Let's break it down...
FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol, is the language that allows computers to send files between each other. When you send files from your computer to another server, it's called uploading. Retrieving files from that other server and putting them on your computer is called downloading.
The version of your website that resides on your computer is the offline, or local, version. However, when you move your website files to a domain's server, your website is now online and accessible by other web surfers. Doing this means your website is now live.
FTP can be used a few different ways. Many website-hosting services provide a graphical user interface (GUI) built right into their site. These interfaces include images and visual cues to guide designers through the process. This is the most common option for web designers who are just starting in the world of web development.
The first step to getting your website online is finding a hosting service. As previously mentioned, we will be using GitHub for this task. GitHub is a very powerful hosting service used in professional development settings around the world! For our purposes, we will harness only a small fraction of what GitHub is capable of.
Setting up an account with GitHub is a multi-step process, so be sure to read and follow the directions on each page carefully. To set up an account and host your work, you'll be guided through the following steps:
- Establishing a GitHub account with your own email address.
- Creating an online repository for your root directory.
- Uploading and viewing your files in your root directory.
- Making changes to your files once they are uploaded.
File structure and file management is vital to ensuring your work displays correctly on the web. Let's review some naming conventions that apply to both file and document names. Read the question on each card. When you think you have the answer, click on the card to flip it over and see the answer.
When should you use absolute links vs. relative links?
Links that are outside your root directory should be absolute links, and linked items inside your root directory should be relative.
Should you use special characters in your document and file naming?
It's best to avoid using special characters, punctuation, and blank spaces when naming folders, files, images, and documents.
What are three methods of file naming that help readability?
Use hyphens, underscores, and camel casing in longer file names to improve readability.
How should you select the file names for your folders, documents, and assets?
Use semantic naming for your folder, files, images, and documents to ensure order and structure.
