Learn Web Programming with Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta

Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta: A Comprehensive Guide to Web Development

Web programming is the art and science of creating web applications that run on the internet. Web programming is essential for any business or organization that wants to reach a global audience, provide interactive services, or leverage the power of data and information. Web programming is also a fun and rewarding skill that allows you to express your creativity and solve real-world problems.

programming the world wide web robert sebesta pdf

If you want to learn web programming or improve your existing skills, you need a reliable and comprehensive resource that covers all the aspects of web development. Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta is such a resource. It is a book that teaches you how to develop platform-independent web sites using the most current web development technology.

The author of this book is Robert W. Sebesta, a professor emeritus of computer science at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He has over 40 years of teaching experience and has written several books on programming languages and concepts. He is an expert in web programming and has a clear and engaging writing style.

In this article, we will give you an overview of the main topics covered in this book and show you why it is a valuable guide for web programmers.

Fundamentals of Web Programming

Before you start writing code for your web pages, you need to understand how the web works. In this chapter, you will learn about the basic concepts and components of web programming, such as:

• The client-server model: how web browsers (clients) request and receive web pages (resources) from web servers using the HTTP protocol.

• The URL: how web pages are identified and located by a unique address that consists of several parts, such as scheme, host name, port number, path name, query string and fragment identifier.

• The DNS: how domain names are translated into IP addresses by a distributed system of name servers that maintain a hierarchical database of mappings.

• The HTML: how web pages are structured and formatted by a markup language that uses tags (elements) and attributes to define content and presentation.

• The CSS: how web pages are styled by a style sheet language that uses selectors, properties and values to apply rules to web elements.

• The JavaScript: how web pages are made interactive by a scripting language that runs on the client side and can manipulate the DOM (document object model) of an HTML document.

You will also learn how to create and test a simple web page using a text editor (such as Notepad or TextEdit) and a browser (such as Chrome or Firefox). You will see how to write HTML code using proper syntax and structure, how to link to external CSS and JavaScript files, how to use comments and special characters, and how to validate your code using online tools.

XHTML: The Markup Language of the Web

XHTML stands for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. It is a stricter version of HTML that follows the rules of XML (Extensible Markup Language). XHTML was designed to make HTML more compatible with different browsers, devices and applications. In this chapter, you will learn about:

uses empty elements for line breaks and meta information, and separates content and presentation using CSS.

• The structure of an XHTML document: how XHTML documents consist of a prolog, a root element, a head element and a body element, and how to declare the document type, the XML namespace and the character encoding.

• The common XHTML elements and attributes: how to use XHTML elements to create headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, links, images, forms and other web content, and how to use XHTML attributes to modify the appearance and behavior of web elements.

• The XHTML forms: how to use XHTML forms to collect user input using various form controls, such as text fields, buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, menus and file uploaders, and how to use the name, value, action and method attributes to send form data to a server-side script.

You will also learn how to use XHTML entities to represent special characters that are not part of the ASCII character set, such as accented letters, symbols and mathematical operators. You will see how to use numeric entities (such as ©) or named entities (such as ©) to display these characters on web pages.

Cascading Style Sheets: Styling Web Pages

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language that allows you to define the presentation of web pages. CSS enables you to separate the content of web pages from their appearance, making them more maintainable and accessible. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The basics of CSS: how CSS works by applying style rules to web elements that match certain selectors, such as element names, class names, id names or pseudo-classes.

• The CSS properties and values: how CSS properties specify the aspects of web elements that can be styled, such as color, font, background, border, margin, padding or position, and how CSS values specify the possible settings for each property.

• The CSS inheritance, specificity and cascade rules: how CSS determines which style rules apply to a web element when there are multiple or conflicting rules from different sources or levels of importance.

• The CSS layout techniques: how CSS can be used to position and align web elements using various methods, such as normal flow, floating, positioning or display.

how to use CSS units to specify lengths, widths, heights or font sizes in absolute or relative terms, and how to use CSS media types to adapt your style sheets to different devices or output formats.

JavaScript: The Scripting Language of the Web

JavaScript is a scripting language that runs on the client side and can manipulate the DOM of an HTML document. JavaScript enables you to add interactivity and functionality to your web pages, such as validating user input, performing calculations, creating animations or communicating with servers. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The basics of JavaScript: how JavaScript code can be embedded in an HTML document using the tag or linked to an external script file using the src attribute, and how JavaScript code can be executed by the browser when the page loads or when an event occurs.

• The JavaScript variables, data types, operators, expressions and statements: how JavaScript variables can store values of different data types, such as numbers, strings, booleans, arrays or objects, and how JavaScript operators can perform arithmetic, logical, comparison or assignment operations on these values. You will also learn how to use JavaScript expressions to evaluate values and how to use JavaScript statements to control the flow of execution.

• The JavaScript functions, objects, arrays and built-in methods: how JavaScript functions can be defined and invoked to perform a specific task or return a value, and how JavaScript objects can be created and used to store data and methods. You will also learn how to use JavaScript arrays to store multiple values in a single variable and how to use JavaScript built-in methods to manipulate strings, numbers, dates or math operations.

how to use JavaScript strict mode to enforce stricter syntax rules and avoid common errors, and how to use JavaScript conventions and best practices to write clean and consistent code.

JavaScript and XHTML Documents: The Document Object Model

The document object model (DOM) is a representation of an HTML document as a tree of nodes, where each node corresponds to an element, attribute, text or comment in the document. The DOM allows JavaScript to access and manipulate the content and structure of web pages dynamically. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The DOM methods and properties: how JavaScript can use the DOM methods and properties to select, create, insert, delete or modify nodes in the DOM tree, such as getElementById, getElementsByTagName, createElement, appendChild, removeChild or innerHTML.

• The DOM event handlers and listeners: how JavaScript can use the DOM event handlers and listeners to register and execute functions when certain events occur on web elements, such as onclick, onmouseover, addEventListener or removeEventListener.

• The DOM timers and intervals: how JavaScript can use the DOM timers and intervals to execute functions repeatedly or after a specified delay, such as setTimeout, clearTimeout, setInterval or clearInterval.

You will also learn how to use the DOM window object to access and manipulate the browser window and its properties, such as location, history, navigator or screen. You will see how to use the DOM document object to access and manipulate the document and its properties, such as title, cookie or readyState. You will also see how to use the DOM console object to log messages or errors to the browser console.

Dynamic Documents with JavaScript: Cookies, Validation and Animation

web services, web graphics or other web applications using XML data.

Flash: Creating Rich Media Content

Flash is a multimedia platform that allows you to create rich media content, such as graphics, animations, sounds and videos. Flash enables you to enhance your web pages with interactive and engaging features that can attract and retain your audience. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The basics of Flash: how Flash works by using a Flash player (a browser plugin or a standalone application) to play Flash content (a SWF file) that is created by a Flash authoring tool (such as Adobe Flash Professional or Adobe Animate).

• The Flash tools and components: how to use Flash tools and components to create graphics, animations, sounds and videos using the stage, the timeline, the library, the properties panel and the tools panel.

• The Flash ActionScript language: how to use Flash ActionScript language to add interactivity and functionality to Flash content using variables, data types, operators, expressions, statements, functions, objects and events.

• The Flash content integration: how to embed Flash content in an HTML document using the or tag or link to an external Flash file using the src attribute.

You will also learn how to use Flash best practices to optimize your Flash content for performance and accessibility, such as reducing file size, testing and debugging your code, adding preloaders and progress bars, providing alternative content and captions.

PHP: Server-Side Scripting

PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. It is a server-side scripting language that allows you to create dynamic web pages that can interact with databases and servers. PHP enables you to add functionality and logic to your web pages that cannot be achieved by client-side languages alone. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The basics of PHP: how PHP works by embedding PHP code in an HTML document using the tag or linking to an external PHP file using the include or require statement, and how PHP code is executed by the server before sending the output to the browser.

strings, booleans, arrays or objects, and how PHP operators can perform arithmetic, logical, comparison or assignment operations on these values. You will also learn how to use PHP expressions to evaluate values and how to use PHP statements to control the flow of execution.

• The PHP functions, objects, arrays and built-in methods: how PHP functions can be defined and invoked to perform a specific task or return a value, and how PHP objects can be created and used to store data and methods. You will also learn how to use PHP arrays to store multiple values in a single variable and how to use PHP built-in methods to manipulate strings, numbers, dates or math operations.

• The PHP installation and configuration: how to install and configure PHP on a web server using the php.ini file or the .htaccess file, and how to test your PHP installation using the phpinfo() function.

You will also learn how to use PHP comments to document your code, how to use PHP debugging tools to find and fix errors in your code, how to use PHP conventions and best practices to write clean and consistent code.

Ajax: Asynchronous JavaScript and XML

Ajax stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a technique that allows you to send and receive data between client and server without reloading the page. Ajax enables you to create web applications that are more responsive and user-friendly. In this chapter, you will learn about:

• The basics of Ajax: how Ajax works by using the XMLHttpRequest object to create an asynchronous request to a server-side script, such as PHP or ASP.NET, and using a callback function to handle the response from the server.

• The Ajax techniques: how to use Ajax techniques to send and receive data in different formats, such as XML, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), HTML or plain text, and how to use Ajax techniques to update web elements with the data from the server.

• The Ajax frameworks and libraries: how to use Ajax frameworks and libraries to simplify and enhance your Ajax development, such as jQuery, Prototype, Dojo or AngularJS. You will see how these frameworks and libraries can help you perform common tasks, such as creating XMLHttpRequest objects, handling responses, manipulating DOM elements or creating user interface components.

such as using proper error handling, providing feedback and progress indicators, avoiding cross-domain issues or security risks.

Conclusion

In this article, we have given you an overview of the main topics covered in Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta. We have shown you how this book can teach you how to develop platform-independent web sites using the most current web development technology. We have also shown you how this book can help you learn the tools and skills required for both client- and server-side programming.

This book is a comprehensive guide for web programmers who want to create web applications that are dynamic, interactive and engaging. It covers all the aspects of web programming, from the fundamentals to the advanced topics, using clear explanations, examples and exercises. It also provides you with useful references and resources for further reading or learning.

If you are interested in web programming or want to improve your existing skills, we highly recommend you to get a copy of this book and start learning from it. You will not regret it.

FAQs

• Q: Where can I get a copy of Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta?

• A: You can buy the book online from various retailers or download the PDF version from the publisher's website.

• Q: What are the prerequisites for reading this book?

• A: You should have some basic knowledge of object-oriented programming and familiarity with web browsers. You should also have access to a web server and a text editor for web development.

• Q: What are the main differences between the sixth edition and the previous editions of this book?

• A: The sixth edition has been updated to reflect the latest web standards and technologies, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript libraries, Ajax frameworks, Flash CS5 and PHP 5. It also has more examples, exercises and projects to help you practice your skills.

• Q: How can I get help or feedback on my web programming assignments or projects?

• A: You can use online forums, blogs, tutorials, podcasts and videos to learn from other web programmers and experts. You can also ask questions or share your work on social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

• Q: How can I keep up with the latest trends and developments in web programming?

• A: You can subscribe to newsletters, magazines, journals and blogs that cover web programming topics. You can also attend webinars, workshops, conferences and meetups that offer networking and learning opportunities.

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