Adobe Dreamweaver is a general purpose web development tool aimed at inexperienced and experienced users alike. It uses standard web technologies such as HTML CSS and JavaScript. Web content can be introduced 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 taken out of the Dreamweaver environment and used elsewhere.

The program does not rely on its own unque solutions which will only work in the Dreamweaver environment. Although Dreamweaver is not necessarily the best environment for creating all types of website, it is not an environment which one easily outgrows. It can be used both for creating basic, static content consisting of client side pages as well as more sophisticated dynamic content including server side pages. In other words, it is suitable for developing the content found on the vast majority of websites. So, let’s examine this content in more detail.

Most of our web sites are hosted on web servers run by specialist hosting companies. A large website will need to be hosted on a dedicated server or even servers, whereas most typical websites will be sharing space on a server with other sites. People visiting a website are sometimes called clients.

Clients gain access to the content on web servers using a variety of different operating systems and different browsers. They normally 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 clients access on websites can be divided into two main categories: client-side and server-side. The term client-side refers to web content which is compatible with the user’s browser, material 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.

Author is a developer and trainer with Macresource Computer Solutions, an independent computer training company offering Adobe Dreamweaver training courses in London and throughout the UK.

Related posts:

1. Top New Features In Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 CSS enhancements...
2. JavaScript Without Tears Using Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 JavaScript is a simple, client-side scripting language which enables you...
3. Build Rapid Web Sites With Adobe Dreamweaver If you have ever wanted to build your own website,...
4. Creating HTML and XHTML With Adobe Dreamweaver HTML is a markup language used to create documents designed...
5. Dreamweaver Training Can Change Your Career Working for a company that runs Dreamweaver training courses, I...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.