Making a website
The basics & first steps
How the web works
"facebook.com"
Your Computer
DNS
"Domain Name Server"
- Send a request - "facebook.com"
- DNS converts the request
How the web works
"facebook.com"
Your Computer
DNS
"Domain Name Server"
- Send a request - "facebook.com"
- DNS converts the request
How the web works
"facebook.com"
Your Computer
DNS
"Domain Name Server"
- Send a request - "facebook.com"
- DNS converts the request
- Facebook receives the request
How the web works
- Send a request - "facebook.com"
- DNS converts the request
- Facebook receives the request
- Facebook sends the website files
"facebook.com"
Your Computer
DNS
"Domain Name Server"
Components we need
- A domain name "yourname.com"
- A web host
- A website platform (optional)
- Website files
##.###.###.#
A web host
"whatever.com"
Your Computer
A domain name
Files
Cost
- Domain name
- $10-$15 a year
- always buy privacy protection
- A web host
- $0, or $1-$10 a month
- be careful with free
- Files / "Theme"
- $0-$60
##.###.###.#
$1-$10
"whatever.com"
Your Computer
$10-$15
$0
How geeky do you want to be?
Cost
Time commit
high
low
low
high
HTML
& CSS
1) Choose a Platform
- HTML/CSS
- Tumblr
- Squarespace
- Weebly
- Wix
- Kirby
- WordPress
- Hundreds of others
- WordPress.com
- Ghost
- Statamic
- Stacey
- Drupal
- Joomla
HTML/CSS
- Webflow - create from scratch visually
- HTML5 Up - nice pre-built sites
- Codrops Freebies
- Themeforest
- Creative Market
- Google
- "HTML theme"
- "Minimal" is cliché but helps avoid feature bloat
- Stay away from flashy effects
- Always view the demo
WordPress
- Themeforest
- Creative Market
- Google
- Same tips as HTML/CSS
- The more you have to tweak, the longer it'll take
Squarespace
- "Walled Garden"
- 14-day trial, no credit card needed
- Built-in themes
Kirby
2) Choose a Web host
- Big names $10+
- GoDaddy
- Bluehost
- Dreamhost
- Hostgator
- Cheap $3
- Super cheap <$2
- High-end $5-$10
3) Choose a domain name
Website basics
By abraren
Website basics
An introduction to the various components you'll need to create your own website, along with a few recommendations and resources to get you started.
