An Introduction to Modern Web Development Concepts and Tools (Professional Practice)

Modern web development is not about memorizing code; it is about understanding the system you build for and mastering the tools of the trade. This course focuses on the non-negotiable foundations: how the web functions, how professionals think, and how to operate the tools that matter in real-world environments. The skills taught here are not theoretical; they are used daily in every technical role. A command of the terminal, a properly configured editor, and version control are what separate efficient professionals from struggling amateurs. This is a practical knowledge required to contribute to projects and pass technical interviews. You will be able to explain the lifecycle of a web request from a URL to a rendered page. You will configure a professional development environment in VS Code, manage your file system from the command line, and use Git and GitHub to track and share your work. This course is built for aspiring developers and computer science students seeking to build a professional foundation. It is also essential for product managers, designers, and technical writers who need to understand development workflows to collaborate effectively with technical teams. No prior coding experience is required.

Payment required for enrolment
Enrolment valid for 12 months
This course is also part of the following learning track. You may join the track to gain comprehensive knowledge across related courses.
[Beginner] Modern Web Development Foundations - From Zero to Your First Interactive Website
[Beginner] Modern Web Development Foundations - From Zero to Your First Interactive Website
This is the direct path to building professional-grade web development skills. This learning track is a comprehensive programme covering the entire modern front-end stack, engineered to take you from zero knowledge to possessing a practical, portfolio-worthy skillset. It moves logically from foundational web concepts and professional tools, through structuring content with HTML5, styling with modern CSS, and finally, building dynamic user experiences with JavaScript. This programme is built for individuals starting a career in technology with no prior coding experience. It is the essential curriculum for aspiring front-end developers, full-stack engineers, and computer science students. It also serves professionals in adjacent roles - such as UI/UX designers and product managers - who require a practical understanding of web technologies to excel in their careers. By the end of this learning track, you will have the ability to build, style, and launch a fully interactive, responsive website from a blank file. You will master the professional developer's toolkit - Git, the command line, and an AI-assisted editor - and write clean, semantic code. This track provides the foundational project and technical skills to confidently begin your career path toward junior developer roles and to build robust personal or business projects.

This is the direct path to building professional-grade web development skills. This learning track is a comprehensive programme covering the entire modern front-end stack, engineered to take you from zero knowledge to possessing a practical, portfolio-worthy skillset. It moves logically from foundational web concepts and professional tools, through structuring content with HTML5, styling with modern CSS, and finally, building dynamic user experiences with JavaScript. This programme is built for individuals starting a career in technology with no prior coding experience. It is the essential curriculum for aspiring front-end developers, full-stack engineers, and computer science students. It also serves professionals in adjacent roles - such as UI/UX designers and product managers - who require a practical understanding of web technologies to excel in their careers. By the end of this learning track, you will have the ability to build, style, and launch a fully interactive, responsive website from a blank file. You will master the professional developer's toolkit - Git, the command line, and an AI-assisted editor - and write clean, semantic code. This track provides the foundational project and technical skills to confidently begin your career path toward junior developer roles and to build robust personal or business projects.

Course Chapters

1
Introduction

This chapter establishes the course's core philosophy. We define the modern developer's mindset, outline our practical, tool-centric teaching approach, and address the role of AI in professional workflows. This is the strategic overview for the entire course. You will grasp the course structure, its practical, tool-focused philosophy, and the professional's approach to using AI in modern development.

Chapter lessons

1.Welcome7:19

Meet your instructor, get the course structure, and understand how professionals approach web development. This is the foundation for everything that follows.

2.The AI reality15:16

AI is already part of development. Learn how it changes workflows, what it can and cannot do today, and why ignoring it is not an option.

3.Our approach3:59

See how the journey is structured, what matters, what does not, and why we teach real tools, not abstract theory.

2
How the Web Works

To build for the web, you must understand its architecture. This chapter explains the sequence of events that delivers a website to a browser, covering the key components, protocols, and addressing systems that make it work. This knowledge is non-negotiable for any technical professional. By the end, you will be able to: explain the client-server request-response model, define the roles of HTTP and DNS in communication, and trace the journey of a URL from keyboard to a page rendering on screen.

Chapter lessons

1.The internet and the web

Understand the difference between the internet and the web. Learn how they connect users, servers, and browsers to make websites work.

2.What is a website?

Learn what a website really is, what it is made of, and how browsers turn code into visual pages. This is where practical understanding begins.

3.Clients and servers

The web operates on the client-server model, the fundamental architecture for all online communication. This lesson defines the client's role in requesting data and the server's role in responding to it. Mastering this request-response cycle is non-negotiable.

4.HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP is the protocol governing communication between clients and servers. This lesson defines its request-response structure. We then explain how HTTPS adds a critical layer of security through encryption, a non-negotiable standard for the modern web.

5.IPs, domains and URLs

This lesson clarifies the relationship between the web's addressing components. We define the IP address as the server's true location, the **domain name** as its memorable alias, and the URL as the full, specific instruction to retrieve a resource.

3
The Command Line

Graphical interfaces are for consumption; the command line is for production. This chapter introduces the command-line interface (CLI), the tool developers use to navigate systems and manage files with superior speed and control. Proficiency here is a non-negotiable professional competency. You will master the essential commands for file system management. This includes orienting yourself within the terminal, navigating directories, and performing all core creation, manipulation, and deletion operations on files and folders.

Chapter lessons

1.What and why?

This lesson defines the command-line interface and answers the critical question: why use it? We explain how the CLI provides the speed, control, and automation that graphical interfaces lack, making it an indispensable tool for any serious developer.

2.Opening your terminal

Theory is over; it is time for practical work. This lesson provides the exact steps to open the terminal application on your specific operating system, whether you are using Windows, macOS, or Linux.

3.Commands (1): whoami and pwd

Our first two commands establish your context within the terminal. The `whoami` command confirms your user identity, while `pwd` (print working directory) reveals your current location in the file system. Master these to orient yourself.

4.Commands (2): ls and cd

Viewing and moving are the core actions of navigation. This lesson covers the `ls` (list) command to see the contents of your current location, and the `cd` (change directory) command to move through the file system. These are your foundational navigation tools.

5.Commands (3): touch and mkdir

Development starts with creating files and directories. This lesson introduces `touch` for instantly creating new files and `mkdir` for making new directories, the two fundamental commands for building any project's structure from the command line.

6.Commands (4): mv, cp, and rm

To manage a project, you must manage its files. This lesson covers the core tools for file manipulation: `mv` for moving and renaming, `cp` for copying, and the powerful `rm` command for permanent deletion. Mastery of these is fundamental.

4
Code Editing with VS Code

Your editor is an active development tool, not just a place for typing. This chapter focuses on configuring Visual Studio Code for professional efficiency, transforming it from a default program into a powerful environment that automates tasks and accelerates your workflow. By the end of the chapter, you will: install and set up the editor, use the integrated terminal for a seamless workflow, automate code formatting for consistency, and leverage AI tools like GitHub Copilot to improve productivity.

Chapter lessons

1.What is a code editor?

A professional does not write code in a word processor. This lesson defines a code editor as a purpose-built tool for developers, explaining how features like syntax highlighting and code completion make it fundamentally different from a simple text editor.

2.Installation

This is a practical lesson with a single objective: installing our code editor. We will download and run the Visual Studio Code installer, with specific, step-by-step instructions provided for Windows, macOS, and Linux Systems.

3.The integrated terminal

The integrated terminal brings the power of the command line directly into your VS Code workspace, allowing you to run commands and edit code in one place. This lesson shows you how to use this feature to build a seamless and efficient workflow.

4.Code formatters

Arguments over code style are unproductive and a waste of time. This lesson introduces code formatters, tools that automatically enforce a consistent style across your project, ensuring your code is always readable and professional.

5.GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is a powerful AI assistant that writes code with you, suggesting everything from single lines to entire functions. This lesson demonstrates how to use this tool to accelerate development. Remember: Copilot is a tool to assist, not to replace, your understanding.

5
Git and GitHub

Version control is the professional standard for managing software projects. This chapter covers Git for tracking local history and GitHub for remote collaboration and backup. Proficiency with these tools is a non-negotiable industry requirement for any developer. You will master the core version control workflow. This includes creating a local Git repository, saving snapshots of your work using the stage-and-commit process, and synchronizing that history with a remote GitHub repository.

Chapter lessons

1.What is version control?

Version control is a time machine for your code. It is a system that tracks every change you make, allowing you to review a project's history and revert to any previous state without fear of losing work. This practice is non-negotiable for professionals.

2.Installing and configuring git

This is a one-time setup lesson. We will install the Git software on your machine and then run the two essential configuration commands to set your identity. This step is mandatory before you can create your first commit.

3.Creating your first repository

A repository is the foundation of a version-controlled project. This lesson covers the first practical command, `git init`, which creates a new repository and instructs Git to begin tracking changes within a folder.

4.Staging and committing

Saving work in Git is a deliberate, two-stage process. First, you use the **staging area** (`git add`) to select specific changes, then you **commit** (`git commit`) them as a permanent snapshot in your project's history. Mastering this core workflow is essential.

5.Viewing your Project's history

A version control system is useless without a way to view its history. This lesson covers the essential `git log` command, which displays a chronological list of all project commits, allowing you to understand how your code has evolved.

6.Introduction to GitHub

Git is the tool that tracks your code; GitHub is the online service that hosts your code. This lesson defines GitHub's role as the industry-standard platform for storing your repositories, enabling remote backup, and facilitating team collaboration.

7.Pushing your code to GitHub

Your work is not finished until it is on the remote server. This lesson shows you how to connect your local repository to GitHub and use the `git push` command to upload your commit history, making your code secure and ready for collaboration.