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I got pulled into a web application development project where I am the only developer. I have no prior experience in web application development and zero experience in HTML5, Javascript and other web stuff. A decade ago I did some basic web pages in some old verion of HTML. Since my go-to-language is F#, which I've only known for a few months, my first thought was to use WebSharper for the project. Unfortunately the docs and tutorials I found are lacking or for old versions of WebSharper.

The examples on this site are disjointed from the bigger picture and does not really help in putting together a proper, functional web-application. For example, nowhere it is properly explained how html-files play together with WebSharper code. Perhaps prior experience with ASP.NET and such would help here, but I don't have that.

The web-application is supposed to be developed in a way the application can also be used effortlessly on mobile devices. So apparently I should also use frameworks like PhoneGap or Bootstrap or what have you, but again, zero experience with things like those.

I've been considering making a stop-gap-solution of whipping something together in VB.NET and WinForms/WPF for Windows desktop platforms to carry the project forward until I can muster a web-application together to meet project goals. But I'd rather avoid having to do design and development twice.

So now I am asking you fine folks who frequent these forums. Can you please give me pointers what would be my best option to learn all the essentials fast? I only have a few months to put at least basic functionality together, so I am running out of time. Any help would be much appreciated.

Obviously my first two steps would be to properly learn HTML5 and then JavaScript. But what then? What else do I need to make use of WebSharper and actually complete a project on my own?

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Feel free to propose a handful of "getting started" tutorials, I'd be happy to give a go to writing one over the holidays.

Regarding HTML vs WebSharper code, I usually start from an HTML master document and add my WebSharper content to it using the UI.Next templating type provider. Here is a quick TODO application demonstrating this build-up.

As for first steps, I worked on dozens of F# web applications, yet I consider myself a novice in JavaScript. WebSharper largely came about to avoid having to code in JavaScript, and so far I think it does a pretty good job at that. As for HTML5, yes, you need that so you can start from a proper markup foundation.

By on 12/23/2015 11:33 AM ()

I actually went and grabbed a copy of Wrox's Beginning ASP.NETT 4.5.1 in C# and VB.NET. Description of the book says no prior experience is needed. Although going through a book that big will take a while, it teaches WebForms which is obsolete and I still need to learn WebSharper afterwards. But it does not seem like I really have viable options.

As for your proposal. A handful of getting started tutorials is in my humble opinion the wrong approach. A single tutorial in which a goal is to build proper non-trivial web application is usually a better approach. In such a tutorial, content is divided into chapters, starting with basics and most complex stuff coming in later chapters. What this kind of tutorial teaches is design and development of non-trivial web-application. Essential for newbies who may not have experience of such.

I've just gotten to the third chapter in the book I mentioned before, but so far the book has been exactly what I need to understand basics of web app development. If you need an example what kind of tutorial I was describing earlier, take a look at this book.

Unfortunately writing such a tutorial is also non-trivial. I know that from experience since I've written a few on other subjecs and it really is a thankless job. Perhaps it'd be easier to accomplish a project like this if you were to use a service such as wikibooks and enlist help from the general WebSharper community. I am sure some people will see value in having such a tutorial where newbies can learn WebSharper directly and right away.

Since WebSharper 4 will have support for C#, the tutorial could even include code in both F# and C# in a similar fashion to the book I mentioned before. It's not like we have newbie-friendly web application frameworks other than ASP.NET in terms of available learning material. WebSharper could be the first to make a serious effort in the field.

Also, Merry Christmas. :)

By on 12/23/2015 9:12 PM ()

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