10th Edition of Web Development & Design Foundations with HTML5!

New 10th Edition!

The 10th edition of Web Development & Design Foundations is currently in press and should be available Spring 2020.

Building on this textbook’s successful ninth edition, new features for the tenth edition include the following:

• Chapter 7 has been renamed Responsive Page Layout, takes a mobile first approach, and has an expanded focus on new layout systems including CSS Flexible Layout Module (Flexbox) and CSS Grid Layout

• Form layout with the CSS Flexbox and Grid Layout Systems

• Updated coverage of HTML5 elements and attributes

• Updated code samples, case studies, and web resources

• Expanded treatment of page layout design and responsive web design techniques

• Updated reference sections for HTML5 and CSS

• Additional Hands-On Practice exercises

Visit http://webdevfoundations.net for more information about the new book.  

Lazy Loading Images and Iframes with the Google Chrome Browser

Lazy loading is a term that describes delaying the loading of  below-the-fold images until the web page visitor scrolls down the page to them. The major benefits are quicker load times, less bandwidth, and reduced memory usage. Until this announcement by Chrome, developers needed Javascript event handlers create this effect.

The latest version of Chrome browser (Chrome 76) will support native lazy loading, by implementing the new HTML loading attribute for img and iframe elements. 
Values for the loading attribute are:

• auto (default browser loading)
• lazy (defer loading the resource until it reaches a calculated distance from the viewport)
• eager  (load the resource immediately)

Here’s an HTML example of adding lazing loading to the img element:

HTML img element with the loading attribute

Although not yet part of an official W3C HTML5 Recommendation, the loading attribute is in the process of being added to the HTML5 standard and is documented at https://whatpr.org/html/3752/urls-and-fetching.html#lazy-loading-attributes. Keep in mind that at this time only the Chrome browser supports native lazy loading and other browsers will ignore the loading attribute. 

New Blisk Browser

There is a new browser on the block and its name is Blisk! The Blisk browser was created specifically for developers and can be configured to emulate multiple devices, auto-refresh page rendering as files are edited, and synchronize scrolling between desktop rendering and device emulation. Future featured include screenshots, video captures, analytics, and more. Blisk is available as a free download for Windows at https://blisk.io. Mac and Linux versions are in the works.

An Event Apart Web Design Conferences

Looking for ways to develop your skills after taking a web design/development course? Check out the conferences offered by An Event Apart. ‪

New 3rd Edition for Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3!

New 3rd Edition!

It's exciting to announce that my new book, the 3rd edition of Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3, will be available at Amazon in late January! 

The popular Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3 textbook provides a foundation in the skills and concepts that web designers need:

• Internet and Web concepts overview
• Create web pages with HTML5
• Configure color and text with CSS
• Configure page layout with CSS
• Configure images and multimedia
• Explore new CSS3 properties
• Apply Web Design Best Practices
• Design accessible and usable web pages
• Design for search engine optimization
• Choose a domain name
• Publish to the Web

The third edition builds on the textbook's successful earlier editions. With the widespread support of HTML5, this edition introduces HTML5 structural elements early (in Chapter 2). Chapter 5 now provides an overview of color theory and an expanded treatment of the use of color in web pages. 

Comprehensive instructor materials are available for the the book from the publisher, Pearson Addison-Wesley. Instructors and faculty can access free downloads of:

• sample syllabi
• exercise solutions
• case study solutions
• PowerPoint presentations
• sample test questions
• website project activity with milestone assignments
• a group website design evaluation activity
• a group WebQuest activity

New 2nd Edition for Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3

It's exciting to announce that my new book, the 2nd edition of Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3, is available at Amazon. 

Building on the textbook's successful first edition, we kept what you like — topics introduced in two pages, color illustrations and screen captures, lots of hands-on practice exercises, and a case study website that students build as they work through the book. We heard your suggestions to remove XHTML topics and to add another case study.  There are now two running case study websites for students to practice with. 

Comprehensive instructor materials are available for the the book from the publisher, Pearson Addison-Wesley. Instructors and faculty can access free downloads of:

• sample syllabi
• exercise solutions
• case study solutions
• PowerPoint presentations
• sample test questions
• website project activity with milestone assignments
• a group website design evaluation activity
• a group WebQuest activity

The HTML5 Edition Is Here!

The new HTML5 edition of my popular textbook, Web Development and Design Foundations with HTML5 (6th edition), is available at Amazon.com. This edition focuses on how to use HTML5 and CSS3 today and while introducing new elements and techniques that will be utilized in the future.

The release of the 6th edition also marks the 10 year anniversary of the textbook — the 1st edition was published back in 2002 — with new editions about every 18 months to keep current with industry trends.

Visit the textbook's companion website at http://webdevfoundations.net for more information about the book.

Interview Posted at WebProfessionals.org

Wondering if web development/design may be right for you? For a brief overview of the web development programs at Harper College and a description of the career, check out my interview at WebProfessionals.org.