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Head First HTML with CSS

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generating pages<br />

#6 Server-side Scripting<br />

Many Web pages aren’t created by hand, but are generated by Web applications running on<br />

a server. For example, think about an online order system where a server is generating pages<br />

as you step through the order process. Or, an online forum, where there’s a server generating<br />

pages based on forum messages that are stored in a database somewhere. We used a Web<br />

application to process the form you created in Chapter 14 for the Starbuzz Bean Machine.<br />

Many hosting companies will let you create your own Web applications by writing server-side<br />

scripts and programs. Here’s a few things server-side scripting will allow you to do:<br />

n Build an online store complete <strong>with</strong> products, a shopping cart, and an order system.<br />

n Personalize your pages for each user based on their preferences.<br />

n Deliver up to date news, events, and information.<br />

n Allow users to search your site directly.<br />

n<br />

Allow your users to help build the content of your site.<br />

To create Web applications, you’ll need to know a server-side scripting or programming<br />

language. There are a lot of competing languages for Web development and you’re likely to get<br />

differing opinions on which language is best depending on who you ask. In fact, Web languages<br />

are a little like automobiles: you can drive anything from a Yugo to a Hummer, and each has its<br />

own strengths and weaknesses (cost, ease of use, size, economy, and so on).<br />

Web languages are constantly evolving; PHP, Python, Perl, Ruby on Rails, and JavaServer<br />

Pages (JSPs) are all commonly used. If you’re new to programming, PHP may be the<br />

easiest language to start <strong>with</strong>, and there are millions of PHP-driven Web pages, so you’d<br />

be in good company. If you have some programming experience, you may want to try<br />

JSPs. If you’re more aligned <strong>with</strong> the Microsoft technologies, then you’ll want to look at<br />

VB.NET and ASP.NET as a server-side solution.<br />

Here are a few books that can get you started:<br />

A Brain-Friendly Guide<br />

<strong>Head</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />

PH P & MySQL<br />

Discover the secrets<br />

behind dynamic,<br />

database-driven sites<br />

Av o i d<br />

embarrassing<br />

mishaps <strong>with</strong><br />

web forms<br />

646 Appendix<br />

Load all the key<br />

syntax directly<br />

into your brain<br />

Hook up your<br />

PHP and<br />

MySQL code<br />

Flex your scripting<br />

knowledge <strong>with</strong> dozens<br />

of exercises<br />

Lynn Beighley & Michael Morrison<br />

A Brain-Friendly Guide<br />

<strong>Head</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />

Servlets & JSP<br />

Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam<br />

Avoid deadly<br />

traps & gotchas<br />

on the 1.4 exam<br />

Test yourself<br />

<strong>with</strong> more than<br />

200 realistic<br />

exam questions<br />

Learn how Ted improved his<br />

appeal <strong>with</strong> dynamic attributes<br />

Updated to cover<br />

the latest version of<br />

the SCWCD exam<br />

for J2EE 1.4<br />

Use c:out to get your<br />

message to the world<br />

Fool around<br />

in the Custom<br />

Tag Library<br />

Bryan Basham, Kathy Sierra & Bert Bates<br />

2nd<br />

Edition<br />

New Mock Exam<br />

Included<br />

TM

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