The web began on August 6, 1991, when the world’s first ever web page was put online by the W3C, outlining the plans for the World Wide Web. The page is still available today in the exact same state it was 21 years ago.
Here are 4 valuable lessons you can learn from this inaugural web page.
1. Use the definition list element
An interesting thing about first web page ever built is that it employs an element called the definition list which not many web pages use but is very useful.
If you go into the source code of this page (usually you can do this by right-clicking and selecting ‘View Source’), you’ll see the <dl>, <dt> and <dd> tags that make up the definition list.
Think of <dl> like a list element like <ol> or <ul>. You’ve got bulleted lists and numbered lists. Definition lists are simply lists where each item is paired with a description. Using the definition list element for this is a lot easier than using <ul> and manually marking up your items and descriptions.
To use the definition list element in your code, wrap your whole list in <dl> tags, with alternating <dt> (list item) and <dd> (list description) tags inside.
2. Keep your web pages simple
The very first web page has no CSS or styling at all. But it’s still readable and it gets the job done, even in 2012.
Let this be a lesson to you. The worst thing you can do for your web page is to overload it with trippy backgrounds, over-the-top animations and too much styling. Web pages are designed to be readable, so unless the purpose of your web page is to be a work of art, keep the styling simple and to a minimum.
3. Don’t forget the basics
Whatever you do when coding, don’t fall into the trap of forgetting the basic elements like <!DOCTYPE html> and <html> like this web page does. To be fair, those elements did not exist yet when this page was coded, but for new pages there’s simply no excuse.
4. Improve as you go along – it doesn’t have to be perfect to start with
Look how different the source code of the first web page ever built is to modern day web pages. No CSS, no JavaScript, tags written in uppercase, no <!DOCTYPE> declaration, not even any images.
Needless to say, the web was still a work in progress. But did the W3C wait until everything was perfect and polished to release HTML and CSS? Of course not – they started basic and improved as they went along.
You can apply this to your website too. Want to build a site with Ruby on Rails but don’t know the language? Start with basic HTML and CSS. Don’t even know how to code HTML and CSS? Start with WordPress. Improve as you go along. It doesn’t have to be all polished to start with.
What did you learn from looking at the first web page ever built? Tell us!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
