Web - Learn About Web Development and Build Your First App - MSDN

Article
10/28/2011

developers code with Microsoft

overview

fundamentals

get tools

start coding

What is web development? (overview)

Web development is a broad term for the process of writing a web page or site. Web pages are written with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. These pages can be simple text and graphics that resemble a document. Pages can also be interactive or display changing information. Interactive server pages are a little more complex to write, but they enable richer web sites. Today, most pages are interactive and provide modern online services like shopping carts, dynamic visualizations, and even complex social networks.

fundamentals

Watch this video about Microsoft web development offerings, and then prepare your environment by installing the tools you'll use to build your first web application.

LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WEB DEVELOPMENT
Video | 10 minutes | Web Development | June 2010

Now that you know what web development is, watch this video to learn about the tools and technologies for web development, including these main programming models for building web applications: ASP.NET, and scripting with Silverlight and JavaScript or jQuery.

get the tools

Clicking this button installs:

The Web Platform Installer (runs the rest of the installation)
Visual Studio Web Express
Silverlight 4 Tools for Visual Studio 2010

For help picking the right version of Visual Studio, review the Visual Studio 2010 comparison chart.
For more information about team development, read about Application Lifecycle Management.

start coding

Download the sample code, then follow along with these videos to get started coding right away.

DISCIPLINED DEVELOPMENT
Video | 18 minutes | ASP.NET MVC | June 2010

ASP.NET MVC is a web framework that implements a model, view, and controller development pattern that provides separation between the data, presentation, and logic for the application. In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Twitter client that runs across a wide variety of clients.

Next: Learn more about ASP.NET MVC

Get the code for this project

FAST FORMS
Video | 11 minutes | ASP.NET Web Forms | June 2010

ASP.NET Web Forms is a web framework that uses server-based HTML controls and code to create forms that are executed on the server and consequently support a variety of clients. In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Twitter client that runs across a wide variety of clients.

Next: Learn more about ASP.NET Web Forms

Get the code for this project

TWEETING TO RUN AN RIA ON THE DESKTOP
Video | 34 minutes | Silverlight | June 2010

Silverlight is an online and offline web framework that integrates sound, video, graphics, text and animation into a declarative and procedural programming environment. In this tutorial Pete Brown will show you animation, forms design, service calls, and more.

Next: Learn more about Silverlight

Get the code for this project

Developer Topics

ASP.NET Web Forms: Get Started with ASP.NET Web Forms
Dig deeper into web forms with sample applications, videos about data, Ajax, security, and deploying and running web sites.

ASP.NET MVC: Get Started with ASP.NET MVC
Find best practices for learning ASP.NET MVC, how to build an application, sample applications, and deeper learning.

ASP.NET Web Pages: Get Started with ASP.NET Web Pages
Learn about building sites by using WebMatrix, the ASP.NET Web Pages framework, and the new Razor syntax.

Silverlight: Get Started guide for developers
Watch more in-depth videos, find blogs, tutorials, samples, and more.

Scripting: Learn more at Script Junkie
Get script, HTML, and CSS built by the community for the community.

C# and .NET for Java Developers
Read this article to get an introduction to C# and Visual Studio for Java developers.

HTML

Modernizr: HTML5 and CSS3
Learn how to use the Modernizr feature detection library to easily build web sites that leverage HTML5 & CSS3 while still maintaining control in older browsers.

Using SVG For Flexible, Scalable, and Fun Backgrounds, Part I
Want to provide nice, flexible, and scalable graphics to your web site without using an image editor? Then Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is for you. Follow along in this article to get an understanding of SVG, as well as how and when to use it.

Translating Canvas with HTML5
The new HTML5 Canvas element provides developers with incredible functionality for rendering and animating graphics. Use this easy-to-follow tutproal to learn how to take advantage of this new feature.

Server

Internet Information Server (IIS)
Find videos, tutorials, reference, and more.

Windows Media Services
Find the SDK, scenarios, programming gude, and more in the MSDN Library.

Client Application Services
Learn how to create Windows-based applications that use the Microsoft Ajax login, roles, and profile application services.

High Performance Computing
Get the SDK, debugger tool pack, the class library, technical articles, and more.

Books

	Professional ASP.NET MVC 2 Build dynamic, data-driven Web sites with the Model-View-Controller model.
	SAMS Teach Yourself ASP.NET 4 in 24 Hours Learn how to build complete, professional-quality web solutions with ASP.NET 4.
	Silverlight 4: Problem - Design - Solution Get started using the new features of Silverlight 4 to enhance the web user experience.
	DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model Everything you need to start using JavaScript and the DOM to enhance your web pages.

Additional resources