What should I learn first?

you should learn basic first(html with notepad) then advance

 

Thank you, I will most definitely check out those books and see how well they can help me. I appreciate the gesture.

 

Some people here have no clue what they are talking about but are giving advice. There is no way you can learn CSS separate from Html/Xhtml and learning XHTML without learning CSS would have no usefulness -they go hand in hand.

 

Buy a Dreamweaver CS4 and get your self "Dreamweaver CS4: The Missing Manual" . It will take you from begining to advanced HTML and css together, also will help you understand the code you are writing and dreamweaver cs4 does not insert junk code in your HTML so there will be no clean up.
Absolutely the best and easiest way to go about it.

 

This has probably been said before, but I find the fact that you said HTML is becoming obsolete hilarious!

 

Thanks for the advise again guys. I'm going to start taking up some more HTML tomorrow morning and get started on the course..

 

For clientside web development learn the following in the order
1.HTML 2.CSS 3.Javascript/Ajax

For server side development go for PHP/MySQL .
These are the minimum but you can learn additionally XML and Photoshop also
For developing HTML pages simple notepad is sufficient.
This is the route through which I have learnt Webdesign/Development.

 

Whoa whoa whoa.

HTML is a markup language. While it can follow many of the same principles of just coding (in programming languages) in general, it is in no way a programming language.
CSS is a declarative language who mimics C-style "blocks" but CSS is also not a programming language. It lets you declare properties for the different values of HTML elements... I suppose you could compare it to setting the properties of prototypes of objects in Javascript, but that's a stretchy comparison.

Java is a full-blown programming language, and not something one learns lightly! To say Java is the best back-end language to learn for the web is asking for a flamewar between programmers (prolly not here because it seems everyone around here uses PHP, which we all do have to admit is at least the most popular back-end language for the web (unfortunately)). And learning programming if you are not a programmer takes a lot more time than it does to learn HTML and CSS.

There are MANY POSSIBLE back-end languages to use:
PHP
Python
Ruby
Perl (yay)
Java
ColdFusion (wtf...)

Someone, somewhere has done back-end with C or C++, I just know it.

 

I learnt

HTML
CSS
PHP
AJAX

in that order in just under a year. Tutorials from websites like w3schools.com are very useful.

Good look to you.

 

I really do appreciate you helping me understand some things. You're a very intelligent and helpful person. I'll keep the things you have told me in mind while I'm starting through this "project".

 

I agree, I don't care much for CMS and these site builder websites. When a client comes to me for updates to such sites there are undoubtedly numerous validation errors. Learn html and css and try to hand code some basic sites in Notepad.

 

Few days back this was my question too that what should I learn first, HTML PHP or CSS........ but when i asked few teachers who are teaching this course they recommended me to learn all as this will make you professional. Start with HTML thn jump to PHP and CSS.. but u shud knw HTML as its not obsolute evn nw. It still have demand and its an basic knowledge and key for successful PHP learner!
Cheers!

 

HTML comes first, and along with that CSS comes and then later on PHP, ASP, ROR and other languages comes.
So i would suggest you to start off with HTML and CSS together.

 

Learning coding lanquages are definately an advantage because wherever you turn, you will be faced with inserting code on a web page but there are super web designers that will do all of the html, css, xml, rss and more without a person having to have any knowledge about these items. These programs can be purchased for just under $200. For a person that is wanting to design websites, it does not make sense to waste valuable time learning in-depth these programming languages when they could be doing actual productive work for a very small investment. Learning some coding is essential but the thing a person needs to concentrate on is building good sites and this can be done with minimal coding knowledge. Send me a PM and I can give you the top three sites to look at for fantastic inexpensive web design software.

 

WTF?

I haven't read the replies, but to clear up confusion, its XHTML2 that wont be carrying on.

You need both HTML and CSS together, on top of this learn web layouts in photoshop, read about javascript, jquery, if you really want to keep yourself busy learn php and mysql too.

HTML = Alive
XHTML 1.0 = Alive
XHTML 2.0 = Will stop
CSS2 = Alive, with little bits of CSS3 being used.
HTML5 = Being used and whole sites completed with it.

 

I learnt JavaScript before HTML - don't ask.

 

First thing you should get basic knowlegedge on HTML and then get some knowlegedge on CSS to style and design your site .

 

If you decide to look into jQuery, then take a look at jTutorials

 

SilentGround gave you the best advise.

Learn HTML first then CSS coz HTML will create the foundation for your website and then you can learning styling through CSS.

 

I will still recommend yahoo tutorials as I have gone through them and they help a lot!!