---

I can create a basic website using HTML and notepad but I have been asked to create a website for an estate agent overseas.
At the moment it is beyond my skills but I have a very distant deadline and so I have time to learn new things before putting it together.

The problem is simple: The end result can't be achieved using HTML alone and I don't know what I need to use.

Clearly I will need to use a database of some kind to store the property details which can be searched by the end user. Also the database will need to be easily updated because the client wants to have full control once the site is finished and has very little IT knowledge.

So what do you recommend for the database?
... and what do you recommend for the website creation?

Thanks

---

The most common language used out there is PHP. There are millions of tutorials out there. Especially ones that deal with managing databases, which in most cases are MySQL.

The other option (not as widely used as PHP) is ASP. I'm sure there are many tutorials for this too, however being a PHP man myself, I am not too certain in this case. Not too sure what ASP connects to database wise.

Those are the only two I'm aware of.

Here are some tutorials:
PHP: http://www.tizag.com/mysqlTutorial/

ASP: http://www.plus2net.com/asp-tutorial/db-mssqlconn.php

Any kind of search in Google should give you results.

Hope this is some kind of help for ya

---

PHP for server-side scripting and MySql for the database would be my choice. They are both very easy to learn as well. Also, if you want something extra special, you could look into using AJAX to make the pages more dynamic

---

ASP.net has come a long way with Microsofts free visual web developer express. Also check out asp.net/learn for tons of video tutorials.

I highly recommend ASP.net.

---

Before deciding on PHP or ASP, determine who has control of the server and what they're willing to, or can, install. If they're paying for a shared server (like most of us non-corporate ppl), asp support usually costs more.

---

The server isn't something that I had considered but if it is down to a choice of how expensive it is to run, then the client would prefer the cheaper option (hence why they are paying me and not going with a professional), so if it is cheaper to have it using PHP then it seems that is what I should aim for.

Thanks

---

Also, if you want to use ASP.net on a linux server, you need to install mono, and I've heard there are a few bugs with it still which could cause problems.

---

I wasn't entirely thrilled about Mono on Mac when it came out, but it's been a a year or two since I tried it. Maybe I'll give it another go.

---

maybe python it somtimes uses HMTL

---

Ruby on Rails with MySQL is my fave but I've been using PHP for much longer than RoR. For simple websites, PHP may be the answer. For more complex ones PHP may still be the answer but I would also start looking at RoR or other frameworks.

---

I've heard so many different things about Ruby on Rails, to use it, to not use it, why to, why not to. I should take a look at it myself.

---

If you can come across Cold Fusion on your web host I find this to be quite an easy language to use along side MySQL. It is probably easier than PHP, but a bit harder to obtain your host.

If you cannot get Cold Fusion just go PHP. It is very flexible.

---

My job is Coldfusion web developer and have been doing it for over 10 years now. It is one of the easiest languages to learn and is very powerful, however it's downside is the price. There is a free version for developing but as soon as you need to find a hosting company the price may put you off.

PHP on the otherhand is free, really fast and it's command list is superior to coldfusion. The language is very javascript like, which can be a bad thing if you are not used to the syntax, but once you get into it it's brilliant. Almost all hosting companies chuck in php as it's free.

---

So what's the benefit of using coldfusion over php or jsp? Personally, I like the JS-like syntax better than using xml-style tags.