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General Discussion

Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points
Posted by Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points

Websites users have built after going through HTML and CSS course?

Hey Community,

I have signed up for the trial and want to take my first step in learning programming. I own a commercial cleaning business and we are looking for a web developer. After getting proposals ranging from $1,000-$2,500, I had the thought. Why not just take a few weeks and learn how to do it myself?

So after some encouragement from my brother who works somewhere in the computer science field- here I am.

I will say, I am happy to be here. I am just a little apprehensive that the course will give me the necessary skills needed to actually complete the task.

What do you guys think? Is there anyone who has an example of a website they created using the knowledge given through the course?

Here is an example of a website built for a commercial cleaning company on the west coast that I really like. https://www.commercialcleaningsystems.com/ *Will I be able to create something like this (only with the skills learned in this course)?

Thanks in advance!!

4 Answers

James Ackerman
James Ackerman
14,099 Points
James Ackerman
James Ackerman
14,099 Points

Although HTML and CSS are good starts, and you could likely build a straight forward web page for your company, the site you listed as an example is using a lot of mojo behind the scenes. From what I can see, in addition to HTML and CSS, there is JavaScript (and/or jquery), JSON, AJAX, and Bootstrap just to rattle off what I'm seeing at a glance.

That doesn't cover the back end technologies such as PHP, Python, or Ruby to handle back end stuff. For example, if you take a look at the "Get a Quote" page, the info you fill out there has to go somewhere and be stored on a server and distributed to the business owners/managers.

You can certainly build a web page with simple info about your company such as a home, about, and contact pages, but something like the web site at Commercial Cleaning Systems is going to take quite a bit more than just HTML and CSS.

Tracy Excell
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Tracy Excell
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 15,333 Points
Tracy Excell
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Tracy Excell
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 15,333 Points

Hello,

James is right. I have completed the Front End Website Development Techdegree on treehouse, and with this I could build most of what I can see by looking at the example webpage you put up. However I would need to work with someone with backend knowledge to submit the form fields etc. You could learn to build a simpler site, with less form submissions. If you are interested in learning how to build a site to this quality, I suggest looking into the Techdegree program. Good luck.

Gabriel Santos
Gabriel Santos
4,113 Points
Gabriel Santos
Gabriel Santos
4,113 Points

Hello Tracy, how long it took you to finish that degree?

Gabriel Santos
Gabriel Santos
4,113 Points
Gabriel Santos
Gabriel Santos
4,113 Points

Hey Lee,

You could also get interns to build/work on your site?

Tracy Excell
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Tracy Excell
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 15,333 Points
Tracy Excell
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Tracy Excell
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 15,333 Points

Hi Gabriel,

The Techdegree took me a year to do, but I was also working full time while doing it, and I have a family. You could do it faster if you have a bit more time than I did. I think the average is 6 - 9 months. It is self paced. If you are keen to learn to code well, I recommend this program and there is a lot of support along the way.

Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points
Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points

Gabriel, We are small. Owner operated. But thanks for the thought!

Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points
Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1,604 Points

Thank you all for the feedback. Based on what I’m hearing- doing it myself is a wise choice?

I don’t mind starting with a nice webpage without all the functionality to start (the only think I want to be certain of is that it looks REALLY good). I’m sure that I will continue my education and eventually learn how to do the rest. At any rate- my brother who actually signed me up for this can handle the back-end work.

How difficult is the back- end side of this?

The tech degree is 62 hours I believe. I’m about 5 hours in. With my schedule- I could probably finish it in about two weeks.

This is all new- but fun! Maybe it could turn into a side business at some point in the future?