Web demos
There is no one perfect way to build a functional website. Many distinct programming languages - and packaged solutions - are available. Here we detail the vices and virtues of just a few.
This section contains demos and brief descriptions of various technologies and programming languages, be they used for database manipulation, graphics manipulation, data presentation, or just plain old eye-candy. In most cases, we have provided a simple example, so that you can get some feel for what the software is used for. The database examples generally show how to search and select using a simple 51-entry astronomical table of the brightest stars.Server-side technologies
These are usually used in conjunction with databases. In all cases the processing takes place on the remote server, and the code that the web user sees on their browser does not resemble that run on the server.
Cold Fusion
Indubitably one of the preferred solutions for small to medium web database requirements.
PHP
A general-purpose scripting language that has many virtues, not least that it is a cross-platform, cross-server solution.
VBScript (ASP)
VBScript is the 'native mode' for ASPs and shares many common methods with Visual Basic.
Perl
Perl is the one development language that is indissolubly linked with the growth of the Web. In fact it is widely known as 'the duct-tape of the internet'.
Python
Expect to hear a lot more about this powerful general-purpose language in the future - for Python is likely to become the language of choice for mobile devices.
JScript (server-side JavaScript)
The use of familiar browser scripting language JavaScript for database integration and general server-side duties may be unfamiliar to some, yet it was one of the roles that it was initially kitted out for.
PerlScript
PerlScript combines the server-side functionality of VBScript (including database integration) with the impressive text-processing capabilities of Perl.
Client-side technologies
Client-side languages run within the browser on the user's own machine. They are used for a diversity of applications, including user interface processing, data presentation and animation. In the case of JavaScript, we have shown how you can even include simple databasing.
JavaScript
JavaScript functionality is now so deeply embedded in web development that it has become almost invisible and, sadly, is rarely hard-coded - which is a pity...
VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling Language)
VRML is the technology of the future - and it sometimes seems it will always remain so. Almost a decade ago, futurist views of the Internet saw it evolving into 'cyberspace', a term that now seems just a tad quaint...
