Web Design A to Z List
Articles, tools, reviews, and information about Web Design and HTML. If you can't find it here, it's probably not on the site.

Web Design & HTML Tutorials and Training
If you're wondering what HTML is or how to get started creating a Web page, then this is where to start. Find tutorials, quick start guides, and more.

Beginning HTML - Learn HTML Quickly
There is a lot to learn if you're trying to learn HTML. Beginning HTML encompasses more than just HTML tags. To learn HTML, you need to learn HTML tags, learn HTML design, learn graphics design, and learn other technologies like JavaScript and CSS. The links and HTML help on this page are all you need.

Tables - Building & Editing HTML Tables
Tables are a great way to layout HTML pages without slowing the download with lots of images. Learn how to use the table, tr, td, th, and other table tags well and correctly.

HTML Frames Help
Most Webmasters will tell you they hate frames, but knowing how to use them is the first step to creating compelling framed pages.

Forms - CGI and Web Programming
Learn to use forms to make your HTML pages more interactive.

Web Design
Learn design basics and specifics for designing Web pages, from style and layout to color and imagery.

HTML Color Codes - Color on Web Pages
Learning to use HTML color codes on Web pages is vital. Color adds vibrancy and excitement to sites. Color is used to hint at navigation. Color can be very expressive. These HTML color codes, tools, and color resources will help you improve your use of color on the Web.

CSS - Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets or CSS allow you to control the layout and look of your page easily. CSS tags or properties are easy to use and affect the look and feel or style of your pages. Learn how to use CSS instead of older technology.

Graphics for the Web - Tools/Techniques
Graphics are a great way to add interest and excitement to your Web pages. Learn how to create them, different tools and techniques, and tips for making them better.

Fonts & Typography in Web Design
When designing a Web page, you will most certainly use fonts. Learn how fonts and typography can be used effectively in Web design.

Editors and Software for Web Development
HTML editors, database software, validators, converters, and other tools of use to the Web developer. If it's a Web tool, it should be in this list.

Macromedia Dreamweaver
A list of tips and tricks for using a very powerful Web Development program. You should also check out the BBEdit and HomeSite tips as well, as it's packaged with them. [mac, win]

Microsoft FrontPage
Microsoft FrontPage is an easy to use Windows 95/98/2000 WYSIWYG HTML editor.

Macromedia HomeSite
If you use HomeSite, there are a lot of pages available to help you get the most out of the program. [win]

Web Programming
Learn how to write and edit Perl, Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, ASP, CGI, databases, and other Web programming languages. Make your Web sites more dynamic and interactive with Web applications.

ASP - Active Server Pages
ASP stands for Active Server Pages. ASP is a server-side scripting language that allows you to add interactivity to your Web sites. Active Server Pages are typically found on Windows Web servers.

JavaScript
JavaScript adds functionality to your pages with only a small amount of coding experience or knowledge.

Macromedia Flash
Flash adds animation and dynamic interaction to your Web site. Macromedia Flash and Shockwave are perfect for dynamic Web sites.

Advanced Web Development
Advanced Web development is more than just HTML, it includes all of the backend management: the servers, the content management systems, the log analysis, and the security. Knowing how to manage the parts of the Web site that aren't seen is the job of the advanced Web developer.

CGI Scripts - Writing and Using CGI
CGI scripts allow you to add forms, and other user defined content to your pages. These links and articles will help you write your own CGI or get scripts for your site.

HTML Tag References
HTML tags are the basis of HTML documents, and these HTML tag references will help you understand both the common and uncommon HTML tags and elements. There are hundreds of HTML tags, and if you learn a lot of them you'll be more effective in building your Web pages. These sites offer encyclopedias of HTML commands and how to use them.

HTTP Cookies
HTTP cookies are not as dangerous as you might think, and they make certain tasks (like shopping carts) too simple to pass up.

Meta Tags - Search Engine Optimization
Many search engines use meta tags to rank and display results. If your tags aren't up to par, your page may not get as many hits.

Professional Careers in the Web Industry
Going professional in the Web industry can be as easy as setting up your own Web design Web site, or as complicated as taking a four year college course in Web maintenance and development. There is a lot to think about for the professional designer, beyond just how the pages look: pricing, contracts, legal issues, freelancing or not, how to get customers, and how to keep the ones you have.

Salaries and Pricing for Web Designers
Salaries and pricing are one of the most volatile issues for Web Designers. What to charge, how to determine a fair price, and salaries are all issues you'll explore on this page.

Legal Issues and Contracts
Copyright, contracts, and other legal issues are important for Web Designers.

Marketing Your Site
Web marketing is similar and different to offline marketing. Learn strategies and techniques.

Web Hosting Solutions
Find the perfect hosting provider, or choose a host from the commercial or free hosts. You can even get domain forwarding.

XML Information
What is the Extensible Markup Language, and how can you use it?

XSL Information
The stylesheet language built by XML may be confusing, but these links can help you make sense of it.

Before You Buy
Before you buy various products and services for your Web site, you should evaluate what you need. These articles and information can help you with what you need to know before you buy.

Top Picks
Which are the best HTML editors? FTP clients? Hosting services? Find the top items for use on and with your Web site.

Product Reviews - Books, Software, more
Learn about the products and services that can help you build your Web site. These book reviews and software reviews by the HTML/XML Guide will help you determine the best software, books, products, and services for yourself and other Web Developers.

Photoshop
Once you put up a Web page, you'll want to start making graphics for it. These tips for using Photoshop will help you make the most of a great tool.

Image Map Editors
Create clickable image maps in minutes with these editors.

Designing for AOL
Learn how to optimize your pages for the largest Internet community.

Microsoft Internet Explorer
Write your HTML specifically for Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE).

Mozilla
A standards based Web browser for Windows, Unix, Linux, Mac, and OS/2. Mozilla uses the Gecko layout engine and XUL for user-interface design. Mozilla supports XHTML and XML, and is compliant with current standards. Mozilla is also free and open source.

Netscape Navigator / Communicator
Write your HTML specifically for Netscape Navigator/Communicator.

PDAs and the Web
Learn the tips and techniques to create a PDA accessible Web site. From your HTML Guide, Jennifer Kyrnin.

Browser Statistics
Statistics about the browsers that people are currently using. These shouldn't substitute for finding out your exact audience, but they are a start.

Web Browser Emulators
There are hundreds of different Web browsers that your customers may be using to view your Web site. Use these tools to find out how your site looks in browsers you might not have installed on your system.

WebTV Compatible HTML
Writing HTML for WebTV isn't as hard as you might think, and there are a lot of benefits to doing so.

Multi-Purpose HTML Validators
There are several validators out there that do more than just validate your HTML. You can run these tools and validate your HTML, check your links, determine your download time and much more.

Online HTML Validators
Online HTML validators validate pages that are already on the Web. They send the results to you via email, or do it immediately in your browser.

Link Verifiers
Avoid "link rot" on your site by using link checkers to verify the links on your pages.

Spelling and Grammar
If you have any text on your Web pages, then you should be reviewing them for spelling and grammar errors. Nothing makes a page look unprofessional like myriad spelling errors. (These links are currently English-centric.)

Add URL Pages
Many search engines have forms set up to quickly and easily add your sites to their directories. Promoting your pages starts with being listed.

Free Promotion Services
If you are looking for an inexpensive solution to Web page promotion, these links are a perfect start. Learn how to create ads, promote your pages, and add links to search engines for free.

Web Promotion Companies
In order to get the best promotion, you can use a company that specializes in promoting Web sites.

Web Rings
Web rings allow you to connect your site to a group of sites on the same topic.

Creating Banner Ads
When you create good banner ads, you get more hits to your site. Banner ads are the most common form of advertising on the Web, and doing it well is critical to getting the click throughs.

Advertising Software
Managing the banner ads you have running on your site is crucial if you want to be sure you're making money.

Basics of Meta Tags
When you're trying to learn meta tags it's easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer multitude of choices. These articles will help you get started with meta tags.

Meta Tag Generators
These tools will help you build meta tags for your site. Plus there are tools to analyze your pages to determine what keywords would work best, as well as tools to analyze the meta tags you are already using.

Meta Tag Libraries
Information about specific meta tags and entire libraries of meta tags and how to use them.

Meta Tags and Search Engine Optimization
Meta tags are a popular way to optimize your site for search engines. But make sure that you're doing them right. Making mistakes with meta tags can cost you rankings in some search engines - especially if it appears you're trying to fool the engines.

HTML Organizations
HTML Organizations give you the opportunity to affiliate yourself with other Web Developers. You can meet them to discuss issues, take classes, and get certification.

HTML Newsgroups and Forums
Newsgroups and forums offer a great way to learn HTML and learn from other developers. They are a lot more permanent than chat or mailing lists, and provide a great resource.

HTML Mailing Lists
Mailing lists about HTML and the Web Development profession are an excellent way to stay current. Many come in digest form so your mail box isn't overwhelmed.

Web Develompent Job Listings
There are lots of different types of jobs for Web developers, and these job banks will help you find the perfect one in your area.

How to Write CGI Programs and Scripts
Once you know how to write forms, you need to learn CGI to back them up. These links will show you how to learn CGI programming, as well as tricks once you've written them.

Free Guestbooks
Free guestbooks give your readers a chance to comment on your site, provide feedback, advertise, and become a community on your Web site.

Free Forum CGIs
Forums or bulletin boards allow your readers to hold conversations. Find free programs to run on your site, or host remotely.

Free Web Counters
Free Web counters allow you to track the statistics of your Web site. Web counters track page views and hits to your site. All of the counters on this page are free, and give you free counts of your page views. Some of them offer other information as well, sometimes for an additional cost.

Web Based Forum Software
Forums or bulletin boards allow your readers to post comments and questions and come back later for the answers.

Web Based Calendar Software
Calendars are a great way to keep your community aware of events of interest.

Web Based Chat Software
Chat software allows your readers to converse in real time about your topic. Many companies are even starting to use online chat software for support.

Free CGIs
If you want to add CGI interactivity to your Web pages, free CGIs are an inexpensive place to start.

CGI Scripts for Purchase
When you don't want to spend the time writing CGI, there are many people who will do it for you, usually for free or a nominal fee.

DocBook
DocBook is an XML specification for documentation.

Document Object Model
The DOM or Document Object Model is the API that binds JavaScript and other scripting languages together with HTML and other markup languages. It is what allows Dynamic HTML (DHTML) to be dynamic and interactive.

Platform for Privacy Preferences Project
P3P allows Web sites to provide computer readable privacy policies. This allows their customers to be better informed and understand exactly what their privacy is on the Web.

P3P Policy Editors
P3P policy editors allow you to quickly and easily convert your HTML or text privacy policy into a P3P compliant policy and post it to your Web site.

P3P User Agents
Browsers and other programs that implement the P3P standard for customers.

Resource Directory Description Language
RDDL (pronounced "riddle") is an XML language used to define namespaces.

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)
Really Simple Syndication or RDF Site Summary is a great way to get your information syndicated for others to read. These articles and information explain what RSS is and how it can be used.

RSS Aggregators - Tools and Newsreaders
RSS aggregators are newsreaders that allow you to read RSS feeds either through an existing newsreader or Web site.

RSS Validators
Use these RSS tools to create your RSS feeds and then validate them with the validators.

RSS Tools for Using Syndication
There are lots of tools and programs out there that can help you use RSS - from scripts to put up RSS feeds to programs for working with the feeds.

Simple API for XML
The Simple API for XML or SAX is a development environment for XML that is faster and more efficient than using the DOM. SAX is a Java based API that is very robust and effective.

Simple API for XML Parsers
The Simple API for XML or SAX is faster and more efficient than using the DOM. SAX is a Java based API that is very robust and effective. These SAX parsers make it easy for you to start using the Simple API for XML.

Simple Object Access Protocol
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) - an XML-based protocol to allow you to activate an application or object within an application across the Internet.

Wireless Markup Language
Wireless Markup Language (WML) is an XML application for use on WAP cell phones and other WAP-enabled mobile devices. WML is optimized to create documents that display quickly and legibly on wireless devices.

XForms
XForms allow you to create forms that work on many platforms, are accessible, and integrate directly with XML.

XLink - XML Linking Language
Use XLink or the XML Linking Language to specify links to documents, images, and more in your XML. XLink allows you to define how the links will be used and viewed as well as where they go.

XML Namespaces
XML namespaces clarify XML documents and allow you to use elements and attributes using the same name.

XML Topic Maps
Topic maps allow you to define the metadata of Web sites and XML documents. XML Topic Maps or XTM is a specification for defining knowledge resources.

XPath
Use XPath to indicate specific areas of your XML document. XPath is used with XSLT and XPointer.

XPointer
Use XPointer to indicate very specific portions of your XML document. And without having "named" them first, like you must in HTML.

XML and Perl
Learn how Perl and XML are coming together and the future directions to use XML and Perl.

XML and Java
Java and XML are a great combination and these links will help you learn more about it.

Community Online
Communities help your readers return to your site again and again. These tools and tips will help you build forums and chat rooms and decide what you need for your community.

Award Listings
If your site is worthy, winning an award can give you recognition and promotion. These links are some of the better awards on the Web.

Windows HTML Editors
The multiple Windows platforms have editors to suit every taste.

Aural CSS - Accessible CSS
Aural CSS allows you to write styles for how your Web page should be heard in a screen reader. Aural CSS makes your Web pages more accessible.

Offline HTML Training Courses
Take a class in HTML at your local university or junior college, or from one of these fine institutions.

Certified HTML Developers
These developers have taken the free HTML class at About and passed the certification exam. They are certified by the HTML/XML Guide to know HTML including tables, frames, forms and the basics of creating a Web page. Note, this course has been replaced by the About HTML/XML XHTML Course.

2003 XHTML Certified Developers
Students who have passed the XHTML certification exam in 2003.

Offsite HTML Tutorials
There are hundreds and thousands of HTML tutorials on the Web. I've collected some of the very best from off the About network to help you learn HTML.

Offsite HTML & Web Dev Training Courses
Many sites offer training courses to learn HTML and Web development, but it can be hard to choose the best one for you. These are some of the best online courses available away off About.

Offsite Quick References
If you're looking for a fast fix to learning HTML, there are hundreds of sites available to you. I've picked out the best sites available off About for you to learn HTML and Web design and development quickly.

Offsite Certifications
Official certifications for Web designers is available from several places. I've compiled some of the most reputable certifications for Web developers in one place.

2004 Certified XHTML Developers: Level 1
The following developers have taken the About Web Design/HTML XHTML 101 course and passed the exam with 85% or higher correct across 10 Web development categories: Basics of XHTML and Differences with HTML; Paragraphs, Line Breaks, and Headings; Quotes and Lines; Fonts and Text; Lists; Images; Links and Image Maps; Tables; Frames; XHTML Forms.

Books on Web Design and Development
When you're looking for a book on how to learn HTML or Web Design or just a reference manual for Web development, these are the books you should check out. Many are books I refer to every day.

HTML and XML Certification
Often in the job search, it can help give you that extra edge if you have a certification or training in your field. These online and offline services will help you get certified in XHTML, XML, Web Development and related topics. Get certified in the field you're in or you want to move into.

HTML Quick References
Sometimes all you need is a quick refresher or explanation and these sites make HTML easy and simple.

Web Site Templates
Free and commercial Web site templates. These templates include the HTML, images, CSS, and sometimes photoshop files you need to create and modify them for your own site. There are even templates optimized for weblogs like Blogger.

HTML Tutorials
Learn HTML through step-by-step tutorials to ease you into the process.

Tips and Tricks with HTML
How do they do that with HTML? Learn simple tricks to jazz up your Web pages.

Web Development Training Courses
Training is a must for the professional Web designer. Whether it's learning a new technology or getting more out of your tools and software. Learn in online and offline courses - there are even Web development courses at universities.