Chapter 2

Programming for the Web

In This Chapter

arrow Seeing the code powering websites you use every day

arrow Understanding the languages used to make websites

arrow Learning how applications are created for mobile devices

To think you can start something in your college dorm room … and build something a billion people use is crazy to think about. It’s amazing.

—Mark Zuckerberg

Programming for the web allows you to reach massive audiences around the world faster than ever before. Four years after its 2004 launch, Facebook had 100 million users, and by 2012 it had over a billion. By contrast, it took desktop software years to reach even 1 million people. These days, mobile phones are increasing the reach of web applications. Although roughly 300 million desktop computers are sold every year, almost 2 billion mobile phones are sold in that time — and the number is steadily increasing.

In this chapter you learn how websites are displayed on your computer or mobile device. I introduce the languages used to program websites, and show you how mobile-device applications are made.

Displaying Web Pages on Your Desktop and Mobile Device

On desktop computers and mobile devices, web pages are displayed ...

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