How to build your Own Website

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How to Build a Web Site:
   
Welcome to SimpleHost's sitebuilder's tutorial. If you know very little about building a site, you've come to the right place. This tutorial's purpose is to show you how to get started, what you'll need, and where to go for more help once you've got the basics down.

Building a web site is not an easy task, but if you can view it as a creative outlet, chances are you'll find it can be a lot of fun. There are two very important things you will need to learn and understand in order to build a web site: HTML and graphic design. (We will explain both these concepts later).

Unfortunately, it would be impossible for SimpleHost to fully educate you about HTML and design. Both are very extensive and require a lot of time, patience and practice.

Many colleges and online training programs offer courses on these subjects,, and if you have serious ambitions to do web design, we recommend that you seek out a professional course. But, if your needs are simple and you want to quickly learn how to create your own page, our tutorials should serve you well.



So, what is HTML?

HTML stands for "Hypertext Markup Language". It's a code much like English. It's a way for web browers to communicate/display information that you store on the Internet. For example, in the English language you write with sentences and in HTML you write with tags. We will cover the details of HTML in our HTML Tutorial. But for now, you only need a general understanding.

So, what is graphic design?

"Graphic design is a popular art and a practical art, an applied art and an ancient art. Simply put, it is the art of visualizing ideas." -- Jessica Helfand

Graphic design is the art and craft of using computer software and your own ideas to combine pictures and colors to create visuals that create an impact on the viewer. There are many software programs out there that you can purchase to create web graphics and we will get into those in the Graphic Design Tutorial. But, for now, you only need a general understanding.

So how do I build a web site with HTML and graphics?

First, you need to learn to code with HTML and to use and create graphics. And you don't need to be a master designer to create a decent web site -- you'll just need access to a computer with a decent HTML editing program and a graphics program. HTML editing software (such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver) will let you create your pages visually without having to learn HTML. Such software is very useful and is used by almost every HTML coder. Graphics programs such as Adobe Photoshop help you edit photos or even create your own pictures to give your site color and impact.

Tips: Once you've gotten your software and have started coding in HTML, find sites on the Web that you particularly like. Use the "view > source" feature in your browser to view the code behind the pages you enjoy. Try copying bits of code to see how it works and learn to manipulate it. Don't worry about being accused of being a copycat -- many professional web designers are self-taught, and a big part of teaching themselves was to look at other people's code and try it out!

A great book for anyone learning HTML:

    Web Design in a Nutshell
    by Jennifer Niederst