| As any web designer knows, doing good web design | | | | sites, then you'll often want to use some of the |
| can take a lot of time to do right. There are many | | | | code in several different projects. By putting the |
| ways to shorten this time, but how can you ensure | | | | different chunks of code you use into a library of |
| that the quality of the design doesn't suffer while | | | | sorts you can then access these elements from the |
| cutting back on time? Here are 5 web design tips to | | | | library quickly. It can then often be just a |
| save time while keeping quality up. | | | | cut-and-paste to get useful parts needed for your |
| | | | sites in place, and will save a lot of time. This is like |
| 1. Use website templates. This is one method to save | | | | using a template (and you could include your own |
| time that is seen used often by web designers. | | | | templates in your library), but can also be used to |
| There are templates of various types available online, | | | | store different types of code, like common |
| some free, some that cost. This is a plug and play | | | | JavaScript code that you use often, or a specific |
| method of design, where you only have to fill the | | | | structure within the site code that you like to use |
| different elements in the template with the content, | | | | occasionally. |
| and can save substantial time. The downside to this is | | | | 4. Use a web server. By installing a web server |
| that while it saves a lot of time, a web site template | | | | locally, you can test code that requires a server (like |
| is not as customized as other designs may be. To | | | | PHP and SQL code) without needing to put it on the |
| keep a more customized approach while still using | | | | web. Making code changes and being able to test |
| templates, it's recommended you have multiple | | | | immediately saves a huge amount of time that is |
| templates to use and choose from so that the sites | | | | normally spent on the process of saving, uploading, |
| you create have different options on how they may | | | | then testing for your new web design projects. |
| appear. | | | | 5. Find helpful tools. Every web designer has different |
| 2. Include header/footer file for each page. This can | | | | needs and uses different tools, but it's worthwhile to |
| be done in different ways - in PHP, you can create a | | | | explore the possibilities for tools that can help your |
| unique header and footer file, then include these on | | | | productivity. These may be tools like a Firefox |
| every page. If you use Dreamweaver, you can use a | | | | extension (like the web developer toolbar), a specific |
| nested template to include headers and footers into | | | | type of graphics editor, or even a web design expert |
| your main template. For raw HTML, you can use | | | | you can regularly ask questions to on a forum (gurus |
| server side includes or use JavaScript to fake a client | | | | can often be some of the best resources). If you |
| side include. By using these includes, you can save a | | | | can locate the types of tools and resources that |
| lot of time by only needing to edit one file when you | | | | would most help you with your design process, this |
| want to change the header on every page, as | | | | can save untold amounts of time. By using these 5 |
| opposed to making an edit on every single page. And | | | | web design tips to save time for your site |
| these types of includes don't need to be limited to | | | | development projects, you can get through many |
| headers and footers, but can be used for any part | | | | more projects more quickly and be quite a bit more |
| of your site that appears on multiple pages. | | | | productive. |
| 3. Make a code library. If you make multiple web | | | | |