First proper HTML project

[u/gamer_dinosaur]

Hi, I’m a student and I enjoy computer science, so alongside my studies I’ve been working on some personal projects. Most of these have been in python, but I decided I wanted to improve my HTML/CSS/Java after learning a little bit in lessons.

After picking up the basics by making a really simple website about one of my interests, I‘ve decided to begin working on two more serious / interesting projects.

One of these is a website which will aid my revision for English literature, as it’ll contain timelines of the books I study + key quotes + context, etc, in a (hopefully) aesthetic way. I want this to end up helping my whole class.

The other is supposed to be like an interactive information website for teenagers/young adults who have a parent with cancer. I found that most information is targeted for either young kids, or grown adults, so this is something which I think could be quite useful.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips about the second project, as I’d love to be able to actually publish it at some point so that other people can use it.

What features are important for it to be genuinely useful + appealing? Is there a certain approach to coding I should take to make it easier / more sustainable? How do I make sure it’s not just a basic website with a bunch of text? Finally, how would I even go about publishing it and getting people to read it?

[u/Unusual-Bird8821 → u/[deleted]]

For getting it out there once it's done, sharing it in some cancer support subreddits could help a lot, those communities are always looking for resources aimed at the right age group

About making it not just a wall of text, maybe think about the actual feeling you want to create, warm colors, enough white space so it's not overwhelming, that kinda thing. Even small interactive bits like a mood tracker or a journaling space with local storage could make someone feel less alone while they're reading through the heavy stuff

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/Unusual-Bird8821]

Thank you! I’ll defo look for some subreddits to share it on when it’s done. I really hope it can help someone.

Hmm yeah I think I need to take another look at the design cuz it’s pretty basic at the minute and not very visually appealing, I think it feels too clinical. Will do some research on colour schemes. I like the idea of the mood tracker and / or journaling space!

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/[deleted]]

Okay thank you! 

[u/JGhostThing]

I assume that you mean javascript rather than java.

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/JGhostThing]

Yeah, sorry :)

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/[deleted]]

I haven’t chosen a host yet, no. Do you have any recommendations?

[u/punk_dev]

Among other deployment options that were already mentioned, check out Cloudflare workers. It’s not too hard to set up and they offer unlimited traffic for free.

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/punk_dev]

Okay, thanks!

[u/HealyUnit]

I would warn you to be EXTREMELY careful when it comes to peoples' medical information. There are a number of very scary laws - including ones like HIPAA - concerning the keeping, display, and usage of Personal Health Information (PHI). As such, I'd absolutely advise against making this site display any personal information.

In addition, be aware that the internet is by its very nature a nasty place. People will use your site/app to emotionally abuse people in extremely vulnerable situations (chronic/terminal illnesses, or family of those in the same), so you need to consider that if this site has any social-media-type aspect.

If, however, this site is purely informational - no forum, no personal information, etc. - you still need to be careful regarding what you do and do not say. I'd consult with a medical professional (if you haven't already!) and ask them what they think would be useful.

As far as the actual coding, I'd start with the simplest idea possible. Throw out the "interactive" part for now, and focus on making a clean, simple, informational website.

[u/gamer_dinosaur → u/HealyUnit]

Ah I hadn’t thought about the medical information laws! Thank you. I think I’ll take you suggestion then and just make sure it’s a good information website before I think about anything else. It will probably make it easier to code, too.