Hi.
I am new to Web Design/Web Development and would like your guidance.
I have a keen interest in car modifications. I would like to create a website which would allow users to upload photos/videos of their car modifications and to add a description with the upload. I would like other users to be able to comment on the modifications and up/down vote each modification in order to create a ranking/a favourite by the month/year. With each comment added it should grow the site's activity levels.

I understand I will need to learn HTML/CSS/JavaScript as front-end languages. The Jon Duckett books are highly rated but some are quite old.
HTML and CSS - published 2011.
https://www.amazon.com/HTML-CSS-Design-Build-Websites/dp/1118008189
JavaScript and iQuery - published 2014.
https://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-JQuery-Interactive-Front-End-Development/dp/1118531647/ref=d_pd_sbs_sccl_2_1/144-2012933-7847318?pd_rd_w=q4xV5&content-id=amzn1.sym.3676f086-9496-4fd7-8490-77cf7f43f846&pf_rd_p=3676f086-9496-4fd7-8490-77cf7f43f846&pf_rd_r=PNC06KZDWRSW38MYXFC8&pd_rd_wg=ImnkH&pd_rd_r=4e52d104-80b4-411c-85ab-b9c8819cdcb6&pd_rd_i=1118531647&psc=1
PHP and MySQL - published 2022 (so current).
https://www.amazon.com/PHP-MySQL-Server-side-Web-Development/dp/1119149223/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12L9VSQXP8MPL&keywords=php&qid=1672851668&s=books&sprefix=php%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C155&sr=1-1

Question 1 - Would the above books, and their published years, still be current for someone learning today, or should I seek more recently published books?

Question 2 - If HTML/CSS/JavaScript are grouped together then should I purchase a book that teaches them all together, such as the below book?
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Web-Design-Beginners-JavaScript/dp/1491960205/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=learning+web+design&qid=1672851788&s=books&sprefix=learning+web%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C155&sr=1-1

I'm pretty set on needing to learn HTML/CSS/JavaScript and MySQL but the back-end programming language I am not set on. I see many books on PHP and MySQL together so I assume they are well suited to each other. I also understand that PHP (although quite often spoken negatively of on forums - even for PHP 8.x??) is suited to Web Development.
Question 3 - For my aim, is PHP and MySQL (such as the 2022 Jon Duckett book) a good choice of languages or should I choose Python, Go, Ruby, etc.. as the back-end language and why?

Question 4 - I will be paying for the software (unless freeware) and hosting myself, so it would be nice to use languages that are cheap to host by a hosting service/company.

I do not wish for a career in hardcore software/web development. I dabbled with it many years ago and didn't enjoy it. The enjoyment here will be the end result. However, should I find I do enjoy it and seek a change of career, I would be prioritising the number of opportunities rather than the high salary (meaning for instance - I'd prefer 100 job opportunities at £30k rather than 10 job opportunities at £60k). I would imagine many companies need web expertise and not necessary the full blown ASP.NET/C#/Java skillset. I am getting ahead of myself here but thought I'd mention this in case it sways the languages you suggest I use.

You may suggest I follow videos instead of purchasing books, but I find a good book will bridge the languages so it makes more sense, especially for a novice.

Finally, I'm aware a popular website has potential for generating revenue through advertisements. If my website becomes a success then I would like for this too. I'm mentioning it in case it influences what languages to use.

Thank you in advance.

Edited January 4, 20233 yr by JamesForbes

Why try and build the site yourself when there are plenty of ready made solutions you could modify?

Those books should give you a decent start but it’s going to be a very steep learning curve. I build applications that do exactly what describe - and it’s not easy. Even for a fast learner it’s going to take many months.  The alternative is to use open source scripts the same way most other developers do.

@fisicx thanks for your response.
Are you able to share the "ready made solutions" or "open source scripts" you mention?

As you have first knowledge on what I'm wanting to achieve, you may be able to help me understand why PHP gets a bad rep?   Is this due to legacy versions of PHP, and does PHP 8.x change the negative mindset?  It's just I've seen so many books on the web design/development using PHP I'm thinking it must still be the desired approach otherwise why write a book on it?!

Php doesn’t get a bad rep. It powers a huge chunk of the internet. It’s just that some vocal commenters don’t like it.

A forum will do what you want. Piston heads is a good example. Many car clubs have forums where members can post images of their cars.

Or you can use Wordpress with an image uploader plugin.

Or create a Facebook group.

Loads of ways to do this without learning code. You just have to look at the thousands of sites where users can upload media.

@fisicx thanks for your response.

I feel I would like to work through a fe/be book to understand how it all goes together. It can only strengthen ability with WP, that's if I choose to use that, especially if it's written in PHP. I guess, I am (was) concerned on spending time learning PHP if it's only around due to legacy purposes and maybe I should learn another be language.
I hear Python is popular. It seems to get plenty of praise. I understand Python can be used for Web Development, Data Analysis and electronics coding. Plenty of uses there for a single language. I wondering if I should buy a book on HTML/CSS/JavaScript/MySQL and Python, or stick to PHP and most books are with PHP.

I use WordPress as a platform for all my development work. The main reason is all the heavy lifting has already been done for me. I can install, choose a theme and then get to work on the customization.

For example, I built a plugin that lets people drag and drop images into a form, write the descriptions and upload to a webpage. People can then access the latest images and comment accordingly.

WordPress manages the media library and the commenting. All I needed to build was the uploader.

And if I didn't like the layout of the site I can switch themes in seconds.

If you want to learn python you can easily integrate this with wordpress. Plenty of tutorials on how to do this.

I've never be taught how to do all this and haven't used a book to learn. Everything you need to know is online. Stick with a tricky function? Someone on stackoverflow or github or wherever has the answer.

Thanks again.

You've mentioned you build web sites exactly how my intention is, and that you use WP for all you development work. Can you state the languages you write when you are using WP?  Do you customise themes and therefore need to alter the HTML/CSS, do you amend how the client-side checking operates and therefore alter the JavaScript, or do you enhance the back-end and therefore code in PHP (considering it's WP you use), and do you design database and therefore write SQL (MySQL's variant)?   I'm asking if I need to learn the raw language to aid any WordPress development (I don't wish to be restricted by pre-defined themes).

To be honest, I'm sort of looking for confidence that PHP is worth investing the time in. It's just all the negative comments that say 'no, don't'. I read many positive comments on Python - so why don't I just learn Python - well, it's due to more books being written using PHP as the back-end language, so I have more choice on a book to choose.

I shall look into WP more.

WordPress is an SQL database. When you install the site only exists as a theme. Themes are PHP files that generate the site structure.

https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/basics/template-hierarchy/

Just about all the layout is managed in a single CSS file. There is very little HTML.

For example, when you create a menu in the wordpress dashboard you just need to order the menu items. In the theme you call the menu using a wp function:

https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/wp_nav_menu/

This goes in your header.php theme file that is used on every page template.

If you use one of the many free themes you don't need do do anything. It's all done for you.

The learning begins when you want to do something different.

For example your want the image uploader. There is already a wp function that does this for you. All you need to do is work out how to incorporate this in to a theme or plugin. That's the PHP part.

If you want fancy features you will probably need JS.

So in summary, WP gives you a framework that lets you add PHP/JS to achieve an outcome you desire.

I build my own themes and plugin. But it's taken me a number of years to become proficient. The good news is the developer handbook will be your guide:

https://developer.wordpress.org/

You don't build wordpress websites. You build themes that you then populate with content that becomes the website.