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♦ Aptana: A full-featured programmer’s editor that greatly simplifies creating Web pages, CSS documents, and code in multiple languages.

♦ Firefox extensions: I’ve included several extensions to the Firefox Web browser that turn it into a thoroughbred Web development platform. The Web Developer toolbar adds all kinds of features for creating and testing pages; the HTML Validator checks your pages for standards compliance; and the Firebug extension adds incredible features for JavaScript and AJAX debugging.

♦ XAMPP: When you’re ready to move to the server, XAMPP is a complete server package that’s easy to install and incredibly powerful. This includes the incredible Apache Web server, the PHP programming language, the MySQL database manager, and tons of useful utilities.

♦ Useful tools: Every time I use a tool (such as a data mapper, a diagram tool, or an image editor) in this book, I make it available on the CD-ROM.

There’s no need to buy any expensive Web development tools. Everything you need is here and no harder than the more expensive Web editors.

How This Book Is Organized

Web development is about solving a series of connected but different problems. This book is organized into eight minibooks based on specific technologies. You can read them in any order you wish, but you’ll find that the later books tend to rely on topics described in the earlier books. (For example, JavaScript doesn’t make much sense without XHTML because it’s usually embedded in a Web page.) The following describes these eight minibooks:

♦ Book I: Creating the HTML/XHTML Foundation — Web development incorporates a lot of languages and technologies, but HTML is the foundation. Here I show you XHTML, the latest incarnation of HTML, and describe how it’s used to form the basic skeleton of your pages. I also preview the upcoming HTML 5 standard.

♦ Book II: Styling with CSS — In the old days, HTML had a few tags to spruce up your pages, but they weren’t nearly powerful enough. Today, developers use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to add color and formatting to your pages.

♦ Book III: Using Positional CSS — Discover the best ways to set up layouts with floating elements, fixed positioning, and absolute positioning. Figure out how to build various multicolumn page layouts and how to create dynamic buttons and menus.

♦ Book IV: Client-Side Programming with JavaScript — Figure out essential programming skills with the easy and powerful JavaScript language — even if you’ve never programmed before. Manipulate data in Web forms and use powerful regular expression technology to validate form entries. Also discover how to create animations with JavaScript.

♦ Book V: Server-Side Programming with PHP — Move your code to the server and take advantage of this powerful language. Figure out how to respond to Web requests; work with conditions, functions, objects, and text files; and connect to databases.

♦ Book VI: Managing Data with MySQL — Most serious Web projects are eventually about data. Figure out how databases are created, how to set up a secure data server, the basics of data normalization, and how to create a reliable and trustworthy data back end for your site.

♦ Book VII: Into the Future with AJAX — Look forward to the technology that has the Web abuzz. AJAX isn’t really a language but rather a new way of thinking about Web development. Get the skinny on what’s going on here, build an AJAX connection or two by hand, and use the really cool jQuery library for adding advanced features and functionality to your pages.

♦ Book VIII: Moving from Pages to Sites — This minibook ties together many of the threads throughout the rest of the book. Discover how to create your own complete Web server solution or pick a Web host. Walk through the process of designing a complex multipage Web site. Build graphics for your Web site. Discover how to use content management systems to simplify complex Web sites and, finally, to build your own content management system with skills taught