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Recommended Books and Software

Books on Markup, Code for Web Sites

Books on CSS, HTML, XHTML, Web Standards, Web Authoring Tools/HTML Editors, DHTML, DOM, JavaScript, Ajax, PHP, Web Site Optimization, XML

Within the Books on Markup and Code for Web Sites section you'll find books on CSS, HTML, XHTML, Web standards, Web authoring tools/HTML editors, DHTML, DOM, JavaScript, AJAX, PHP, Web site optimization, and XML.

Each listing is hand chosen with thought and care to help WebsiteTips.com visitors in their searches for helpful Web site-related books, software, and other products.

Do you have suggestions or recommendations? Do you have a favorite book or training video, favorite software, or several favorites related to Web site design and development, graphic design, graphics, Web site ownership, running a Web design business, or related topics? What are your thoughts about books and software already listed here? Please let us know!

CSS, HTML, XHTML, and Web Standards Books

The books recommended below each encompass CSS, HTML, XHTML, and Web Standards. You'll find practical, real-world solutions and great examples throughout each of these best-selling, highly recommended books.

• Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS
  by Ian Lloyd. Published by SitePoint, May 2, 2006. This book is receiving rave reviews! Ian's fabulous new book teaches Web development from scratch, without assuming any previous knowledge of HTML, CSS or Web development techniques. It introduces you to HTML and CSS as you follow along with the author, step-by-step, to build a fully functional web site from the ground up. However, unlike countless other “learn Web design” books, this one concentrates on modern, best-practice techniques from the very beginning, which means you'll get it right the first time. By the end of the book, you'll be equipped with enough knowledge to set out on your first projects as a professional web developer, or you can simply use the knowledge you've gained to create attractive, functional, usable and accessible sites for personal use. For more information, see also the author's companion site for Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS.
• Bulletproof Web Design: Improving flexibility and Protecting Against Worst-case Scenarios with XHTML and CSS, Second Edition
  By Dan Cederholm. Published by New Riders Press (August 1, 2007). Dan Cederholm, well-known and highly regarded Web site designer, created quite a positive stir with his previous books, also recommended by WebsiteTips.com. The author's Bulletproof Web Design book information provides helpful details, including the Table of Contents, reviews about the book, example code, a sample chapter, and more. The publisher states about Bulletproof Web Design, Second Edition:

  No matter how visually appealing or content-packed a Web site may be, if it's not adaptable to a variety of situations and reaching the widest possible audience, it isn't really succeeding. In Bulletproof Web Design, author and Web designer extraordinaire, Dan Cederholm outlines standards-based strategies for building designs that provide flexibility, readability, and user control—key components of every sucessful site. Each chapter starts out with an example of an unbulletproof site one that employs a traditional HTML-based approach which Dan then deconstructs, pointing out its limitations. He then gives the site a make-over using XHTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), so you can see how to replace bloated code with lean markup and CSS for fast-loading sites that are accessible to all users. Finally, he covers several popular fluid and elastic-width layout techniques and pieces together all of the page components discussed in prior chapters into a single-page template.

• Cascading Style Sheets: Designing for the Web, Third Edition
  By Hakon Wium Lie, Bert Bos. Published by Addison-Wesley, April 25, 2005. This 3rd Edition of the classic on CSS written by those who actually created CSS, is another best-seller on this important topic for Web site designers and developers. It not only provides the basics of CSS, it also explains the “why” of each design technique described.

  From the publisher:

  

  Direct from the creators of CSS, this is the definitive guide to CSS, today's indispensable standard for controlling the appearance of any Web or XML document. This book doesn't just show how to use every significant CSS 1 and 2.x feature; it carefully explains the “why” behind today's most valuable CSS design techniques. You'll find practical, downloadable examples throughout—along with essential browser support information and best practices for building high-impact pages and applications.

  Cascading Style Sheets: Designing for the Web, Third Edition covers every CSS 2.1 improvement and fix, from new height/width definitions in absolutely positioned elements to new clip property calculations. Clear, readable, and thorough, it's the one must-have CSS resource for every Web developer, designer, and content provider. Coverage includes

  • Mastering essential CSS concepts: Rules, declarations, selectors, properties, and more
  • Working with type: From absolute/relative units to font size and weight
  • Understanding CSS objects: Box model, display properties, list styles, and more
  • Exercising total control over spacing and positioning
  • Specifying colors for borders and backgrounds
  • Managing printing: Margins, page breaks, and more
  • Implementing media-specific style sheets for audio rendering, handhelds, and other forms of presentation
  • Moving from HTML extensions to CSS: Five practical case studies
  • Making the most of cascading and inheritance
  • Using external style sheets and @import
  • Integrating CSS with XML documents
  • Optimizing the performance of CSS pages
  • Includes a handy CSS Quick Reference printed on the inside covers

• The CSS Anthology: 101 Essential Tips, Tricks & Hacks, Practical Solutions to Common Problems
  By Rachel Andrew. Published by SitePoint Books, November 2004. This CSS book is fantastic. Rachel is a terrific writer, and you'll find easy-to-understand explanations of how to use CSS effectively for so many common needs, such as navigation, layouts, using CSS for colors, and so much more. The question-and-answer format makes it easy to use for reading cover-to-cover, learning how to use CSS, or as a reference for figuring out solutions. WebsiteTips.com's owner/editor uses this for figuring out solutions to cross-browser, cross-platform challenges, too, especially Internet Explorer 6. It's a helpful book for anyone, whether for beginners or advanced designers. Highly recommended for anyone who uses CSS or wants to learn how to use CSS.
• CSS: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition
  By Eric Meyer. O'Reilly Publishers, (November, 2006). As always, Eric Meyer writes clearly in easy-to-understand language. This book is an excellent starting point for learning how CSS works and as a reference book for experts with CSS. The 3rd edition chapters include:
  • CSS and Documents
  • Selectors
  • Structure and the Cascade
  • Values and Units
  • Fonts
  • Text Properties
  • Basic Visual Formatting
  • Padding, Borders, and Margins
  • Colors and Backgrounds
  • Floating and Positioning
  • Table Layout
  • Lists and Generated Content
  • User Interface Styles
  • Non-Screen Media

  From the publisher regarding the updated 3rd edition:

  

  Updated to cover Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft's vastly improved browser, this new edition includes content on positioning, lists and generated content, table layout, user interface, paged media, and more. Author Eric Meyer tackles the subject with passion, exploring in detail each individual CSS property and how it interacts with other properties. You'll not only learn how to avoid common mistakes in interpretation, you also will benefit from the depth and breadth of his experience and his clear and honest style. This is the complete sourcebook on CSS.

  The 3rd edition contains:

  • Updates to reflect changes in the latest draft version of CSS 2.1
  • Browser notes updated to reflect changes between IE6 and IE7
  • Advanced selectors supported in IE7 and other major browsers included
  • A new round of technical edits by a fresh set of editors
  • Clarifications and corrected errata, including updated URLs of referenced online resources

• CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions
  by Andy Budd, with Simon Collison, Cameron Moll. Published by friends of ED, February 13, 2006. Uses a tutorial approach and includes two entire chapters on working with browser inconsistencies, including CSS hacks, filters, bug fixing. Also includes image replacement; professional link, form, and list styling; pure CSS layouts; and much more. Chapters include:
  • Chapter 1: Setting the Foundations
  • Chapter 2: Visual Formatting Model Recap
  • Chapter 3: Background Images and Image Replacement
  • Chapter 4: Styling Links
  • Chapter 5: Styling Lists and Creating Nav Bars
  • Chapter 6: Styling Forms and Data Tables
  • Chapter 7: Layout
  • Chapter 8: Hacks and Filters
  • Chapter 9: Bugs and Bug Fixing
  • Case Study 1: More Than Doodles
  • Case Study 2: Tuscany Luxury Resorts

  Read author Andy Budd's weblog post about his new book, Take a Look Inside CSS Mastery. See also the book's Web site, CSS Mastery where you can download a sample chapter and the Table of Contents.

• CSS Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition
  By Eric Meyer. Published by O'Reilly, July 2004. Very helpful pocket reference for CSS2 to keep handy at all times. The 2nd Edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest Cascading Style Sheet specifications, CSS2 and CSS2.1. So even if you have the 1st Edition, this updated edition is well worth checking out. Chapters include rule structure, adding styles to HTML, selectors, specifying values, style precedence, classification of elements, boxes and borders, CSS property reference, CSS support charts, pseudo-classes and pseudo-elements, the cascade, font properties, color and background properties, box properties, classification properties, and units. For more information, visit Eric Meyer's Web site.
• Deliver First Class Web Sites: 101 Essential Checklists
  By Shirley Kaiser. Published by SitePoint Books, July 2006. The author packs the entire book with helpful checklists and explanations, examples, and references to help with creating and maintaining standards-compliant, accessible, and lean markup and code behind the scenes, including HTML, XHTML, CSS, and more. For example, Chapter 9: Best Coding Practice: W3C Recommendations and Standards - Magic Markup, Excellent XHTML, Spectacular CSS. You'll also find checklists to make sure your site is visually appealing, loads quickly, is search engine friendly, and more. Along the way, other chapters cover creating accessible Web sites, Web site optimization, preparing and managing Web site content, usability, color, information architecture, navigation, search engine optimization, design, testing, preparing for launch, post-launch follow-up, and much more. In addition, all those who purchase the book have special access to downloadable, printable checklists to use for all your projects. More information: Companion Site for Deliver First Class Web Sites: 101 Essential Checklists, author's Web site: SKDesigns.
• Designing with Web Standards, 2nd Edition
  By Jeffrey Zeldman. Published by New Riders, July, 2006. Now in a new, updated, and revised 2nd edition. Best-selling book on designing and developing a practical, solid Web site based on Web standards. Well written, real world solutions, and covers a lot of ground, including HTML, XHTML, CSS, DOM, browser quirks, case studies, and much more. The 2nd edition screenshots and other graphics are also now in full color. Even if you already have the 1st edition, there are significant updates and new content in the 2nd edition to make it well worth purchasing. Highly recommended. Both editions are on WebsiteTips.com's short list of all-time favorite books. Author's websites: Happy Cog, Zeldman.com: The Daily Report, and the author's Designing with Web Standards book information.
• HTML Dog: The Best-Practice Guide to XHTML and CSS
  By Patrick Griffiths. Published by New Riders Press, November, 2006. The author of this book is also the writer and owner behind the highly regarded, popular HTML Dog Web site, a Web site packed with helpful, easy-to-understand tutorials, including HTML and CSS. His book is destined to be fabulous. The description from the publisher for this book:

  For readers who want to design Web pages that load quickly, are easy to update, accessible to all, work on all browsers and can be quickly adapted to different media, this comprehensive guide represents the best way to go about it. By focusing on the ways the two languages—XHTML and CSS—complement each other, Web design pro Patrick Griffiths provides the fastest, most efficient way of accomplishing specific Web design tasks. With Web standards best practices at its heart, it outlines how to do things the right way from the outset, resulting in highly optimized web pages, in a quicker, easier, less painful way than users could hope for! Split into 10 easy-to-follow chapters such as Text, Images, Layout, Lists, and Forms, and coupled with handy quick-reference XHTML tag and CSS property appendixes, HTML Dog is the perfect guide and companion for anyone wanting to master these languages. Readers can also see the lessons in action with more than 70 online examples constructed especially for the book.

  Author's Web sites: HTMLDog, Vivabit.
• HTML, XHTML, and CSS, Sixth Edition: Visual QuickStart Guide
  By Elizabeth Castro. Published by Peachpit Press, August 2006. This book series by Elizabeth Castro is the best-selling book on HTML and for good reason. She explains everything in easy-to-understand language, covers all the important bases of HTML, XHTML, and CSS, provides tips and warnings, and helpful illustrations and examples throughout the book. While the W3C Recommendations haven't changed since the 5th edition, how people use the specs has changed quite a bit. Fantastic. Highly recommended. Author's website with more about all her books: Cookwood Press, Liz's HTML Blog. As the author states,

  I have revamped the examples throughout the book to reflect new and updated browsers, the growing emphasis on standards, CSS layout, and also the push toward multimedia and syndication. There are brand new chapters on using CSS for Handhelds and on Syndication and Podcasting as well as added individual sections throughout the book. And it's all in color!

  From: Sixth Edition of HTML, XHTML, and CSS Visual QuickStart Guide! - blog post 08 July, 2006, Liz Castro

• More Eric Meyer on CSS
  By Eric Meyer. Published by New Riders, 2004. Eric's follow-up to his already best-selling Eric Meyer on CSS is packed with new, updated information and new examples and projects. Eric writes in an easy-to-understand, clear way about using CSS in a practical way in the real world for your Web sites. Whether you're learning CSS for the first time, wanting to learn some new information, or wanting to fine tune your skills, this is an exceptional must-have book. For more information, visit More Eric Meyer on CSS companion Web site and Eric Meyer's Web site.
• Sams Teach Yourself CSS in 10 Minutes
  By Russ Weakley. Published by Sams, November 2005. As the publisher states, the short, focused lessons presented in Sams Teach Yourself CSS in 10 Minutes will help you quickly understand cascading style sheets (CSS) and how to immediately apply it to your work. Author Russ Weakley is a well-respected member of the CSS community and is known for his ability to make complicated concepts easy-to-understand for even inexperienced CSS users. With this book, you will cover the essentials for standards compliant techniques that are supported by the most common browsers. Once you master the basics, Weakley will also take you inside positioning, troubleshooting CSS, and handling common CSS bugs. Sams Teach Yourself CSS in 10 Minutes is the ultimate quick learning tool and handy desk reference guide to CSS. For more information, visit the Teach Yourself CSS in 10 Minutes companion Web site and Russ Weakley's Web site.
• Spring Into HTML and CSS (Spring Into)
  By Molly Holzschlag. Published by Addison Wesley Professional, April 2005. The “Spring Into” series takes a no-nonsense, just-the-facts-please approach to help you quickly and easily get what you need. This book covers a LOT of ground. Molly Holzschlag is a well-seasoned professional author with over 30 books published. Her clear and easy-to-understand writing style makes it easy to understand why she is such a successful author and why her books sell so well. How do you decide which book is for you? You can explore a sample chapter online: How to Add Images, Media, and Scripts to Your Web Site. The author's Web site: Molly.com.
• Web Standards Solutions: The Markup and Style Handbook
  By Dan Cederholm. Published by Friends of ED, June, 2004. Fantastic book on how to create your Web site markup and CSS effectively, and so that your pages will work well and look good despite the browser or platform. Dan presents real-world solutions and explains things in a clear, helpful way. Plenty of examples and great explanations. Highly recommended. The author's Web site with more about the book: Simplebits: Web Standards Solutions, the Markup and Style Handbook.

See also Web Resources CSS, Web Resources HTML, and Web Resources XHTML here at WebsiteTips.com.

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Web Authoring Tools / HTML Editors Books

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Software

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 is available on its own or bundled within Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Standard, Design Premium, Web Standard, Web Premium, and the CS3 Master Collection. Links to more information for both Windows and Macintosh versions are below.

What's in each CS3 bundled edition? See Adobe Creative Suite 3: What's in Each Edition? here at WebsiteTips.com.

For helpful Web Site Resources on Adobe Dreamweaver, see also Web Resources HTML Adobe Dreamweaver Articles, Tutorials, Discussion Lists, Tools and Extensions, Templates, Resources, Books, and Software here at WebsiteTips.com.

For Web Site Resources on more HTML and Web design, development editors, see also Web Resources HTML Web Authoring Tools / HTML Editors and Web Resources HTML Authoring / HTML Editor Tutorials and Resources here at WebsiteTips.com.

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Books on DHTML, DOM, JavaScript, AJAX

See also Web Resources DHTML/DOM and Web Resources JavaScript, ECMAScript, AJAX here at WebsiteTips.com.

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PHP Books

See also Web Site Resources PHP here at WebsiteTips.com.

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Regular Expressions Books

See also Web Site Resources Regular Expressions here at WebsiteTips.com.

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Web Site Optimization Books

• High Performance Web Sites: Essential Knowledge for Front-End Engineers
  By Steve Souders. Published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. (September 11, 2007). From the book's description:

  Want your web site to display more quickly? This book presents 14 specific rules that will cut 25% to 50% off response time when users request a page. Author Steve Souders, in his job as Chief Performance Yahoo!, collected these best practices while optimizing some of the most-visited pages on the Web. Even sites that had already been highly optimized, such as Yahoo! Search and the Yahoo! Front Page, were able to benefit from these surprisingly simple performance guidelines.

  The rules in High Performance Web Sites explain how you can optimize the performance of the Ajax, CSS, JavaScript, Flash, and images that you've already built into your site — adjustments that are critical for any rich web application. Other sources of information pay a lot of attention to tuning web servers, databases, and hardware, but the bulk of display time is taken up on the browser side and by the communication between server and browser. High Performance Web Sites covers every aspect of that process.

  Each performance rule is supported by specific examples, and code snippets are available on the book's companion web site.

  Author's website: SteveSouders.com.

• Speed Up Your Site: Web Site Optimization
  By Andrew B. King. Published by New Riders (January 24, 2003). Andy King's book is an absolute must have book for anyone creating or maintaining Web sites. He provides valuable information, examples, and great insight on how to optimize Web sites. Even if you think you've done a lot of optimizing already, you'll always find more possibilities within Andy's fantastic book. Highly recommended. Author's site: WebsiteOptimization.com.

More Books on Web Site Optimization

The books below are either entirely devoted to Web site optimization or include chapters and sections on various aspects of Web site optimization.

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XML Books

See also Web Site Resources XML here at WebsiteTips.com.

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