Course Description

It is almost impossible to think about creating any sort of modern web site or application without the use of databases and at least a cursory knowledge of how they work. Almost everything online uses a database at some level whether it is an ultra-complex system such as Facebook or Amazon.com, a prepackaged tool such as Drupal, WordPress, Wix, or a relatively simple site which requires a logon to gain access to some content. This course is designed to provide a straightforward but comprehensive overview of what these systems are, how they work, and how they can be incorporated into your projects. No pre-existing database knowledge is needed for the course. Since it is almost impossible to use databases with the web without using some programming we will also look at a programming language in its most basic terms. However, no prior knowledge of any programming is needed and lack of familiarity should not be a deterrent for taking the course.

In this class we will be creating a database driven "bookstore". We aren't going to get into e-Commerce but we will create a customer facing section where our customers can browse by genre or search for a book by title. This area will also include a simple Content Management System (CMS) where we will post announcements and articles about the store. The management section will include pages to write these announcements and articles as well as manage the inventory of books in our store. This will include the title, publisher, author(s), pages and other information about the books.

Along the way we will also try to instill some ancillary topics and best practices which will help you in your web or programming career. These include

Using development tools such as a Command Line Interface ( CLI )
Creating a local development environment include a local web server and scripting engine
Working with tools like GIT for version control and to share code with the instructor
Package managers to install code from central locations

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