In this project, I employed two distinct website development methods—GitHub Pages and Penn State’s web hosting service—to create two separate versions of the same website. While both sites utilized identical HTML code as their foundation, the experience during the development process differed significantly. Through hands-on practice on these two platforms, I gained a deeper understanding of the various approaches to publishing a website, as well as the specific tools required for each method.
In my view—as a newcomer to HTML—the most significant challenge lies in discovering the optimal approach to translating my ideas into a functional website. Building a webpage entails more than just conceptualizing the site's interface; it requires translating those concepts into actual code. As a beginner, it is often difficult to identify the perfect code structure to effectively bring one's ideas to life.
As I mentioned earlier, for a beginner, it is difficult to craft the perfect code structure right from the start to accurately represent a website's layout. HTML code is built in layers; if you come up with a better idea while in the midst of development, it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact location in the code where those changes need to be implemented—and doing so might even disrupt the rendering of other structural layers. Therefore, it is essential to create a clear plan *before* you begin coding, defining the specific function of each layer to facilitate easy modifications and overwrites later on.
This development approach requires developers to possess fundamental web development skills; for instance, a mastery of HTML serves as the foundation for structuring web page content. Concurrently, one must be familiar with basic CSS configurations, as CSS is an indispensable tool for controlling a web page's visual design and layout. Furthermore, developers need to understand the mechanics of inter-page linking and the principles governing file path configuration. Specifically in the context of GitHub Pages, mastering basic Git commands—along with the core concepts associated with version control—is of particular importance. Speaking personally, I still need to acquire a broader command of HTML syntax and gain a deeper understanding of its hierarchical structural organization.
Unlike the website hosting services provided by Penn State, the approach utilizing GitHub and HTML files is fundamentally grounded entirely in HTML. Within these files, you can employ HTML code to bring to life any design vision you envision. Conversely, when using a standard website hosting service—aside from using HTML to handle basic text content—most other design elements are typically configured directly through the platform's user interface. Furthermore, every change made to the website can be tracked via commit records, enabling developers to manage modifications and revert to previous versions whenever necessary. This method also facilitates collaboration, as multiple individuals can work on the same project simultaneously.