Web Development Tips!
Cross Browser Compatibility
Make sure your site is browser compatible. Your web site should look good in Netscape as well as in Internet Explorer. Don't stop designing your site as soon as you find that it looks great on Internet Explorer. Usually Netscape will display your site differently than in Internet Explorer, especially when you are using complicating tables. Test it also in various versions of both browsers. Testing it in one browser in a single version is not enough because you have users who choose not to upgrade their browsers.Check for broken links
A dead giveaway for a non-professional website is broken links. Always check for broken links anytime you make changes to your site. Clicking every link on your site and navigating the structurejust as your visitors would is recommended. If you have a large site and the manual method would be too time-consuming, then some helpful tools for checking broken are Net Mechanic or Dreamweaver. Readable and professional looking fonts Don't use all CAPS, bright colors such as bright pink or green, or unusual fonts. Remember, sometimes "less is more". When visiting a site you can tell if it is a professional website just by looking at the fonts that are used. Don't use Comic Sans and other unusual fonts that may not be available on most computers (which will cause the computer to load a default font - not attractive). Try to stay with common and professional web fonts. The fonts that are most commonly recommended are Arial and Verdana.Easy to Navigate
Once a visitor has come to your site, you need to help them to easily navigate the pages. Make sure all your important links are at places that are easy to find, preferably right on top. This is where most visitors will look. Also, avoid having too many colors on the webpage. The problem with excessive colors is that it distracts the user from the main purpose of the main webpage.Fast Loading pages
The most important factor to remember when designing your website is to be sure that the pages load quickly. A beautiful website that loads slowly will have few repeat visitors. The goal for any web designer should be to have the page you are working on load in 15 seconds. Remember, you might have a great design but very few people are going to see it if it takes a long time to load. Try testing your website on a modem, DSL line, T1 or T3, but you must assume that everybody has a modem. Most newbies online are usuallyPage Layout
Frames are not recommended, because some browsers do not display frames correctly and they are hard to get search hits.
Use fixed width to keep the exact look you want.
Use percent width to help fill browser screens.
Sizes (page, images, etc) You want to keep the page a reasonable size so all will have the chance to view it. It is recommended to design the website at a display resolution of 800x600. Or, keep the width of your viewing area approx 550 pixels wide. Try to keep the images no larger than 50k (sometimes it can't be avoided) Use animations sparingly.
Image file formats for the web
jpg Over a million colors are used in this format. It is recommended to use this when color resilience and tones are importantgif Since this format only uses 256 colors, it should be used for simple images, such as buttons and images that are just a few colors.
Image Tip Do not resize an image within the web page. Even though the image displays smaller, the size remains the same. And, the image will have increased distortion. It is recommended to resize the image for the proper fit prior to inserting it into your page.
