I'm considering a course about creating a web site without any frameworks. I'm trying to gauge interest and see what types of things you'd be interested in learning.
The course would start with Python, and a basic HTTP server. From there we'd build a functioning website using as few third-party packages as possible. Perhaps we'd build our own templating system, create a CSS generator, and eventually get into dynamic pages with pure JavaScript and JSON requests.
Would you be interested in learning about this topic? And what specifically would interest you the most.
Feel free to sign up so I know who to remind once I create the course. :)
Top comments (12)
Would it be possible to get part of the course? I'm quite familiar with most of the stuff you're describing, but writing a performant templating engine seems interesting, especially given that you're trying to minimize the number of deps.
I'd assume yes. This depends a lot on the platform I choose, but most online courses allow you to gain direct access to the various bits. Some of them are flat monthly fees, others per course.
I'll keep this in mind when choosing how to setup the course.
Initially I probably won't focus on performance too much, going for simplicity instead. Though, starting with simplicity is how we get to performance.
These days I'm considering to setup a course on how you can build an awesome website without a single line of JavaScript.
It looks like a forgotten art.
This would basically go that direction. I'd be starting with server generated pages as they're easier to understand.
I love how Jeff Way did something like this for Laracasts. He built a simple server with DI support, routing, etc.
He used that to demonstrate some of the underlying foundations of Laravel (or any MVC framework really) and then dove-tailed into teaching about Laravel from then on.
I kinda like that approach.
I wouldn't be interested in taking this course myself but this is definitely a course I'd like to see exist -- I feel like far too many devs dive head-first into making a website with a framework based on that being "how websites are made" when most websites do not, in fact, need to be built that way, especially in this age of HTML5 and mature Javascript.
Just be sure that when you get to the fully dynamic stuff you emphasize that the JS should be built only to enhance the UX, not to replace it. :)
Yes, while I think frameworks add a lot of value, I think some programmers miss out by not knowing the fundamentals. I think, even to use a framework fully, you should know what it's doing for you.
And of course, JS is *only for added functionality. :)
I want to see this course created, you should do it!
I think I would be quite interested in this, particularly the security aspects - cookies, tokens, xss and csrf attacks. Although I suppose maybe that would be its own separate course...
The course naturally lends itself to modules and extensions. Security is a big area. By going down to fundamentals we can better understand where all the security problems come from and how they are addressed. Though I wouldn't go too far in that area as there are some excellent courses on that already.
Todo-MVP: Or 'Why You Shouldn't Use A Web Framework' - The Revenge
David Wickes
Might be worth checking out Dave's project
Great idea! Good for beginners and a good refresher for those of us that have been using frameworks for a while. My 2cents, I'd appreciate a discussion on functional reactive programming.