From idea to published website
Plan the audience, structure content, build with suitable tools, test carefully and publish a recoverable package.
Planning and Foundations
How Websites Work
Learn to understand browsers, servers, files, domains and URLs and explain the basic publishing chain in this beginner-friendly website development lesson.
Learning outcomes
- Explain how to understand browsers, servers, files, domains and URLs.
- Complete the guided practice safely.
- Check that you can explain the basic publishing chain.
Before you begin
Work on a practice copy, keep filenames lowercase and hyphenated, and create a backup before changing a live website.
Step-by-step instructions
- Open the relevant project page, file or WordPress screen and confirm you are working on a safe practice copy.
- Trace a page request from address to displayed content.
- Inspect the result using browser tools or WordPress Preview; do not publish yet.
- Check keyboard use, mobile layout, content accuracy, links, images and privacy where applicable.
- Confirm that you can explain the basic publishing chain, then save a clearly named version or backup.
Ian's practical tip: Preview first, test at desktop and mobile sizes, and keep a recoverable copy before publishing.
Practical activity
Trace a page request from address to displayed content. The expected result is to explain the basic publishing chain.