Adobe Dreamweaver is a widely-used web development tool aimed at inexperienced and experienced users alike. It allows developers to work visually and behind the scenes, it uses standard web technologies such as HTML CSS and JavaScript. Web pages can be introduced into a Dreamweaver site at any time without the danger of the program modifying your code. In the same way, pages that you create in Dreamweaver can be taken out of the Dreamweaver environment and used elsewhere.[V:1]
The program does not rely on its own custom solutions which will only work in the Dreamweaver environment. Although Dreamweaver is not necessarily the best software tool for creating all types of website, it is not an environment which one easily outgrows. It is suitable for creating both static content consisting of client-side pages as well as more sophisticated dynamic content including server side pages. In other words, it is suitable for developing the type of content found on the majority of websites. So, let us examine this content in more detail.
Most web sites are hosted on web servers owned by specialist hosting companies. A large website will have a dedicated server or even servers, whereas most typical websites will share space on a server with other sites. Visitors to a website are called clients.
Clients gain access to the content on web servers using a variety of different operating systems and different browsers. They normally find this content either by clicking on links from search engines and other locations or by simply typing a URL into the address bar of their browser.
The content that they access on websites can be divided into two categories: client-side content and server-side content. The term client-side refers to content which is compatible with the user's browser, content which the browser software can actually open, display or execute (in the case of scripts).
The main element in client-side content is HTML, or as it's known in its current incarnation, XHTML; a stricter and more consistent version of the original HTML specification. HTML is a fairly simple markup language which is used to describe the content of web pages for the benefit of the client's browser. CSS and JavaScript are used in close conjunction with HTML.
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is used for describing the layout and presentation of web content. JavaScript is an easy-to-learn scripting language which can be used to add interactivity to web pages. For example, when someone is filling out a form on a website and information entered into a field is inappropriate, JavaScript can be used to notify them that the content must be changed.
All modern web browsers are fully capable of understanding HTML, CSS and JavaScript. With the addition of extra software utilities known as plug-ins, other technologies can be added to web pages. Two of the most popular plug-in technologies are Flash and Adobe Acrobat PDF files. All of this content then is totally compatible with the client's browser; hence the term client-side content. - 16492
The program does not rely on its own custom solutions which will only work in the Dreamweaver environment. Although Dreamweaver is not necessarily the best software tool for creating all types of website, it is not an environment which one easily outgrows. It is suitable for creating both static content consisting of client-side pages as well as more sophisticated dynamic content including server side pages. In other words, it is suitable for developing the type of content found on the majority of websites. So, let us examine this content in more detail.
Most web sites are hosted on web servers owned by specialist hosting companies. A large website will have a dedicated server or even servers, whereas most typical websites will share space on a server with other sites. Visitors to a website are called clients.
Clients gain access to the content on web servers using a variety of different operating systems and different browsers. They normally find this content either by clicking on links from search engines and other locations or by simply typing a URL into the address bar of their browser.
The content that they access on websites can be divided into two categories: client-side content and server-side content. The term client-side refers to content which is compatible with the user's browser, content which the browser software can actually open, display or execute (in the case of scripts).
The main element in client-side content is HTML, or as it's known in its current incarnation, XHTML; a stricter and more consistent version of the original HTML specification. HTML is a fairly simple markup language which is used to describe the content of web pages for the benefit of the client's browser. CSS and JavaScript are used in close conjunction with HTML.
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is used for describing the layout and presentation of web content. JavaScript is an easy-to-learn scripting language which can be used to add interactivity to web pages. For example, when someone is filling out a form on a website and information entered into a field is inappropriate, JavaScript can be used to notify them that the content must be changed.
All modern web browsers are fully capable of understanding HTML, CSS and JavaScript. With the addition of extra software utilities known as plug-ins, other technologies can be added to web pages. Two of the most popular plug-in technologies are Flash and Adobe Acrobat PDF files. All of this content then is totally compatible with the client's browser; hence the term client-side content. - 16492
About the Author:
Author is a developer and trainer with Macresource Computer Solutions, an independent computer training company offering Adobe Dreamweaver Classes at their central London training centre.
