The Fundamentals Of Websites course
Key takeaways.
Websites are systems: input > processing > output, not “just pages”.
The Internet is infrastructure; the Web is a protocol-driven service on top.
DNS is the naming layer; caching is why changes are not instant.
HTTP is communication; HTTPS adds encryption + identity verification (certificates).
HTML is meaning/structure; semantics matter for accessibility, SEO, and maintainability.
CSS is presentation; cascade, specificity, and layout primitives explain most styling behaviour.
JavaScript drives behaviour/state; too much work (or poor patterns) harms performance and stability.
Front-end, back-end, and database have different truths; good boundaries reduce bugs and cost.
Performance is both technical and perceived (round-trip, media weight, blocking scripts, layout shifts).
Modern expectations (accessibility, security, cross-browser support, observability) are baseline, not extras.
In-depth breakdown.
The Fundamentals Of Websites (WC – C1) is a theory-first course that turns “a website” into a system you can reason about. It begins with where computing came from (human computers, early machines, analogue vs digital) and how the Internet and Web formed (ARPANET > NSFNET, TCP/IP, IP addressing, DNS, and naming governance). From there, it introduces the core web transaction: a browser sends a request, servers return responses, and HTTPS adds encryption plus identity verification through certificates and trusted authorities.
You then learn the three core web languages as distinct responsibilities: HTML for meaning and structure (semantics for accessibility and SEO), CSS for presentation (cascade, specificity, and layout with flow/flex/grid), and JavaScript for behaviour (events, state, DOM updates, and performance guardrails). The course connects these concepts to real work: front-end delivery, back-end services, data storage (SQL/NoSQL, caching, object storage), and full-stack boundaries that keep systems maintainable.
Finally, it ties fundamentals to outcomes: website categories (content, community, transactional, directory), marketing sites vs web apps, and eCommerce’s highest-friction moments at checkout. A practical glossary and a forward look at AI tooling and builders keep decisions grounded as the landscape changes.
Course itinerary.
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From people to machines.
From analogue to digital computing.
Classes of computers and their roles.
ARPANET and resilient networking.
Internet infrastructure and naming.
From internet to web origins.
From internet to web foundations.
Web 2.0, social media, and mobile.
Website types and outcomes.
Browsers as web gateways.
Websites as business infrastructure.
AI, website builders, and future directions.
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Technology foundations for modern systems.
Memory, storage, and files.
Networks as shared communication.
The internet in plain terms.
Packets, latency, and perceived speed.
DNS as the internet address book.
Web and internet fundamentals.
Requests and responses explained.
HTTP/HTTPS overview.
HTML for structure and meaning.
Understanding CSS for effective web design.
JavaScript behaviour and state fundamentals.
Understanding web interaction signals.
Forms that collect clean data.
Feedback and error states.
Understanding website types.
Understanding marketing sites and web apps.
E-commerce fundamentals that scale.
Browser rendering, explained clearly.
Developer tools for website management.
Understanding cross-browser differences.
Modern business context.
Performance expectations.
Conclusion and next steps.
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Key roles in frontend development.
Core languages for modern frontend.
Accessibility fundamentals.
APIs and modern development.
Responsive and mobile design.
CMS structure for long-term control.
Debugging as a repeatable system.
Frontend development essentials.
Essential front-end languages.
Understanding frontend frameworks.
Accessibility principles in practice.
API basics for modern systems.
REST API interactions.
Frontend performance optimisation.
Debugging techniques that actually scale.
Security foundations for frontend builds.
User experience design fundamentals.
Headless CMS and future-ready content.
Responsive design foundations.
Frontend development best practices.
Troubleshooting common frontend issues.
Future trends in frontend development.
Building a frontend development career.
Conclusion and next steps.
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Backend foundations that keep systems stable.
Server-side languages, explained clearly.
Data and storage essentials.
Operational basics for reliable delivery.
Backend reliability and incident discipline.
Key backend tasks for developers.
Database management.
API development fundamentals.
Performance optimisation.
Security implementation.
Cloud infrastructure for modern backends.
Collaboration across frontend and backend.
Testing and debugging.
Best practices for backend development.
Building a backend development career.
Essential backend tools.
Future trends in backend development.
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Fundamentals of web development.
Core skills overview.
Business logic and data modelling.
Layered APIs that stay maintainable.
Mentality and foundational logic.
User outcomes in full-stack.
Full-stack work, end to end.
Frameworks and stacks, chosen well.
Development practices and key components.
API architecture patterns.
Hosting and delivery.
User outcomes that compound.
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Core web glossary essentials.
Foundations of the modern web.
Hosting and data management.
Extended glossary for modern integrations.
Build tools and performance optimisation.
Analytics and conversion metrics.
User experience design principles.
Security and compliance essentials.
Practical next steps for web fluency.
Course requirements.
The requirements necessary for this course include:
Technology
You need a computer/smart device with a decent internet.
Account
No account is required as the lectures are free to view.
Viewing
This course is taught via a blog article format.
Commitment
You will need to dedicate time and effort, at your own pace.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What’s the difference between the Internet and the Web?
The Internet is the network infrastructure; the Web is a service on top of it (HTTP/HTTPS + browsers + servers).
Do I need to code to understand websites?
No, this course builds mental models first, so decisions and conversations stay accurate even without writing code.
Why does my site feel “slow” even with fast internet?
Latency, extra round trips, heavy assets, render-blocking scripts, and layout shifts can dominate perceived speed.
What does a browser actually do when I open a page?
It requests resources, parses HTML, calculates CSS, runs JavaScript, builds the DOM, and paints the result.
What’s the biggest cause of website issues in real projects?
Unclear boundaries (what lives in UI vs API vs database), plus missing feedback states and weak debugging habits.
What’s the practical impact of DNS caching (TTL)?
Changes can take time to propagate because resolvers and devices reuse cached answers until TTL expiry.
What’s the difference between client-side and server-side validation?
Client-side improves UX; server-side enforces truth. Both are needed because input is always untrusted.
Why does JavaScript sometimes “block” rendering?
The browser may pause parsing/painting while scripts download and execute, delaying time-to-interaction.
When should a team choose static pages over dynamic rendering?
When content changes infrequently and speed/reliability matter, while still offloading dynamic needs to services (forms, payments, APIs).
How should a business think about “website builders + AI” responsibly?
Use them to accelerate layout and content operations, but keep ownership of data, accessibility, performance budgets, and security decisions.
