UDIT is deprecating hosting personal web pages on Copland as part of the migration of Copland to a new server. Existing personal webpages have been migrated and
users can request access.What forms a website?
In the simplest of terms, a website is composed of two files placed inside your subdirectory:
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An HTML document: This is a text file that contains the content of the site (i.e., words and images) and the "instructions" to the computer in the form of HTML coding on how to divide and organize the information (e.g., where the navigation bar begins and ends, where a line break should be, what text is a link, etc.).
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A CSS document: This is a text file that "reads" the HTML coding and applies styles the content. The CSS document can style anything from typography, to site layout, to how the browser displays images, and more.
As a website grows, you could have an infinite number of HTML and CSS files within your subdirectory, all linked together forming a navigable site.
How do I code? (Beginner)
You can teach yourself HTML and CSS using online programs like Codeacademy in combination with a text editing program like Notepad for Windows, or TextEdit or TextWrangler for Mac.
UD IT has two HTML tutorials prepared for a basic overview of web development.
How do I code? (Intermediate/Advanced)
If you have some experience writing HTML and CSS code, consider using a more powerful software package to create Web pages. Many modern code-editing softwares auto-complete as you begin typing code--thus, complete mastery of HTML and CSS is not required. A few well-known editing softwares include Dreamweaver, Coda, Atom, Espresso, and Sublime Text.
What do I do with my code?
After you've created your website locally (i.e., on your computer), you need to publish it by uploading all the site files to your subdirectory.