Website Development

Looking for help building your church website? Visit the Church Technology Group*, a group devoted to discussing websites, technology, and all things geeky within the Church context. Log-in and have your questions answered by fellow web enthusiasts who have already been there.

For further assistance, we offer the following links to various online resources to help you understand and follow progressive website development practices.

Beginner's Guides

Introduction to Information Architecture*

This list of resources, compiled by the Asilomar Institute for Information Architecture, serves as a great starting point for anyone new to the field.

HTML and CSS: An Absolute Beginner's Guide*

This guide from SitePoint.com is a great starting place for those just getting their feet wet with HTML and CSS.

Yale Web Style Guide*

Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton of the Yale University Center for Advanced Instructional Media published this terrific design manual. Other guides may teach you the flash, this one shows you how to build an elegant and functional pan.

W3 Schools

Learn how to make a website. Offers free tutorials in all web development technologies.

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HTML/XHTML

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) Home Page*

The W3C's home page offers guidelines on how to use HTML/XHTML. Be aware that W3C specifications are written for implementers, not end users. However, if you are patient and diligent you'll be surprised at how much useful information there is in a W3C specification.

Getting started with HTML*

Dave Raggett's short introduction to writing HTML.

Rated XHTML*

In this excellent article Peter-Paul Koch describes the mark-up language that will succeed HTML. He explains what XHTML is, gives four rules for writing correct XHTML, and reasons why you should use XHTML.

Update Your Old Site to Use Web Standards*

A great article on how to update your old HTML 3/4 site to the newer and better XHTML standard.

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Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

W3 Schools CSS

Save a lot of work with CSS! Learn how to use CSS to control the style and layout of multiple Web pages all at once.

Adding a Touch of Style*

Dave Raggett's short guide to using CSS.

Guide to Cascading Style Sheets*

From the Web Design Group. An excellent primer if you need to start from scratch. A little dated, but still an excellent place to start.

New York Public Library Online Style Guide*

A terrific yet concise guide for authoring pages in valid XHTML and styling them with valid CSS.

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Colour

Wheel of color*

By Robert Hess. An excellent article on the basics of colour.

xBlog: Color*

Useful and thorough web log maintained by information graphics company XPLANE.

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Usability

UseIt.com*

The popular (albeit design-challenged) usability guru Jakob Nielsen's website.

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Accessibility

Getting Started: Making a Web Site Accessible*

A selection of the Web Accessibility Initiative's (WAI) resources for those new to accessible web design.

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Browsers

Wikipedia Browser Comparison Charts*

A detailed overview of browsers and their features.

Buzz Archives: Browsers*

The Web Standards Project promotes core web standards and encourages browser makers to do the same.

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Validators

HTML Validator*

Free service to check HTML/XHTML documents for conformance to W3C recommendations and other standards.

CSS Validator*

Free service to check CSS in XHTML documents.

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Digital Magazines

A selection of our favourites.

A List Apart*

Explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on techniques and benefits of designing with web standards.  Also includes an excellent archive of useful articles.

Boxes and Arrows*

A peer-written journal dedicated to discussing the work of information architects, information designers, interaction designers, and interface designers.

The Daily Report*

Jeffrey Zeldman's web design news and information magazine.

Digital Web Magazine*

For professional web designers.

Wired Magazine*

For all the self-proclaimed geeks out there. Tips for web design, development, and lots more.