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Coding the Front EndThe most important aspects of Web standards-based Web sites are the separation of content and structure (HTML or XHTML) from presentation (CSS) and behavior (JavaScript). These key characteristics are by far the most critical ones, and will help provide most of the advantages of standards-based code, in particular easier site maintenance. Presenting Cascading Style Sheets The presentation layer in Web standards-based Web sites is controlled by Cascading Style Sheets (hereafter referred to as CSS). When an author starts to build CSS files for a site, a number of factors should be considered. These can run the gamut from how many style sheets to the organization of the files’ content, and even determining what it means to write efficient, scalable CSS. Integrating the Behavior Layer The scripts respond to logical decisions made by users, thereby creating a responsive user interface (UI) and controlling what and when (or even if) anything is actually sent to the server. Modern scripts can even control a UI by receiving data from the server and modifying an existing page without a full page refresh. Developing Web Software Applications Add the challenge of integration with third parties and older and newer Web properties from across a Web enterprise, and you’ll see there are endless aspects that can benefit from Web standards. In fact, anything within end-user interface has code that should be implemented using Web standards-based techniques. The Circle of Standards What about rules that guide the work you do? If you’re a designer, you may be accustomed to following a style guide. Developers might have a set of coding practices they’re asked to abide by. Do you have any rules—or standards—like this that you’re asked to follow? If so—and be honest!—how often do you follow them? EverythingTori.com For an artist, a Web site must reflect the artist’s persona and art. The release of her album American Doll Posse put Amos’ focus on the strong woman. The posse contains five different characters that together create a complete woman and her role today. The album and tour involve four other singers who each represent a “part” of Amos—accompanying Amos. AOL.com AOL has a long and conflicted history with the Web. AOL started its “life” as an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and all the content viewed by our members—before the Web was born—was experienced in a series of proprietary screens we called “forms.” As a company, it took a while for us to “get” the Web and understand the value of moving our content out of the AOL client and onto the open Web. The company’s main portal, AOL.com, had already been around for years (see Figure ?.?), more of a marketing site than a content portal. Download free ebooks for web design:Adapting to Web Standards CSS and Ajax for Big Sites
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Coding the Front End