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1.1 Introduction to Front-end Development: Starting Your Web Game Journey

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Hello, little adventurers! 👋 Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey into the magical world of web development? Imagine being able to create your very own Super Mario game that you can play right in your web browser! Sounds amazing, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what we're going to learn in this fun-filled adventure!

What is Front-end Development?​

Think of front-end development as the art of creating the things you see and interact with on websites. It's like being a digital artist and a wizard at the same time! You get to paint beautiful pictures (that's the design part) and then bring them to life with a special kind of magic called code (that's the programming part).

Front-end developers are like the architects and decorators of the internet. They build the structure of websites (using HTML), make them look pretty (using CSS), and add cool interactive features (using JavaScript). It's a super fun job because you get to be creative and logical at the same time!

Why Learn Front-end Development?​

  1. It's like having a superpower: You can create anything you imagine on the web!
  2. It's everywhere: Almost every business needs a website, so your skills will always be in demand.
  3. It's fun: You get to solve puzzles and be creative every day.
  4. It's rewarding: Seeing your creations come to life is an amazing feeling.
  5. It's a great career: Front-end developers are well-paid and have lots of job opportunities.

What Will We Learn?​

In this course, we're going to learn front-end development by creating our very own Super Mario game! Here's a sneak peek of what we'll cover:

  1. HTML: We'll use this to build the structure of our game world.
  2. CSS: This will help us make our game look colorful and exciting.
  3. JavaScript: This is the magic that will make Mario move and jump!

But before we jump into the code, let's set up our workspace!

Setting Up Your Coding Laboratory​

Just like how Mario needs his trusty cap and overalls, we need some special tools to start coding. Don't worry, they're all free and easy to use!

1. Installing Visual Studio Code​

Visual Studio Code (or VS Code for short) is like a high-tech notebook where we'll write our code. It's super smart and will help us avoid mistakes.

To install VS Code:

  1. Go to the Visual Studio Code website.
  2. Click the big blue "Download" button.
  3. Once it's downloaded, open the installer and follow the instructions.

2. Creating Your First Project​

Now that we have VS Code installed, let's create our first project:

  1. Open VS Code.
  2. Click on "File" in the top left corner, then "New Window".
  3. In the new window, click on "File" again, then "Open Folder".
  4. Choose a place on your computer where you want to keep your project. Maybe create a new folder called "SuperMarioWeb".
  5. Click "Select Folder".

Congratulations! You've just created your first project folder!

3. Creating Your First HTML File​

Now, let's create our first HTML file:

  1. In VS Code, right-click in the left sidebar.
  2. Choose "New File".
  3. Name it "index.html".

Great job! You've just created your first HTML file. This will be the main page of our Super Mario game.

4. Writing Your First HTML Code​

Let's write some HTML code to create a very basic webpage. Copy and paste this code into your index.html file:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
    <title>My Super Mario Web Game</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to Super Mario Web!</h1>
    <p>Get ready for an awesome adventure!</p>
  </body>
</html>

5. Viewing Your Webpage​

Now, let's see what our webpage looks like:

  1. Find your index.html file in your computer's file explorer.
  2. Right-click on it and choose "Open with" and then select your web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge).

Ta-da! You should see your very first webpage. It's not much yet, but it's a start!

http://localhost:3000

What's Next?​

You've taken your first step into the exciting world of front-end development! In the next lesson, we'll dive deeper into HTML and start building the structure of our Super Mario game world.

Remember, learning to code is like learning to play a musical instrument or a new sport. It takes practice, but it's also lots of fun. Don't be afraid to experiment and make mistakes – that's how we learn!

Are you excited to continue this adventure? In our next lesson, we'll learn more about HTML and start creating the world where Mario will live. Get ready to bring the Mushroom Kingdom to life in your web browser!

Additional Resources​

For further reading and to deepen your understanding of HTML, check out these resources:

Keep your enthusiasm high, young coders! The journey to becoming a web game developer has just begun, and there's so much more exciting stuff to learn. See you in the next lesson! 🎮🍄👨‍💻