Webapps

I've created web apps using a couple of different languages.

My first introduction to web apps was through PHP, a dynamic, server-side web programming language. I use PHP for running web apps that other people have written, like MediaWiki and Wordpress. I occasionally use it for my website.

The way I usually develop web apps is using a combination of Python and Javascript, or just plain Javascript. If the web app is doing something complicated, I'll use Python; otherwise, I can usually get the job done in Javascript.

Below are some basic concepts about web apps that'll be useful to know.

Server-Side vs Client-Side

The biggest decision to make, when designing a web app, is deciding what tasks will be run by the client, and what tasks (if any) will be run by the server.

Let me explain.

Your typical webapp consists of two parties: the client, the end user of the webapp, and the server, the provider of the webapp.