Installing VS Code & How Websites Work

Introduction

Welcome to the exciting world of web development! Whether you're a seasoned developer exploring a new code editor or a beginner taking the first steps into the realm of web technologies, this guide will walk you through the essential basics.

Downloading and Installing VS Code

Before we dive into coding, let's set up our development environment. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular and powerful code editor developed by Microsoft. Follow these steps to download and install VS Code:

  1. Visit the official Visual Studio Code website.

  2. Click on the "Download for [Your Operating System]" button.

  3. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Setting up VS Code

Now that VS Code is installed, let's configure it for a smooth web development experience:

  1. Open VS Code.

  2. Install essential extensions for web development. Visit the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side or using the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+X. Search for and install extensions like "HTML", "CSS", and "Live Server" to enhance your coding environment.

Creating Your First HTML File

It's time to write your first lines of code! Follow these steps to create a simple HTML file:

  1. Click on the "Explorer" icon in the Activity Bar to open the Explorer view.

  2. Create a new folder for your project.

  3. Inside the folder, create a new file named index.html.

  4. Open the file in VS Code.

  5. Type or copy the following code into index.html:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>My First Website</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
</body>
</html>

How Websites Work

Understanding how websites work is crucial for any web developer. At a high level, a website involves the following components:

  • HTML (HyperText Markup Language): Defines the structure and content of a webpage.

  • CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): Controls the presentation and layout of HTML elements.

  • JavaScript: Adds interactivity and dynamic behavior to websites.

Quick HTML Examples

Let's explore some quick HTML examples to solidify your understanding. Open your index.html file and try adding:

  • Paragraphs (<p>): <p>This is a paragraph.</p>

  • Lists (<ul> and <ol>):

    <ul>
  <li>Item 1</li>
  <li>Item 2</li>
</ul>

  • Links (<a>): <a href="https://www.example.com">Visit Example.com</a>

Our First Website

Congratulations! You've just created your first website. To view it in your browser, right-click on the index.html file in VS Code and select "Open with Live Server." Your default browser will open, and you'll see your "Hello, World!" message.

This is just the beginning of your web development journey. Stay curious, keep exploring, and happy coding!

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