Member Avatar for renato_francia

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to Web design and i wanted to ask you for some advice on how to start to develop an online bussines.

I know HTML and CSS but i think i might be outdated. Please, ANY pointers would be awesome!!

Thanks!
Renato

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by JorgeM

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Good starting point, . 's high-level map is useful; below are concrete, business-focused steps that move from simple pages to a publishable product. The emphasis is on shipping small, testable pieces, learning a predictable workflow, and protecting revenue-critical areas (hosting, payments, backups).

A compact 8-week sequence:

  • Weeks 1–2: Modern layout and structure (Flexbox, Grid, mobile-first breakpoints), clear semantic markup, and accessible form patterns so content works for everyone.
  • Weeks 3–4: Small browser-side behaviors (client-side validation, basic dynamic UI) and confident use of browser devtools to find layout, script, and network issues.
  • Weeks 5–6: Publishing workflow: source control, local build/test, a host with HTTPS, and a simple path for accepting orders (hosted payment/email services shorten time to market).
  • Weeks 7–8: Ship a real mini-project — a single-product landing page with email capture and a working checkout flow; instrument analytics and test on real devices.

Essential habits and troubleshooting tips:

  • Use source control from the first commit. Build incrementally and verify after each change.
  • Test on low bandwidth and small screens. If layout breaks, remove custom rules to isolate the problem.
  • Check the browser console and network panel for failing requests and CORS/errors.
  • Optimize images, defer noncritical scripts, and enable compression on the host.

Minimal accessible HTML shell (starter for a landing page):

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
  <title>Product — Landing</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
  <header><h1>Product Name</h1></header>
  <main>
    <form action="/checkout" method="post" aria-label="Purchase form">
      <label for="email">Email</label>
      <input id="email" name="email" type="email" required>
      <button type="submit">Buy now</button>
    </form>
  </main>
</body>
</html>

Quick checklist for launch: landing page + CTA, responsive and accessible UI, working payment/email flow, domain with HTTPS, and source control + backups. Start small, iterate from real feedback, and prefer tried-and-true hosted services for payments while learning backend development.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

If you plan on custom web develpment, HTML and CSS is a good start. If you are a bit rusty, go back and review/practice before you move on to the following:

Client side scripting --> JavaScript, AJAX, and jQuery
Server side scripting --> Pick one of the following: PHP, ASP.NET, JAVA, etc..

Depending on how up to date you are with HTML and how comfortable you are with scripting, you can be developing interactive web applications in no time.

Of course, this site is very helpful as you get stuck and need pointers.

I always recommend to get yourself some good books on the subjects listed above and practice, practice, practice....

Edited by JorgeM
Member Avatar for renato_francia

Awesome, Thanks!
Is there any good books or sites that you recommend?

Member Avatar for JorgeM

A good refresher start for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is w3schools.com. With regard to books, that's usually a personal preference based on publisher/author. HTML and CSS are pretty basic so many of hte publishers cover the material pretty well.

When it comes to server-side scripting, this is where i see a difference in quality content.

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