Interactive Web Design

Interactive website design allows some kind of interaction with users. The most common device used for this luxury is Common Gateway Interface or CGI.

Guestbooks, membership signups, newsletter registrations and similar tasks use CGI. Some of these interactions like product purchases, which handle sensitive information require security measures for protection of that information.

Interaction with users usually involves the use of HTML forms which are used to collect the information from the client and CGI scripts which handle the processing of the data.

The testing of HTML forms and CGI scripts on your PC will require the installation of a localhost server. The Apache server is the most commonly used server for this purpose.

Visit our Online CGI Tutorial.

Our website also offers free CGI scripts and HTML forms that you can copy or download and use as templates.

We recommend that you use our HTML forms and scripts for handling non-sensitive materials. Tools for credit card transactions and shopping carts which require a secure environment, will be supplied by the web host that you choose.

PHP/MySQL

Database driven websites are becoming more popular as the tools for creating them become easier to acquire and use.

Adding PHP and MySQL to the localhost is a fairly simple process for Win98 and ME users. Visit our PHP and MySQL guides for details.


Content Management Systems (CMS)

Most web hosts these days offer the option of creating your web site with a CMS.

Many CMS software packages employ PHP and MySQL. Most of them have built in features for membership registration, article posting by members and administrators, feedback forms, polls, forums and more. More info...