Grasp the fundamentals of web application development by building a simple database-backed app from scratch, using HTML, JavaScript, and other open source tools. Through hands-on tutorials, this practical guide shows inexperienced web app developers how to create a user interface, write a server, build client-server communication, and use a cloud-based service to deploy the application.

Each chapter includes practice problems, full examples, and mental models of the development workflow. Ideal for a college-level course, this book helps you get started with web app development by providing you with a solid grounding in the process.

• Set up a basic workflow with a text editor, version control system, and web browser
• Structure a user interface with HTML, and include styles with CSS
• Use JQuery and JavaScript to add interactivity to your application
• Link the client to the server with AJAX, JavaScript objects, and JSON
• Learn the basics of server-side programming with Node.js
• Store data outside your application with Redis and MongoDB
• Share your application by uploading it to the cloud with CloudFoundry
• Get basic tips for writing maintainable code on both client and server

Semmy Purewal spent about a decade teaching computer science and working as a freelance JavaScript consultant. During that time, he worked with a diverse group of clients that included startups, nonprofits, and research labs. These days, he primarily works as a software engineer in San Jose, CA.