Web Design Frameworks

[honey5]

Hi,

I have been delving into web development quite heavily recently. I have searched all over the internet for what is the best framework to use. I know that what would be considered the "best" can be affected by what I want to do, specifically.

I want to create websites that are easily to update (minimal code changes), looks great, and is relatively easy to code with. It's basic desires that any website should need at least sometime.

Based on what my desire is, what would be the best framework (if that's even the right term for this) to learn and use?

Would I be better off using Microsoft Visual Studio to code in as well using Microsoft specific frameworks like MVC, or would a open source provide better and more functionality?

I know many beginning web developers would benefit from this as well.

Thank You
Honey Asin

 

[organicCPU]

I want to create websites that are easily to update (minimal code changes)

Sounds like a CMS framework like Wordpress or any other that will fit your needs.

looks great

That's very subjective. You can get great looking themes or templates for a variety of CMS frameworks or create your own design from scratch. Design is commonly done with CSS and there are plenty of CSS frameworks like Bootstrap available. Many CMS templates are built on Bootstrap, but there might be better fitting CSS frameworks for you. Another layer of design can be accomplished using JavaScript, that can make your site appearing more 'dynamic' or loading smoother and so on. A widely used JavaScript framework is jQuery and a lot of CMS make use of it.

and is relatively easy to code with

That entirely depends on your skills. It is said, that Wordpress is easy to deploy. Writing add-ons for Wordpress may need some different skills. Moving away from Wordpress and ready to use CMS systems, Node is very often used today for creating all kinds of Front- and Backends with modern Frameworks like React or Angular. You can use just JavaScript today for Front- and Backend. But easy coding? Well, I'd say that's a contradiction if you don't know how to code. If you know how to code, then yes, it's probably quite easy.

Based on what my desire is, what would be the best framework (if that's even the right term for this) to learn and use?

You should define your skills in terms of what experience you have or want to achieve: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL and the like for programming languages.
You have too many requirements not defined like: a basic static site or a dynamic site, then you have different possibilities like a static site generated with a static site generator, dynamic site with ready to use CMS, dynamic site with database or without, if database SQL or noSQL, building from scratch with (or even without) various frameworks, basic site with plain HTML and CSS, or utilising most modern techniques like complex JavaScript with functional programming, that is probably out of scope here.
You don't define the functionality you need like: simple website with static content and no special functionality or sending forms, have a blog, have a forum, have much user interaction, have whatever is on your mind.
You don't define the infrastructure you deploy for like: own server, hosting provider, what kind of server, what technology is available on the server.
You see, none can answer this question and IMO there is no best framework. Everything depends on your project, your aims and your audience and even then there are many approaches and not the one and only. Start with a CMS like Wordpress and try some more to get a feeling. Maybe it's easiest for you to test a few with ampps.

Would I be better off using Microsoft Visual Studio to code in as well using Microsoft specific frameworks like MVC, or would a open source provide better and more functionality?

You could use Microsoft Visual Studio or any other text editor like Atom or Sublime Text. Using a Microsoft framework is probably not the best idea to start with unless you're familiar with Microsoft ecosystem and your hosting provider is supporting it. I recommend beginning with Open Source ecosystems, but that's on you, too.

 

[IHelpId10t5]

Drupal 8 is a modern CMS that allows you as much flexibility as you could ever want, but doesn't require any coding if you don't want to. Drupal 8 is build using a pile of modern frameworks and best practices in coding. It also has a great community.

 

[Juan Preuyt]

Im dot really agree, i think drupal is by far a superior tool to say wordpress , in terms of what it can do if you have some understanding of web development its really limitless. Worpress is doesnthave drupals potential no matter what you know about programming, however in terms programmers dabbling looking for easy updates and all that WordPress cannot be beaten. WordPress takes care of so much for you , its templates and plugins are all checked , and need to go through wordpress.org.

Drupal however everything is external , you have to go and find it so if you dont know what to look a=our for drupal can blow up badly in your face.

I dont think that any framework is really better , talking about cmses , just ones that better suit an individuals needs for his or her website.

The same goes for laravel , cake , codeigniter , vc and all those , they have have their snags , and some just things better than others.

If you take it down to the most basic level, markup language, there is no definitive , best language , in fact most programmers know a variety of languages , because they know some languages are good for certain functions.

My point is There is no best , just more suitable to what you require. You dont really mention how much you know about development , beginner could mean many diffrent things , i think that bit of information can help alot in telling you about , ide's , frameworks, languages ect ect

 

[smirking]

Drupal 8 is a modern CMS that allows you as much flexibility as you could ever want, but doesn't require any coding if you don't want to.

Drupal is an amazing and powerful CMS. I love it and I do 90% of my work in. That said, I rarely recommend it to anyone because it is HARD to develop anything in Drupal. It's a challenging framework even for seasoned developers. Drupal is very powerful and you never have to worry if the job you have for it is too big for it, but for most purposes it's overkill.

 

[Juan Preuyt]

Agreed on this , Drupal was not initially designed as a cms thats why, they were more about creating a powerful tool for web developers than a user friendly cms. It is very powerful for this reason , but in the modern world with what most clients demand you just arent going to use most of that functionality .