Extended Programming Concepts in Layman's Terms

Malcolm Ong, Co-founder of Skillshare

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About This Class

Note: This class reflects a special introductory price for students to my first online class! Take advantage of this now while it's available.

Who this class is for:

Do you ever wish you had a better understanding of how websites are built? Perhaps you are interested in understanding how feasible a product feature is to build, or you at least want to know enough to be able to speak to technical folks or to impress your techie friends. Whether you work with technical folks or if you're simply curious about what it takes to make a website, then this class is for you!  

I’ve taught a simpler version of this class locally all over the USA to over 1,000 students. In this extended online version, we will go more in-depth into each concept. We will not be doing any actual coding, but it’s the perfect introduction before diving in to coding on your own. 

We’ll start by learning:

  • Basic anatomy of a website
  • High-level explanation of the entire web tech stack
  • Back-end vs Front-end technologies
  • HTML vs CSS vs JavaScript vs SQL vs etc.

Then we’ll dig deeper into:

  • Basic development logic and principles
  • How to read code (HTML, CSS, SQL)
  • Tools to use when you’re ready to code

Finally we’ll conclude with special topics:

  • Which programming language (PHP, Ruby, Java, etc) should I use?
  • What is a CMS (Wordpress, Drupal, Magento, etc), and which should I use?
  • What is an API?
  • What does it mean to make a site fast?
  • How do I hire developers or find a technical co-founder if I don't have any technical expertise?

This class will be project-based: 

You'll apply the above concepts to your own project to learn by doing. Using plain and simple English, you'll choose your favorite website, pick a specific use case / feature, and explain exactly how it works, describing what technologies are used each step of the way. Imagine blue-printing the feature in plain English so you'll be able to do the same for any other basic feature you run into.

This class will also be collaborative:

Because this is such a broad topic and I couldn't quite possibly cover everything, I will take specific questions from you and other students on any topic within the realm of programming for the web from a beginner's perspective. You will also have access to our discussion area where you may interact and collaborate with other students, both past and present.