Project BetterWeb

Throughout the web there are many sites which:
- aren't accessible to all users
- have content that require JavaScript or other plug-ins
- are difficult to maintain
To overcome these issues you have to keep in mind one simple idea: separation of layers.
Before starting to build a website, first you have to think about how its structure will be and you have to plan it in every single detail.
As for a building, the structure is essential, for a website the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) represents the so important structure which will hold the content. In order to make a website stand the test of time (it should be compatible with upcoming browsers and older browsers) keep in mind that you have to:
- build a W3C compliant markup
- be sure that your content is available to all users
- use meaningful tags
You thought just a structure will sell? It would be a lot easier, but unfortunately this is not the case. You have to add a new layer which will give it a nice appearance. In terms of website, I'm referring to presentation layer or style if you want. You achieve that by CSS (Cascade Style Sheet) which is pretty easy to learn and use. If you want to obtain a good style sheet you have to:
- use external style sheets (not inline ones or the ones at the top of your html)
- create it by respecting the W3C specifications
- ensure it looks the same in all browsers.
So far, you have a very good site, but if you add some spicy magic to it, the website will offer a great experience. And this is achieved by using JavaScript, which has the role to enhance user's experience. Be careful though, you don't want to mess your behavior layer (which refers to JavaScript) with your structure layer. Otherwise the site will be a pain to update in the future. When adding JavaScript to a site remember:
- to use external files for all your scripts (there will be no JavaScript
in the HTML structure)
- to ensure your scripts works the same in every browser
- JavaScript is an enhancement and not a requirement: all the content should also be available to users who don't have JavaScript, so don't include extra content via JavaScript, because it won't be available to all users.
In the end you achieved a better website: all the content is available to every user, organized structure offers an easy way to find the information and updating the site is easier and quicker.