Few basics to be competent in Web Programming!

If you wish to become competent in web programming -- then there are a few basics you MUST have proficiency in:

Learn these technologies in the following order (assuming you are expert in HTML or XHTML):

1.) JavaScript (Not Java). This object-based web scripting language will help you create dynamic pages and assist you later when learning CSS.

2.) CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). Will help you to create page layouts easier - when used in conjunction with JavaScript - will help make the "cool" effects you see on major sites: news scrollers, rollovers, directory trees, etc...

3.) Pick from one of the following: PHP, ASP, JSP, PERL, CFML, VBScript, or VB.
Any of these server-side programming lanuages will assist you in making your web sites interactive by parsing form input, database connectivity, file system integration, authentication, security, session management etc...

4.) Take a break from programming languages and learn to create a database from scratch using the RDBMS of your choice: MySQL, mSQL, SQLite, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, FoxPro etc... This will aid you in developing n-tier applications and help you tremendously when developing large sites by separating content from design.

5.) SQL (Structured Query Language). This is a data manipulation lanuguage you will use to create and query your databases from within your web applications you write in the languages listed in #3 above.

6.) XML (Extensible Markup Language) - for developing web service applications that will further separate syntax, content, and design for completely compartmentalized programming.

By now you have most of the programming toolkit you will need to make just about any site you desire.

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Learn the following for extra credit:

1.) Flash or Shockwave for vector-based graphical user interfaces
2.) ActionScript - to manipulate your Flash/Shockwave sites
3.) Java is really unnecessary unless you plan to build stand-alone non-web based applications.

You can forget about CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture). This technology is just about extinct by now - replaced by Web Services and .NET programming.

Ditto for COM programming

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