CIW Web Development Professional Exam

1. Internet Fundamentals • Internet Basics and Web Technologies o Overview of the Internet and web technologies o How the Internet works (DNS, IP, routers, etc.) o Understanding the role of web servers and browsers o Different types of web hosting and services • Web Standards and Protocols o Overview of Internet standards (W3C, IETF) o HTTP/HTTPS protocols and secure communication o Web protocols: FTP, IMAP, SMTP, POP3, and others • Web Design and Development Process o Planning and organizing web projects o Understanding user needs and defining website goals o Workflow from concept to execution o Design considerations (usability, accessibility, etc.) 2. HTML5 and CSS3 • HTML5 Basics o Structure of an HTML5 document o Elements, attributes, and basic syntax o Forms, tables, and multimedia content • Advanced HTML5 o New semantic elements in HTML5 (article, section, nav, etc.) o Audio, video, and Canvas elements o HTML5 APIs: Geolocation, Web Storage, Web Workers • CSS3 Fundamentals o Cascading and inheritance in CSS o CSS selectors, classes, and IDs o Applying CSS styles to HTML elements • Advanced CSS3 Techniques o Layout techniques: Flexbox, Grid o Responsive web design (media queries) o Animation, transitions, and transformations o CSS preprocessors: SASS, LESS 3. JavaScript and jQuery • Introduction to JavaScript o Basics of JavaScript syntax and structure o Data types, variables, and operators o Control structures (if/else, loops) o Functions and scope in JavaScript • DOM (Document Object Model) Manipulation o Accessing and modifying HTML elements using JavaScript o Event handling (click, hover, etc.) o DOM traversal and manipulation methods • Advanced JavaScript o Understanding closures, promises, and callbacks o Error handling in JavaScript o AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) • Introduction to jQuery o Basic jQuery syntax and selectors o Manipulating the DOM with jQuery o Event handling in jQuery o Animations and effects using jQuery o Working with jQuery plugins 4. Client-Side Scripting • Browser Compatibility o Cross-browser development issues o Strategies for ensuring compatibility across browsers o Tools for testing and debugging in different browsers • JavaScript Frameworks and Libraries o Introduction to popular frameworks: Angular, React, V o Benefits of using client-side libraries and frameworks o Basic understanding of MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture in JavaScript • Web Accessibility o WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) o Creating accessible websites for all users o Testing for accessibility and tools for evaluation 5. Web Development Tools • Text Editors and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) o Overview of common development environments and editors o Features of IDEs (syntax highlighting, debugging, version control) • Version Control Systems o Basics of version control using Git o Understanding repositories and branches o Collaborative workflows (GitHub, GitLab) • Debugging Tools o Common web development debugging tools o Using browser developer tools for troubleshooting o Debugging JavaScript and CSS 6. Web Development Frameworks and Libraries • Back-End Development Basics o Introduction to back-end languages (PHP, Ruby, Python, N) o Role of the back-end in a web application o Database interactions (SQL, NoSQL) • Content Management Systems (CMS) o Overview of popular CMS platforms (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal) o Benefits and challenges of using a CMS o Customizing and extending CMS functionality • Server-Side Scripting o Introduction to server-side programming languages o Working with PHP for dynamic web pages o Understanding session management and cookies • Web Development Frameworks o Introduction to popular web development frameworks: Django, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, etc. o MVC architecture in web development o Benefits of using frameworks for efficient development 7. Databases and SQL • Relational Database Basics o Introduction to databases and SQL o Structure and organization of relational databases o Understanding tables, rows, columns, and keys • SQL Queries o Writing basic SQL queries (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) o Advanced SQL queries: JOIN, GROUP BY, HAVING, subqueries o Database normalization and indexing • Database Integration with Web Applications o Connecting databases with server-side scripting languages o Handling form submissions and storing data in databases o Best practices for database security and performance 8. Security in Web Development • Website Security Basics o Importance of SSL/TLS encryption o Security vulnerabilities: XSS, SQL injection, CSRF o Best practices for secure web applications • Authentication and Authorization o User authentication mechanisms (cookies, tokens, OAuth) o Role-based access control and permissions o Password storage best practices (hashing, salting) • Data Protection o Privacy laws and regulations (GDPR, CCPA) o Secure data storage and transmission methods o Data encryption at rest and in transit 9. Web Performance Optimization • Improving Website Speed and Performance o Importance of website speed for user experience and SEO o Techniques for reducing page load times (image optimization, lazy loading) o Tools for measuring website performance (Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse) • Caching Strategies o Caching static assets for improved performance o Client-side caching with localStorage, sessionStorage o Server-side caching strategies (CDNs, reverse proxies) • Responsive Design and Mobile Optimization o Mobile-first design principles o Optimizing images and resources for mobile devices o Testing and optimizing for mobile users 10. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • SEO Basics o Importance of SEO for website visibility o On-page SEO techniques (meta tags, headings, URLs) o Off-page SEO (backlinks, social media signals) • Advanced SEO Techniques o Technical SEO (site speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data) o SEO content strategies (keywords, content marketing) o SEO tools and analytics (Google Analytics, Search Console) • SEO Best Practices o Developing an SEO-friendly site structure o Handling redirects and URL management o Understanding Google’s ranking algorithms and updates 11. Web Design Principles • User Interface (UI) Design o Principles of good UI design (simplicity, clarity, consistency) o Creating wireframes and prototypes o Tools for UI design (Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD) • User Experience (UX) Design o Understanding UX design principles o Conducting user research and testing o Creating user personas and journey maps • Design Patterns and Best Practices o Web design patterns (card layouts, grid systems) o Color theory, typography, and imagery o Accessibility considerations in design