Member Avatar for DJSAN10

If I want to learn web designing and development, that includes many technologies HTML5, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, AJAX, XML, DOM, Flash/Flex/ActionScript and so on.
In which order should I go? The start will be basic HTML no doubt , but then which ones are the pre requisites for what. What will be better to learn before learning something ? I am looking for that order of preference. Do correct me if I missed something.

Thanks

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Ausopenxcell

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Helpful context and a compact, modern learning path that updates the 2012 replies from , and . Their core point — start with HTML and CSS — remains valid. The guidance below places those basics into a current workflow, replaces obsolete tech, and shows what to learn next for both design and development.

A practical sequence (project-first, brief):

  1. Semantic HTML and accessibility (forms, landmarks, ARIA). Learn how content should be structured and read by assistive tech (see MDN Learn).
  2. CSS: layout, responsive design, Flexbox and Grid, and progressive enhancement. Master real layouts before using preprocessors.
  3. JavaScript (ES6+): language fundamentals, DOM, events, fetch/Promises/async (modern replacement for old-style AJAX), and JSON APIs. Get comfortable in vanilla JS before adding frameworks.
  4. Tooling and workflow: Git, npm, a simple bundler (Vite/webpack), linters, and browser DevTools for debugging and performance.
  5. Design/UX basics: responsive patterns, typography, color contrast, mobile-first thinking and quick prototyping.
  6. Backend fundamentals if needed: Node/Express or PHP, REST APIs, basic auth and databases — enough to connect front end to data.
  7. Deployment, performance, testing, and PWAs: measure with Lighthouse and iterate.

Practical tips and cautions: learn by shipping small projects — a responsive portfolio, a client-side app that consumes a public JSON API, and a simple server endpoint. Prefer JSON over XML for web APIs today. Avoid learning a heavy JS framework before mastering DOM and tooling. Flash is obsolete (Adobe ended support), so skip Flash/Flex for modern work.

Authoritative references: MDN Learn for HTML/CSS/JS (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn), web.dev Lighthouse/measurement (https://web.dev/measure/), and WCAG accessibility guidelines (https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/).

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Member Avatar for epicrevolt

Every language that interacts with the user directly will involve knowledge of HTML. CSS is the artistic part that takes time to master. A little PHP knowledge will go a long way, but PHP is back end development, not necessarily website design. JavaScript, especially jQuery are easy to learn. Beause HTML/CSS aren't programming languages, start with JavaScript as your first language, it's extremely easy to grasp and does wonders for design. AJAX is neat too, having the ability to dynamically call remote content like auto updating tweets. XML is easy to learn, but only necessary for sitemaps in website design. I don't know DOM or Flash, but Flash is old school, learn HTML5 canvas + JavaScript.

Member Avatar for DJSAN10

Every language that interacts with the user directly will involve knowledge of HTML. CSS is the artistic part that takes time to master. A little PHP knowledge will go a long way, but PHP is back end development, not necessarily website design. JavaScript, especially jQuery are easy to learn. Beause HTML/CSS aren't programming languages, start with JavaScript as your first language, it's extremely easy to grasp and does wonders for design. AJAX is neat too, having the ability to dynamically call remote content like auto updating tweets. XML is easy to learn, but only necessary for sitemaps in website design. I don't know DOM or Flash, but Flash is old school, learn HTML5 canvas + JavaScript.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot :)
I 'll mark this thread as solved after some more time. If anyone else wants to give their suggestion too :)

Member Avatar for wilch

My suggestion will be as follows:
1. HTML then CSS - this way you get to learn how HTML can change the appearance of a webpage, before using the better option CSS to do so.
2. Javascript, XML then AJAX - this way you understand the syntax and semantics of each of Javascript and XML before trying to use them in AJAX
3. PHP

commented: thnx 4 ur suggestion :) +4
Member Avatar for Ausopenxcell

Actually wilch is going perfect and HTML and CSS is the basic to start web design and development. PHP, JavaScript, AJAX, XML, DOM, Flash/Flex/ActionScript are after learn.

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