Adobe Dreamweaver And Client-side Content (Andrew Whiteman)
Jan 31, 2009
Adobe Dreamweaver is a multi-purpose web development tool aimed at inexperienced and experienced users alike. It uses standards-compliant web technologies such as XHTML and CSS. Web content can be imported into the Dreamweaver at any time without the danger of the program modifying your code. In the same way, pages created in Dreamweaver can be exported from 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 web sites are hosted on web servers owned by specialist hosting companies. A large website will have a dedicated server or even servers, whereas most typical websites will share space on a server with other sites. Visitors to a website are called clients.
Clients gain access to 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 links from search engines and other locations 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 stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is used for describing the layout and presentation of web content. JavaScript is an easy-to-learn 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 them that the content must be changed.
All modern web browsers are fully capable of digesting HTML, CSS and JavaScript. With the addition of extra software utilities known as plug-ins, other technologies can be included in web sites. Two of the most popular plug-in technologies are Adobe Acrobat PDF files and Flash. All of this content is completely 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, a UK IT training company offering Adobe Dreamweaver training courses at their central London training centre..