do's and dont's in web development?

web development,

[thenovice]

Hi, a newbie here. I don't have my own website yet but I want to have one, I don't have knowledge in PHP or MySql but I know how to use html. Can you advice me on how to get around in web development. What's the best thing to do for a newbie like me?

I am hoping for your kind response

[edited by: mack at 5:09 pm (utc) on Oct. 20, 2009]
[edit reason] No links please :-) [/edit]

[benevolent001]

Hi

Welcome to WebmasterWorld

You are at right place , i wished i had knew about WebmasterWorld when i started learning this stuff :)

Here is the thread just for you to get along web development.

[webmasterworld.com...]

Cheers !

[idolw]

One non-technical advice - before you start to actually do anything make sure you are 100% sure what you want to do.
Do not hire a programmer to build your website unless you already have each and every page of your website-to-be drawn by a designer. It is much more expensive to change IT things than to make another drawing.

[rocknbil]

I second benevolent001's link, it's a matter of coincidence that mack just posted that a few days ago.

Another, if you haven't built your site yet, or even considered the concept, start with this question:

What problems will my web site solve for my visitors?

It doesn't matter what the problem is - boredom (youtube) buy something (ecommerce), sell something (craiglist,eBay) - if your site doesn't solve visitor's problems it will fail.

Source, and much more good advice on what NOT to do: webpagesthatsuck.com [webpagesthatsuck.com]

Most site owners get this backwards - they start with the design, the look. Visitors don't come to your site to ooh and awe at your design, they come to solve a problem. Crack this nut and it will all start to work for you.

[piatkow]

On another forum I regularly see requests for recommendations for web design software. I always post back "pencil and paper".

In this sense I am thinking of the logical structure not the decoration.

[stephen186]

It is pretty tough to sum things up here in this small space. But, most importantly never allow someone to spam your website. That is the most important thing to do.