Welcome to the Treehouse Community
Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.
Looking to learn something new?
Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.
Start your free trial
Gideon Baik
5,046 PointsWeb developer track path?
Hello, In regards to the Front-End Web Development track, I was wondering what the difference between How to build a website and CSS basic. To me they seem to be essential the same course (But this is from the assumption of the first section of the course along with the track title). I was also wondering if it is necessary to continue the course, or if I should instead skip towards JS and Jquery followed by the PHP track.
Thank you in advance.
5 Answers
Jonathan Ankiewicz
17,901 PointsHTML and CSS are the basic foundations of what you need to learn to be a developer. The further you get into the developer scope the more you have the ability to manipulate the HTML and CSS to do what you need. The Development side of things is what gives "Forms" and "User Accounts" it's ability to record and save and print out content from the Web User.
HTML and CSS are for the most part simplistic static pages.
Here is analogy that may help. HTML and CSS is like painting a picture. Being a developer is having the ability to turn the picture into a box office hit movie.
Jonathan Ankiewicz
17,901 PointsMake sure you learn a lot of about HTML and CSS. With HTML5 and CSS3 now a days you can actually do a lot without even needing JavaScript or Jquery. It will help with load times and processing, making your code more valuable then others.
Ricky Catron
13,023 PointsAs someone who started with HTML and CSS then moved on to Python and PHP I would say you are off to a great start! To be a backend developer you will need an understanding of the frontend (HTML, CSS, Javascript) so you can help out and communicate with other people working on that part of the project, and a strong comprehension of your specific backend language.
PHP was my first backend language and it is great, but if I had to start again I would go 100% python. I love the language and the frameworks like Flask (my favorite) and Django make it so easy to whip up powerful dynamic websites! There are great python, flask, and php courses available here. Python would take a little longer to start making full websites with but I feel it would make you a better developer in the long run, you would have more experience with a variety of great programming and development topics.
Other technologies to look into for the future: Databases, Version control ( I prefer git ), frameworks ( I meantioned Flask and Django for python but Laravel is a great PHP framework), hosting ( I just found PythonAnywhere and love it!).
I know this might seem a little overwhelming for now but your off to an amazing start! I would keep following the track your on, learn more HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, make a few basic little website, create on long big project on your own summarizing all you have learned and then dive into the backend language of your choice.
Goodluck! --Ricky
Jonathan Ankiewicz
17,901 PointsInteresting, python... what types of backend systems do you build?
Ricky Catron
13,023 PointsI'm not quite sure what you mean by backend systems but this is something I am working on now. Please don't abuse the email functionality. I am working with a friend who is a front end developer to launch a web design company. I am in the proccess of switching it from PHP to Python/Flask. This is the old site using PHP. We never quite finished it but you can see where the project is headed.
Jonathan Ankiewicz
17,901 Points" Please don't abuse the email functionality."???? I am not sure I know what you are talking about.
Back end sorry, I was super tired when i wrote. I am curious to know what systems/purposes you use python for?
Ricky Catron
13,023 PointsHaha the site I linked has an email function which sends me an email. I was asking anyone who clicked the link to refrain from sending me an email using the form.
I use python for everything. I recently discovered the flask web framework after a lukewarm experience with Django a year ago. I thought why not give it a try and I loved it! Its simple, easy, and still has everything I needed.
I have also used python to make some simple phone apps (no on the app store or anything), using the Kivy framework. I liked it but it definitely needs some more work before I would use it again.
I have used python for GUI development using PyQt4 which was a blast. It looked beautiful and was simple to integrate into my code.
I have used python for numerous quick scripts ranging from hello world to reversing a RSA encrypted message.
The language is so extensible with such a large community I have trouble finding something it can not do.
Gideon Baik
5,046 PointsGideon Baik
5,046 PointsAlso, I forgot to note that my ambition is to become a web developer more than a web designer. That is why I am asking how much of the front-end track I should pursue. My hopes is to get a basic understanding of CSS and HTML, then I want to get into JS, Jquery and PHP. In the future I hope to expand my knowledge of CSS and HTML but I want to start developing websites as soon as possible.