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Website development refers to the work that goes into building a website. This could apply to anything from creating a single plain-text web page to developing a complex web application or social network.

While web development typically refers to web markup and coding, it includes all related development tasks, such as:

• Client-side scripting (writing front-end code)
• Server-side scripting (writing back-end code)
• Server and network security configuration (setting up security for browsers and networks)
• E-commerce development (building e-commerce websites and online stores)
• Content management system development (writing and building websites)

The process of creating a website isn't as easy as 1-2-3. Each development path is different based on the type of website, coding languages, and resources.

The following section serves as a brief overview of the web development process and a short introduction into the most common languages and CMS options.

Planning your Website and Creating a Sitemap

All websites start with a plan. Developers call this plan a wireframe or sitemap. It doesn't have to be an official document; it's simply a vision for your site that'll give both you and your developer(s) direction and a place to start.

Just like a business plan gives a potential investor insight into your goals, a sitemap gives a developer an idea of what you're picturing and the information needed to meet your vision. You can create your sitemap on your own or work with your developer(s).

Writing your Website Code

The next step in the web development process is writing the code.

Developers will use different coding languages for the front-end and back-end of websites, as well as for different functionalities of the site (such as design, interactivity, etc.) These different languages work together to build and run your site.

Let's start with the most commonly-used languages. Almost every website uses these three together, and yours probably will, too.

HTML

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) has been used since the 1990s. It's the foundation of all websites and represents the bare minimum of what's needed to create a website. (Yes, you can create a website with only HTML. It wouldn't look too pretty, though.)

Languages like CSS and JavaScript enhance and modify the basic site structure built by HTML. HTML5 is the most recent version and supports cross-platform browser functionality, making it popular in mobile application development.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) was developed in the late 1990s. It adds design elements like typography, colors, and layouts to websites; it's the cosmetic code. CSS allows developers to transform your website to match the aesthetic you envisioned for your site, and like HTML5, CSS is compatible with all browsers.

JavaScript

JavaScript is the cherry-on-top of coding languages. Created in the mid-90s, JavaScript is used to add functionality to websites. Developers use it to add animations, automate tasks within certain pages, and add interactive features that enhance user experience.JavaScript is rapidly evolving. Once considered a "toy" language, JavaScript is now th most widely used coding language in the world. With the help of Node.Js, it's now a back-end coding language. It's the first language to be understood by browser, and some have even discussed applying machine learning to it, too.

HTML, CSS, JavaScript are the "big three" of web development. Almost every website uses them in some capacity.

Building the Back-End of your Website

Writing code might be one of the more complicated parts of web development, but it's hardly the only component. You also have to build your back-end and front-end site structures and design.

Let's start with the back-end.

The back-end handles the data that enables the functionality on the front-end. For example, Facebook's back-end stores my photos, so that the front-end can then allow others to look at them. It's comprised of two major components:

• Databases, which is responsible for storing, organizing, and processing data so that it's retrievable by server requests
• Servers, which is the hardware and software that make up your computer. Servers are responsible for sending, processing, and receiving data requests. They're the intermediary between the database and the client/browser. The browser will, in effect, tell the server "I need this information", and the server will know how to get that information from the database and send it to the client.

These components work together to build the foundation for each website.

As for building your website, back-end developers will establish three things.

1. Your logic code, which is essentially a set of rules for how your website will respond to certain requests and how objects of your website will interact.
2. Your database management, which is how your website will organize, manage, and retrieve its data. 
3. Your infrastructure,  which is how your site will be hosted. Hosting your own site will give you greater control, but it's much more expensive and requires you to maintain your own server health and security.

With these components and decisions in place, your website will be ready for front-end development.

Building the Front-End of your Website

If you've ever dabbled in web design or toyed with a website in WordPress or Squarespace, you've touched front-end web development.

The front-end stuff is important - it's what your visitors; customers, and users see and how they'll use your website.

Front-end development includes a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. It also controls components such as typography, navigation, positioning, and browser compatibility and responsiveness. This part will reflect more of your initial site vision and what you included in your wireframe.

Acquiring a Domain Name

At this point, your website will have an IP address. It also needs a domain name that your visitors can use to find your site.

CONCLUSION

The internet is here to stay. It's getting better every day, and web developers are on the front lines of these innovations and improvements. From blogs to your favorite social network to the apps you use on your phone, web development touches almost every part of your day - and your business. Take the time to understand coding and programming to improve not only your life but the lives of your customers, too.