Basic Web Architecture: Overview of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Basic Web Architecture: Overview of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Topics Covered in This Article:

  • Basic Web Architecture
  • What is HTML?
  • What is CSS?
  • What is JavaScript?
  • Your First Website

Basic Web Architecture

What exactly is the basic web architecture? A web architecture is made up of three essential elements: the website, the server, and the user.

Website

A website is a collection of web pages that can be accessed through a web browser. Users interact with the website's frontend, which is the part of the website they see and interact with. The frontend includes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

Server

In order for everyone to access a website on the internet, it needs to be hosted on a server. A server stores all the files and data of the website and facilitates user interaction.

User

A user is a person who accesses and operates a website. Users use web browsers, such as Google Chrome or Safari, to view and interact with websites. The web browser loads the main HTML file, followed by CSS and JavaScript files.

To summarize, the user interacts with the frontend of a website through a web browser, while the server hosts the website's files and data, enabling user interaction.

What is HTML?

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the most widely used language for developing web pages. It defines the structure of a website and formats its content. HTML was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991 and was first published in 1995.

What is CSS?

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a simple design language used to make web pages visually appealing and user-friendly. It can be applied to any HTML element to style it according to the developer's preferences.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a lightweight programming language invented by Brendan Eich in 1995. It was initially developed for Netscape 2 and later became the ECMA-262 standard in 1997. After Netscape handed over JavaScript to ECMA, the Mozilla Foundation continued its development for the Firefox browser. The latest version of JavaScript is ES5 (ECMAScript 5). JavaScript enhances interactivity and functionality on websites.

Your First Website

After understanding the basic web architecture and the roles of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can start building your own website. Remember to host your website on a server so that others can access it on the internet. Additionally, websites have domain names that users can enter in their web browsers to access the website. The domain name is converted to an IP address, which represents the location of the website on the internet.