to use.
- Website creation is relatively fast.
- Generally, users only need to fill out certain forms & input to make the appearance as desired.
Disadvantages
- Website appearance is limited by theme design.
- Features needed are not always available / as desired.
- To modify existing features, knowledge of programming is required.
4. Web Builder
Web Builder is a ready-to-use CMS-like website creation system. The difference is, the functions offered tend to be fewer & limited to the function of the website in general.
Some types of web builders even have custom coding features that allow users to create certain features by coding manually.
Advantages
- No deep programming knowledge is required.
- Already available a display theme that is ready to use.
- There is already a plugin/extensions feature that is ready to use.
- Website creation is relatively fast.
- Usually, websites are built with the concept of drag & drop.
Disadvantages
- Website appearance is limited by theme design.
- The features needed are not always available / as desired and are limited by web builder providers.
- Unable to add features on its own.
Types of Website Programming Script (Server Side) which are Commonly Used
Judging from the level of popularity, the most widely used website programming script is PHP. Generally, php is used together with SQL as the database. Its open-source nature, wide community support around the world, and easy installation and use caused this programming script to be overwhelmed by users.
Some well-known websites that use PHP programming scripts include WordPress, Wikipedia, and Facebook.
Advantages
- Can create a dynamic website.
- PHP is Open Source which means it can be used by anyone for free.
- Programs created with PHP can be run by All Operating Systems because PHP runs on a Web Base, which means that all Operating Systems, even cellphones that have a Web browser, can use the PHP program.
- PHP applications are faster than ASP and Java.
- Supports many database packages such as MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and others.
- The PHP programming language does not require Compile / Compile in use.
- Many Web Servers support PHP such as Apache, Lighttpd, IIS, and others.
- PHP application development is easy because a lot of documentation, references & developers help in its development.
- There are many Free & Ready-to-use PHP Applications & Programs such as WordPress, Prestashop, and others.
Disadvantages
- PHP does not recognize packages.
- If it is not encoded, the PHP code can be read by everyone & to encode it requires a tool from Zend which is very costly.
- PHP has security flaws. So Programmers must be observant & careful in programming & Configuring PHP.
Commonly Used Client-Side Website Design Script
In addition to server-side programming scripts, client-side programming scripts that are used for website display needs also play an important role in creating attractive & interactive websites.
The following are some Client Side type website design scripts that are commonly used together in designing the appearance and features of a website.
HTML
HTML is a client-side programming script commonly used to design the appearance of a website. The basic syntax of HTML code itself is quite easy to learn and apply.
The HTML structure is divided into two parts, namely Head and Body. The head is used to put meta, javascript & css / style information. The Body section is used to place the main scripts.
CSS
CSS scripts are used to define styles on the HTML page that is created, for example, the length & width of a page component, colors, images, to beautify the appearance of the content of a website. Besides being able to be used manually like an ordinary programming script, currently, there are many CSS frameworks that can simplify and shorten website development time, for example, Bootstrap, 1140 CSS Grid, Golden Grid System, Mueller Grid System, Titan, and others.
Javascript
Javascript is a client-side programming script that has many uses, both in terms of design and for system requirements. From a design perspective, Javascript can be used to create display effects and interactive features such as sliders and popups; whereas in terms of systems, Javascript can be used for verification purposes and the like. Currently, there are many Javascript libraries available that make it easier to use Javascript on a website. In fact, a special Javascript framework has developed quite a lot, for example, Jquery, AngularJS, BackboneJS, Dojo, Echo3, and others.
By combining client-side and server-side programming scripts properly, of course you can create an awesome website that suits your desires.
By understanding the meaning of a website and a basic website guide for beginners, it is hoped that you will understand more about the basics of a website.
