Build a better website: Front-end web development

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Build a better website: Front-end web development

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

June 21, 2014 · 10am - June 22, 2014 · 5pm GMT+1

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

Once you've learned the basics of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, working out your new coding priorities can be confusing, given the vast array of options on offer. This course provides the best next step for the budding web designer looking to upgrade their abilities, introducing you to the skills and tools professional developers are using to make their lives easier.

Taught by lead Guardian web developer Matt Andrews, this comprehensive weekend covers advanced CSS and JavaScript, as well as smart developer tools like git, Sass and Grunt. An easy to follow mix of in-depth tuition and practical exercises will help you establish game-changing skills such as writing reusable modular code, improving site performance through AMD and assembling a solid front-end workflow.

Course description

This weekend course is a mixture of lecture-style introductions to topics followed by interactive coding work on your own laptop, guided by the tutor. You'll be shown an overview of a topic and the pros/cons of the approach, then shown how to get it running while building example pages and sites to practice your new skills.
Please note that this is an intermediate level course, and existing knowledge of HTML, basic CSS and JavaScript is essential.

Topics covered on the course include:

  • Object-oriented CSS
  • CSS preprocessors like Sass and LESS – and what they can add to your coding
  • JavaScript, and how modular, reusable code can save time and aid portability
  • Grunt, a tool for running automated tasks like compiling CSS and minifying JavaScript for production
  • The modern front-end development workflow, and how you can adapt it to suit your needs

This course is for you if...

  • You have existing basic knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and want to build on your skills to develop more complex and better-performing websites
  • You're an amateur coder with some experience, hoping to pursue web development professionally in the future

Tutor profile

Matt Andrews is a lead client-side web developer at the Guardian. Matt has worked at the Guardian for over two years and has worked on products including the Guardian's Facebook app (12 million installs and counting) and the new, work-in-progress mobile website using responsive design techniques. You can find out a bit more about Matt via his personal site (mattandrews.info) or on twitter at @mattpointblank.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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