Developing Client-side Content With Adobe Dreamweaver (Andrew Whiteman)
Jan 3, 2010
Adobe Dreamweaver is a widely-used web development tool aimed at inexperienced and experienced users alike. It allows developers to work visually and behind the scenes, it uses standard web technologies such as HTML CSS and JavaScript. Web pages can be introduced into a Dreamweaver site at any time without the danger of the program modifying your code. In the same way, pages that you create in Dreamweaver can be taken out of the Dreamweaver environment and used elsewhere.
The program does not rely on custom solutions which will only work in the Dreamweaver environment. Although Dreamweaver is not necessarily the best solution for creating all types of website, it is not an environment which one easily outgrows. It is suitable for creating both basic static content consisting of client side pages as well as more sophisticated dynamic content which includes server side pages. In other words, it is suitable for developing the content found on the majority of websites. So, let's examine this content in more detail.
Most of our web sites are hosted on web servers run by specialist hosting companies. A large website will need to be hosted on a dedicated server or even servers, whereas most typical websites will be sharing space on a server with other sites. People visiting a website are sometimes called clients.
Clients access the content on web servers using a variety of operating systems and a variety of browsers. They usually find this content either by clicking on search engine and other links or by simply typing a URL into the address bar of their browser.
The content that they access on websites can be divided into two categories: client-side content and server-side content. The term client-side refers to content which is compatible with the user's browser, content which the browser software can actually open, display or execute (in the case of scripts).
The main element in client-side content is HTML, or as it's known in its current incarnation, XHTML; a stricter and more consistent version of the original HTML specification. HTML is a fairly simple markup language which is used to describe the content of web pages for the benefit of the client's browser. CSS and JavaScript are used in close conjunction with HTML.
CSS pages contain information relating to the layout and presentation of web content. JavaScript is a scripting language which can be used to add interactivity to web pages. For example, when someone is filling out a form on a website and information entered into a field is inappropriate, JavaScript can be used to notify the user that the content must be changed.
All modern web browsers are fully capable of understanding HTML, CSS and JavaScript. With the addition of extra software utilities known as plug-ins, other technologies can be added to web pages. Two of the most popular plug-in technologies are Flash and Adobe Acrobat PDF files. All of this content then is totally compatible with the client's browser; hence the term client-side content.
About the AuthorThe writer of this article is a developer and trainer with Macresource Computer Solutions, an independent computer training company offering Adobe Dreamweaver training courses in London and throughout the UK..