Website design articles by UZilla.org

Web browser structure and framework.

In a previous article, website frame works were discussed. In this article we dig deeper into the web browser structure and current technologies that can be used in the various web browser components.

Files that are executed on the Web client.

In order to understand suitable web client structures lets look at the basic file extensions that are executed on the web client that is typically the desktop where you are running your web browser from.

HTML

This is the most basic of all web file extensions, index.html (or htm) being the default home page. Most web developers are familiar with basic html and there are many tools that produce html files. The important point to note about html, within a framework context, is that it is only a structuring definition for content, it has no execution property. That is to say if you want to add two numbers together or dynamically change the appearance of your webpage (on the client) for example use drop down menus, then HTML will not do this for you. HTML, however, forms the basic file type for most websites.

Image, Video and Sound

The second category of file types includes the following file extensions:-

jpg

gif

mov

aif

mp3

I have grouped together images, video and sound file types as they all require a special component (for example video player). For the purposes of the web client design structure, they are all treated the same. Typically these file types are links that appear within a HTML page and the web client designer has little to do, with these file types, regarding the overall structure of the Web client. The decision as to whether or not to use video, images and sound is a design decision but one that has little impact on the overall frame work of the web client.

Javascript.

For altering behavior, including calculations on the web browser, a scripting language is needed. Javascript is the most popular web browser coding language and is used to manipulate client side objects or perform client side functions. The important point to note, for the web client design framework, is that HTML is static so any data manipulation, or changing the state of the web browser (for example mouse over menus) needs to be coded in javascript. The javascript (js files) also needs to be structured in a way that facilitates reuse, supportability and adaptability.

CSS, presentation.

The last file type, in our basic web client framework, is the CSS file. This file is used, in conjunction with the HTML and javascript files to specify the presentation of the various web browser components. If you think of the HTML file as giving the basic layout then the CSS file allows for a central specification of how the individual web components look like within the layout. The CSS file, and its usage, will be described in more detail in future UZilla.org articles, but in essence the CSS file allows the designer to specify a general browser object (for example, main_heading) then refer to that object in the HTML file with the object properties being specified in the CSS file. The advantage of this is that the appearance, i.e. font, size, color etc., can be defined in a central CSS file thereby allowing a single point of change.

Conclusion.

The web browser is one component of the website architecture. The web browser can itself have a number of components, these components have been discussed and reflect the fact that it is useful to separate out:-

The basic layout, i.e. HTML

The presentation of the objects in the layout (i.e. fonts, headings, backgrounds etc in CSS).

The client behavioral code, i.e. javascript.

When these components are separated out, in a web browser design framework, both supportability and adaptability design characteristics are enhanced.

No guarantee (or claim) is made regarding the accuracy of this information. Any questions or comments should be sent to:-