Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples

University of London via Coursera

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/responsive-website-examples

Introduction

## Course Review: Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples on Coursera ### Overview The **Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples** course on Coursera is an impressive journey into the realm of web application development, particularly focusing on creating interactive and collaborative platforms using Meteor. This course not only equips you with the theoretical knowledge necessary for understanding web applications but also provides practical experience through real-world examples. If you are an aspiring web developer or someone looking to expand your skillset in building modern, responsive websites, this course might just be the perfect fit for you. ### Course Structure **Module 1: Creating a Portfolio Website with a Blog** Kicking off the course, the first module dives into a task that resonates with many web developers—creating a portfolio website that hosts both static and dynamic content. It serves as a foundational module, giving you the perfect starting point to showcase your work while discussing key aspects of web development. Mick, the instructor, provides clear instructions, making the learning experience engaging and enjoyable. **Module 2: Collaborative Apps 1 - Music Machine** In the second module, learners are introduced to the power of collaboration within web applications. Utilizing Meteor’s capabilities, this section guides you through creating a "Music Machine." You'll learn about structuring collaborative, real-time applications and integrating the web audio API, facilitating an understanding of how to manage variables within a database context effectively. By the end, you’ll appreciate how effortlessly real-time collaboration can be implemented across various devices. **Module 3: Collaborative Apps 2 - Drawing Machine** Building on the collaborative theme, this module takes a creative spin with a "Drawing Machine." The practical application of the D3.js library to create graphics pushes your understanding of interactive web features further. You’ll discover how to set up a canvas, insert data into a Mongo collection, and render drawings based on that data. This module emphasizes hands-on work, encouraging experimentation and creativity while solidifying your practical programming skills. **Module 4: Creating a Data Visualisation Application** The final module culminates in the crafting of a data visualization web application. Here, you'll learn to utilize external data sources to create interactive visualizations, reinforcing the knowledge gained in previous modules while expanding your technical toolkit. This section is particularly valuable for those interested in big data and the potential it holds for creating engaging user experiences. ### Recommendations **Who Should Take This Course?** - **Beginners:** If you’re new to web development, this course provides a structured way to kick-start your journey with approachable modules and beginner-friendly projects. - **Intermediate Developers:** Those with some experience under their belt will find the collaborative applications particularly enriching, as they delve deeper into Meteor’s functionalities. - **Data Enthusiasts:** If you have an interest in data visualization, this course will teach you how to fetch and display data interactively, developing your capabilities in this crucial area of modern web development. ### Pros and Cons **Pros:** - **Interactive Learning:** The hands-on approach of creating examples keeps the learning process engaging. - **Rich Resource Materials:** Practical code examples provided can be repurposed for personal projects, giving you real-world tools. - **Instructor Quality:** Mick’s teaching style is approachable and clear, making complex topics understandable. **Cons:** - **Prerequisites:** Some basic understanding of JavaScript and web development concepts might be helpful, although the course does cater to beginners. - **Platform Limitations:** As the course largely focuses on Meteor, those looking to explore different frameworks may find this limiting. ### Conclusion In conclusion, the **Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples** course on Coursera is a comprehensive program for anyone eager to dive into the world of web development with a practical focus. Through its well-structured modules, engaging projects, and insightful teaching, learners are not only prepared to build their own responsive websites but are also empowered to explore the capabilities of collaborative applications. Whether you're starting fresh or looking to add new skills to your repertoire, this course comes highly recommended.

Syllabus

Responsive Website Tutorials and Examples outline: Course overview

Creating a Portfolio Website with a Blog

Welcome to the first module of 'Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples!'. In this session we will be exploring a real-world web development task based on a common brief that web developers have to respond to every day – producing a portfolio website with both static and dynamic content features. I hope you enjoy the module! -Mick

Collaborative Apps 1 : Music Machine

Welcome to the second module of 'Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples!'. Meteor is great at making collaboration simple. You can make collaborative sites in a day or so that work across many devices including mobile. By the end of this session you will understand how to structure and build collaborative, real-time applications, how to integrate the web audio API, and how to specifically set and get variables stored in the database using basic interface elements.

Collaborative Apps 2 : Drawing Machine

Welcome to the third module of 'Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples!'.Meteor allows us to make creative, collaborative apps that work in real-time. Both the Client and the Server can insert information into a Mongo collection. Ordinary web users can do this interactively, without having to program the database manually. In this session we will look at this approach through the lens of collaborative drawing. You will learn how to create a canvas using d3.js, change attributes of the canvas, create client code for inserting data into the database and how to render database entries as a drawing.

Creating a Data Visualisation Application

Welcome to the final module of 'Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples!'.In this session we will be looking at how to use data from external sources to create interactive visualisations for the purposes of creating an interactive data visualisation web app.

Overview

In this course, we will show you exciting examples of collaborative, interactive web applications that use various types of media including sound, images and big data. We will show you how to build sites that provide precisely this functionality, using Meteor. We will also provide fully working example application code that you can use for your own commercial web projects. The course also provides a range of advice and suggestions about how to develop bespoke web applications which match the

Skills

Reviews

Very excited to wrap up this specialization and go on a high note. Hoping to do an awesome capstone project at the end :)

Awesome Course for finishing touch at Responsive Web Development.

Enjoyed the challenge, and appreciate the examples prepared for this course.

Could have used a few more details on how to change to various other brushes (squares, circles, etc).

Excellent coursera and nice instructor, keep it up good work.....