24Dec2010

Web development on the Mac: The platform

Mac OS X as a web development platform

I’ve been involved in web development activities for quite a while now. Since my Windows days back in 2001, when making web pages was way simpler and web 2.0 wasn’t even close to showing up, a lot of tools were already available to anyone who wanted to learn how to build web sites.

Even back then, putting together a project was a complex task. Many knowledge fields were (and still are, of course) involved in the process. From the early reunions with the client, requirement notes and initial mock-ups, to the final tests and last minute fixes, handling a web project could demand the best of everyone involved.

Many software applications, ugly web pages, and server settings later, I’ve come to understand a bit better the whole process related to modern web development and best practices. After trying to make the best out of the available tools for both Mac and PC, I’ve decided to share my experience with everyone out there who considers getting into this demanding but highly rewarded field.

Starting soon, I’ll be writing a series of articles for Appletell aiming to help those currently debating what computer system to get and work with as well as those of you who may have already chosen a platform but are lost within the wide range of tools, languages, knowledge fields, and best practices.

After spending years working on both Mac and PC as a web developer (mainly focused on programming, not so much on designing), I would definitely say that the Apple platform would beat any other at such challenging tasks. My experience has been quite a joyful journey on the Mac, and I’ll assure yours will be, too.

Throughout this series of articles I’ll be targeting such subjects as:

Technologies involved in the making of a web siteGraphics design applicationsVersion control and collaborative toolsDevelopment frameworks and librariesPutting everything together and wrapping up

Even though many of the tools we need to make project handling successful are available for both Mac and PC (and when that’s not the case, you’ll probably have an alternative app), the ride on the Mac, at least for this guy, is for sure the best experience of all.

If you’re trying to decide how to start managing the construction and maintenance of your website, or if you’re not sure what you need to do to get involved into this techy side of the world, sit tight and read carefully—this next set of articles could be the material you’ve been waiting for.

View the original article here