Explanation of the basic steps involved in developing a web site. Also refer to Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe Dreamweaver, local site, online creating, editing, synchronizing, FTP, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions

Basic Steps in Developing a Web Site

by Ron Kurtus (revised 6 January 2002)

The basic steps involved in developing a web site include creation of the site, pages and navigation on a local computer, uploading the material to an online site, editing the material, and synchronizing your changes.

Questions you may have include:

• What is required for creating a local site?
• How do you upload the site?
• What is the editing process?

This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.

Creating a local site

In developing a website, most of the work is usually done on a local computer and then uploaded to the actual site. First, you should create a local site with your web development software--usually Microsoft FrontPage or Adobe Dreamweaver. Then, you create your individual web pages. Finally, you create an effective navigation system for your site.

Local site

FrontPage and Dreamweaver have the capability to create a site. This is very useful in maintaining your links and performing other site management tasks. Part of creating a site is deciding how it will be organized. You may want folders to divide your material into logical areas. This is very similar to how you organize the folders and directories on your hard drive.

Pages

You can create your individual pages and file them in the appropriate folders. Images, sounds and other special effects can be added. They also should be filed in appropriate folders.

Development of web pages includes entering and formatting text, images, tables and other features.

Navigation

It is important to create a good system of navigation, so the user can easily get from one place to another. At one time frames were used for navigation, but they created difficulties in printing pages, as well as problems for search engines to find a page.

Uploading the site

After the site is sufficiently completed, you can upload the files and folders to your online location. This is done via the file transfer protocol (FTP). It is assumed that you have a folder in your Internet provider's server for your site, as well as the FTP address and login permissions.

Once the site is uploaded, it is ready for viewing.

Making changes

You can edit your web pages and even change the configuration of your local site. Any changes in file location required that all internal links are still valid.

It is also important to have a good method to keep track up your changes and upload them to your site. Both FrontPage and Dreamweaver allow you to synchronize the local and online sites, such that the file dates are the same.

In conclusion

In developing a web site, you need to create the site, pages and navigation on a local computer, upload the material to an online site, and then edit the material and synchronizing your changes.

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Mini-quiz to check your understanding

1. Why do you typically want to create a local site?

2. How do you upload your site or pages to the server?

3. Why do you want to synchronize your changes?

If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Web Design. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.

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Basic Steps in Developing a Web Site