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Website development doesn't have to be a costly process. Many start-up online businesses end up paying big dollars for flashy page designs, when in reality, software packages and a solid knowledge of HTML can easily substitute.

Some online elements such as submission forms, can be downloaded from public sites. Most of these are included in software packages used to generate web sites. Users then 'customize' these versatile web elements (with titles, headings, etc) to create their own site content.

Simpler elements such as text styling and the grouping box borders known as 'tables' can be created by direct HTML commands. A basic knowledge of how these commands, or 'tags' work enables the user to post a decent collage of formatted text and image sequences on a linear web page quite easily. For non-linear pages, web designers must make use of more complex commands and codes.

Other popular elements of web design beyond the scope of simple one-line HTML include 'mapping', where a user can click through to different links by choosing specific areas of an image, and built-in animation, much of which is created by separate software programs. Web designers can flesh out their sites with complex coding using a range of high-tech programming languages for the net such as Java or VBScript. Alternately, other web design can be image-based, focusing on presentation rather than on a lot of complex code elements.

Web design seems to be a growing field, and 'graphic design' professionals are in demand. Knowing about how web pages are created and maintained is very useful for business owners and other individuals interested in getting content onto the internet.

Copyright 2005 Mary Mosby