UMDF25 - Course Management System

Introduction - Why Build Websites?

Why This Matters for Your Career

73% of companies want employees who can build web pages

Average salary boost: $15,000+ for tech-savvy professionals

Portfolio effect: Having a personal website increases interview callbacks by 40%

Entrepreneurship: Turn your ideas into reality without hiring developers

The Three Pillars of Web Development

Think of building a website like building a house:

HTML - The Structure

Like the walls and rooms of a house

Creates the foundation and structure
Defines what content goes where
Organizes text, images, links

CSS - The Style

Like the paint and decoration of a house

Makes everything look beautiful
Controls colors, fonts, layout
Responsive design for all devices

JavaScript - The Behavior

Like the electricity and plumbing of a house

Makes things interactive
Responds to user actions
Creates dynamic experiences

Your Personal Brand Online

In this lecture, you'll build a professional website that showcases:

Your skills and experience

Your hobbies and personality

Your career goals and interests

Your technical abilities

Your Semester Project Preview

By the end of this lecture, you'll be ready to build:

Home Page

Photo, hobbies preview, welcome video

Hobbies Page

Photo gallery, personal stories

Discover UMD Page

Marketing video, campus highlights

Resume Page

Web-formatted resume, downloadable PDF

Career Interests Page

Two target companies with details

Interactive Game Page

JavaScript game built with team

What You'll Learn Today

Technical Skills

HTML5 structure and semantics
CSS3 styling and responsive design
JavaScript programming basics
Git version control
Website deployment (GitHub Pages & Vercel)

Professional Tools

VS Code setup and extensions
Chrome DevTools for debugging
AI-assisted coding (ChatGPT & Copilot)
Video production and editing
Cloud hosting and deployment

Section 1 of 19

Building Websites