My day job involves helping people with their websites created on the WordPress.com platform. While the power of the WordPress software helps us create a variety of websites without knowing a line of code, I find learning HTML / CSS and Javascript very handy. It helps me identify issues faster and to appreciate the awesome work done by my colleagues in building some of the finest tools in web building.

Although I first learnt HTML and CSS a decade ago, I have been doing some short reads in between to understand some new updates including the semantic standards of HTML5, or the rather recent HTML Grid and Flexbox. The best way to learn them is practice. There is something I have only got around doing now that I hope I should’ve done long ago –

Build a static website from scratch to practice and understand HTML and CSS much better.

As a bonus, I am also tracking what I am doing using GitHub and hosting the site itself on GitHub Pages. Here is what I have set as an exercise for myself:

  1. Create a mobile-first website using HTML and CSS on GH pages. It should showcase a portfolio of my study projects. Skills to practice here:
    1. Basic HTML and CSS
    2. Using VS code
    3. Git and GitHub basics
    4. Layout using CSS flexbox
    5. CSS menu
  2. The second step would be to add a desktop variant for the same site
  3. Repeat step 1 and 2 for inner page templates
  4. Convert the HTML template to a Basic WordPress theme

I usually do this on weekends or when I have free time from my regular day job.

I have been using W3schools as a reference for HTML and CSS (old habit, and thank you Google search results), and MDN for JS mainly. I hope i continue the streak of relearning!