[mrsdrbidge]

Hello all,

Just wondering if the peeps here would be so kind as to tell me if there are any books you recommend to learn web design?

Both on the graphic design side as well as the scripting side - for HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, MySQL etc and any others you think are important.

Or maybe you recommend just googling stuff or working my way through free online tutorials?

Let me know what worked for you.

[Lev]

I would advise you to pay your attention to O'Reilly e-books
http://oreilly.com/ebooks/

[Authentic_Style]

CSS Mastery by Andy Budd is a good one.

[KCooper]

For HTML/CSS;

I used Head First XHTML & CSS (link)

I later purchased Handcrafted CSS (link)

Your best bet is just keep coding and coding and coding, though, and use books/this forum/the plethora of online tutorials if you get stuck - it does sink in eventually

For JavaScript;

I have never really worked through any books/tutorials on JavaScript, though I did do a bit of it at uni which gave me the basics. Stick to using jQuery, theres no doubt that knowing javascript well would be useful, but learning to use prebuilt jQuery plugins will serve you perfectly well more often than not.

For PHP/MySQL;

I'm just working through a book for this at the moment, slowly but steadily. PHP 6 and MySQL 5 (link). Whether this is the best book, I cannot say, but its going well so far (only 3 chapters in, though).

For Design (I'm assuming Photoshop here, its the main design tool I use by a long shot);

I just signed up to linda.com for a month. A guy called Deke Mcklelland has some fantastic Photoshop tutorials on there. I blitzed through the beginner and intermediate ones (each about 6/7hours long) and that gave me the confidence to be able to navigate around the program. From there, practice, practice, practice - recurring theme

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Or maybe you recommend just googling stuff or working my way through free online tutorials?

It really depends on your personal preference, and both are equally acceptable ways of doing it. Personally, I use both methods. I prefer using a book when I am taking those first tentative steps into a new area. Once I have got the basics down, I find I usually just dive into it and use google when I get stuck.


Kyle

[mrsdrbidge]

Kyle - Once again, great advice. All the books you mentioned have alot of good reviews on Amazon and personally, its where I like to shop for all my books. I'll get these 3 as soon as I have the spondoodlies for them as they are a bit on the expensive side. Then again, quality doesn't usually come cheap

As for Photoshop, I'd love to have and use it, but the cheapest I've seen is £166 on Amazon. I use Inkscape at the moment, but I know that eventually I will have to get Photoshop if I want to be taken seriously! If you know of any companies selling CS5 at a good price please leave a link.

[KCooper]

mrsdrbidge, on 22 February 2011 - 04:46 PM, said:

As for Photoshop, I'd love to have and use it, but the cheapest I've seen is £166 on Amazon. I use Inkscape at the moment, but I know that eventually I will have to get Photoshop if I want to be taken seriously! If you know of any companies selling CS5 at a good price please leave a link.

I know a lot of people use GIMP as a free alternative to Photoshop. I've never used it before (or Inkskape for that matter, so if thats working for you stick with that ) but I've only ever really heard positive things. Link here if you want to have a look.

At the end of the day, its the end result that matters, not what you use to get there. I was lucky to pick up Photoshop from a friend, otherwise no doubt I'd be using one of the free alternatives too!


Kyle

[Wmichael]

I use a book called "Creating a Web site" Its part of the missing manual collection.
I recommend it to anyone who was to start web development or wants a reference guide.
amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0596520972/

[mrsdrbidge]

Great info so far guys...what about the order? As in, would or did you buy books on HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, MySQL etc all in one go and just dive into everything at once?

Or do you think focussing on fully learning one language eg HTML and then moving on to CSS then on to PHP etc would be the better way?

What about languages that go hand in hand? Are there any that need to be learnt together in order to be understood?

Thanks to your comments and replies, I now have an idea of which languages to study and the books that I can use, but I just need to know what to focus on and in what order as at the moment I'm reading loads of info about all things web design on the net, but I dont feel Im actually learning anything 100%

[kensha]

When you are starting to read all those codes and notice the coding goes better and you understand how the codes are working and being manipulated you can go to the next chapter.

Keep in mind to come back to the previous chapter to learn all of the extra's you still need to learn.

[mrchristoph]

The one book that really got my on the way was 'CSS - The Missing Manual' - I can't recommend it enough!

[CSN-UK]

mrchristoph, on 23 February 2011 - 10:43 PM, said:

The one book that really got my on the way was 'CSS - The Missing Manual' - I can't recommend it enough!

+1 to that, even for those who know how to write CSS and create layouts that book has some incite full information and is very nice layout out.

As for PHP and MySQL "Beginning PHP and MySQL from novice to professional" by W.Jason Gilmore (publisher apress) is a great book.. very thick and covers subjects in great depth with good examples and locations for more information where necessary (covers php 5 and 6)

[Jay Myers]

Smashing Book 2 is a good book for the principles of good design.
Wrox - Beginning PHP 5 and Wrox Professional PHP 5 are excellent books for those who want to get a sound grasp of PHP

[Jenna Sherly]

Lot of useful information here. Thanks everyone for sharing.

[KCooper]

mrsdrbidge, on 23 February 2011 - 10:35 PM, said:

Great info so far guys...what about the order? As in, would or did you buy books on HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, MySQL etc all in one go and just dive into everything at once?

Or do you think focussing on fully learning one language eg HTML and then moving on to CSS then on to PHP etc would be the better way?

Get as comfortable as you can with HTML and CSS. Then start implementing some JQuery. I have spent nearly 12 months concentrating mainly on these 3 technologies (plus Photoshop), it is only now I am starting to properly branch out into PHP and MySQL. Basically, you need a solid grasp of HTML and CSS before moving on to any other website development technology.

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Thanks to your comments and replies, I now have an idea of which languages to study and the books that I can use, but I just need to know what to focus on and in what order as at the moment I'm reading loads of info about all things web design on the net, but I dont feel Im actually learning anything 100%

You just need to keep practising. Seriously, this time last year, I was struggling to get to grips with divs and floats. I can do them practically blindfolded now. Just keep at it and you will get there


Kyle

[LadyRuby]

I definitely recommend Inkscape as well. I used to use Illustrator at work, but a lot of the navigation annoyed me. Inkscape is free and works better IMO.