The Benefits of a Basic Understanding of Code
Coding is a basic technological language that lets web developers tell programs and browsers how to display and run a website. Although coding is second nature to web developers, business owners redesigning their sites may not understand the different coding and terminology involved. When you work with a development team on an important project like a new website, you want to make sure that you can at least speak some of the technical lingo that will pop up from time to time. Here’s a look at some of the basic languages of coding and how even a surface understanding of these terms can be beneficial to your web development project.
What Are Some of the Basics of Code You Should Know?
There are several forms of code out there, but the following four are the most common coding languages you’ll hear about throughout your project’s development:
- HTML
- CSS
- Javascript
- PHP
What do each of these have to do with the progress of your site project? Let’s take a deeper look into how these code languages make a site tick!
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the bare bones code that structures a web page and its content. You may be familiar with the term “tags” with relation to HTML. This is one of the most important concepts to know about the coding language. Tags are elements of content that rest between two angle brackets, AKA, an opening tag (<) and a closing tag (>). These tags are the exact elements that dictate where to place content on a site and how it will structurally appear in its final form.
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is the style language that makes your site’s HTML code pop! CSS is the coding language that governs the display of your website. Without CSS, your content would still be visible, but only vertically stacked in the order it was rendered during default creation. CSS adds the following elements to complete a website:
- Colors
- Layout
- Fonts
- Presentation of your website across numerous devices
Note that CSS is its own markup language and isn’t reliant on HTML to function properly. Developers can pair CSS with other XML markup languages used during web development. This flexibility across multiple languages is what makes CSS a cornerstone of site creation.
Javascript
Javascript is an object-oriented programming (OOP) language that developers use to make a website interactive. HTML and CSS create the core of a site, but without Javascript, the elements you want your customers to get excited about aren’t present. Javascript gives websites the ability to:
- Display interactive maps
- Animated graphics
- Image scroll effects, and more!
PHP
Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) is a server-side scripting language that is one of the most used languages in modern web development. PHP can integrate with HTML and can create dynamic pages and manage data across data-heavy websites. Developers love PHP as a scripting language because it grants them more control over site creation. Where other languages like Python require precise placement of code to function properly, PHP is a simple language that utilizes tags and brings flexibility to the table. Flexibility saves a developer time and effort when an element of a project shifts and quick changes are necessary.
How Does Code Knowledge Help Your Web Development Project?
While we aren’t saying that you have to study coding for hours, some terminology research can help bring your site online faster and with a lot less stress involved. Here are some of the ways a basic understanding of coding can benefit your web project.
You Can Clearly Define Your Desires
Everyone creating a website has a vision for what they want the final product to look like. When there is a technical language barrier between you and your dev team, there is always a subtle sense of doubt and wondering if they can actually follow through with your desires. A basic understanding of the above code languages gives you an idea of what’s attainable for your website. This opens the door for improved communication with your development team; meaning less back and forth and more actual movement in the right direction.
You Can Understand Why Developers Change Certain Design Elements
Unfortunately, sometimes not all of a client’s ideas are manageable when it comes to creating a site that allows for the perfect user experience across multiple platforms. When elements of a development project need adjustments, delays are inevitable. As a client with a general understanding of coding, you have two options for how to approach a delay:
- Start brainstorming with your development team and discuss viable solutions to the issue
- You can analyze the situation, get a feel for the issue at hand, and rest easier knowing that the delay in development is legitimate.
Basic coding knowledge and one of these two approaches to a development problem can help avoid unnecessary conflict between you and your development team. This equates to less time spent explaining the reasons behind a delay and allows your team to comfortably move forward in the resolution process.
Need Help Speaking Our Language? Big D Creative Can Be Your Translator
If you’ve tried to learn some of the basics of coding but still feel stuck, that’s okay! At Big D Creative, we understand that what is second nature to our industry can seem foreign to the clients we work with. Trust our web development team to use our excellent communication skills and progressive development process to help you understand your web project every step of the way. As partners creating a website together, we’re happy to bridge the technological gap and make you a vital part of your site’s creation. We’ve created websites in all industries and are eager to bring your vision to life. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation!