As a web user, you'll no doubt have noticed some of the breathtaking applications available in today's modern web, such as Google Maps and Flickr - desktop applications other than the old style web sites you are used to. You've probably also wished that you could create such things. This book shows you how to wire together functionality successfully and responsibly. It starts from the very beginning of your journey, showing you what's available, what you need, and how to set up an effective development environment. After a solid base has been built, it shows you how to build up each aspect of your site, including storing, retrieving, and displaying content, adding images and video to your site, building effective site navigation and laying it all out beautifully using CSS, promoting your content so you will attract visitors to your site, and adding special effects to enhance usability and design aesthetics...all with ready-made functionality available on the Web! Life as a web developer has never been easier.