Introduction to HTML
Scripting & Programming
Languages and Environments
Copyright © 2000 - 2002 Randy D. Ralph.  All rights reserved.
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In place June 3, 2000.

Scripting and programming languages fall into two broad categories -

1.  Client-Side

Scripting languages designed for inclusion within an HTML Document.  The script is an integral part of the HTML Document delivered to the client by the server.  It is interpreted and run within the browser application being used by the client.

The HTML Document Resides on the Server and Includes a Script
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The Server Delivers the HTML Document to the Client Browser
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The Client Browser Receives the HTML Document Reads and Interprets the Script
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The Client Browser Displays the Script Result within the Browser Application
Server-Side Client-Side

The most commonly used Client-Side scripting languages today are JavaScript and its variants derived from Java

CSS (Cascading style sheets for Microsoft IExplorer) and
VBScript (Microsoft) derived from Visual Basic.

All these scripting languages, along with recent HTML language extensions supported or developed by Netscape and Microsoft for its Internet Explorer browser interact to enable the DHTML (Dynamic HTML) environment.

2.  Server-Side

Scripting languages designed to be placed, interpreted and run on the Internet server which is delivering a website.  Calls to a server-side script come from the browser but the code is interpreted and run on the server.  Results are delivered to the client through the browser as webpages or add-ins to webpages.

The HTML Document Resides on the Server and References a Script
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The Server Delivers the HTML Document to the Client Browser
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The Client Browser Receives the HTML Document and Calls the Script on the Server
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The Server Runs the Script and Displays the Script Result within the Client Browser
Server-Side Client-Side

There are many Server-Side scripting and programming languages and environments.  Among the most popular and widely used today are

ASPActive Server Pages (Microsoft) server-side scripting language and environment.
CGICommon Gateway Interface standard communication environment.
Cold FusionObject-oriented server-side programming and scripting language and environment.
JavaObject-oriented programming language similar to C/C++.
PerlPractical Extraction and Report Language object-oriented scripting language.
PHPPersonal Home Page Tools scripting language and environment.
PythonObject-oriented programming language similar to Perl.
XMLeXtensible Markup Language - an extension of HTML.
XSLeXtensible Style Language - XML based style extensions.

Scripting and programming languages extend the capabilites of HTML, and provide greater control over content, style and functionality.  Some of the richer web environments such as XML, VRML and DHTML offer platforms for expanding the capabilities of simple HTML, as well.  For most simple web applications, however, HTML provides all the necessary features for web authoring with the notable exception of data collection through forms and forms processing.  Forms require server-side processing using one of the web-based programming languages and CGI.

A detailed discussion of scripting and programming for the enhancement of websites is beyond the scope of this introductory course in HTML.

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