The aim of this section is to provide University of Alberta staff and students with the basic information they need to create and develop web pages on the University's central web server using their online web space (GPU account) available through their CCID (Campus Computing ID).

It is divided in 2 main sections:

1. Specific to the webspace available through your Campus Computing ID:
   
   
   • Start-up guide: If you are new to building web pages, or have not built one on the central University of Alberta web server (www.ualberta.ca), you should start here. We explain how to create a test page and how to set the permissions correctly.
   • Tools available: After you have finished with your "standard" page, you may want to "jazz it up" with some of the utilities and tools listed on this page and supported on the server. It includes information on how to put a counter on your page, guestbooks, searches, etc.
   • About the web server: We will tell you what file names can be used for default pages, where the central icons are located, MIME types, and compatibility concerns and the differences between the University of Alberta web server and others. It also lists the type of equipment used by www.ualberta.ca, and any changes to the www.ualberta.ca environment.
   • Secure web page (SSL): We are responsible for all digital certificates on campus. This web page explains the details.



2. General reference about web development
   
   
   • Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): Here, you will find resources and tips on using CSS to keep all your style, formatting and look and feel centralized in one location and therefore easily updatable.
   • Database Connectivity: Keep your website alive and dynamic without the need to re-write HTML and re-publish pages. Although your GPU account will not allow this, we have resources that will help you have your web pages read and write from and to databases.
   • Design tips: Content is king. In order for the content to be easily found and accessed by the user, following good design principles is important. We will point you to tips about graphic design, layout of pages, good practises in information design and organization.
   • HTML & Client side scripts: HTML (HyperText Markup Language) remains the backbone of web pages. You will find guides to get you started with HTML as well as resources on advanced topics, such as the implementation of JavaScript to enhance the functionality of your pages.
   • Multimedia: With the broadband or high bandwidth becoming more of the standard in internet connectivity in North America, multimedia or rich media is becoming more popular on the web. This is a world of it's own. We will give you a taste of what is possible, resources and tips to get you started with animation, audio and video and interactivity, good practises and let your imagination wander.