Brief History of Web Design | The First-ever Website

As you scroll through this page on Medium, have you ever wondered how long websites have been around, how they were born, and who was the great inventor who literally divided the world into before and after? Let’s go back a few decades and learn the history of such an important field as web design.

The Dawn of the Internet

The internet was born in the late 1960s as ARPANET, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. Initially, it was a network of computers used for research and communication among scientists. The concept of a global network for sharing information gained momentum in the following decades, leading to the development of protocols like TCP/IP, which standardized communication between computers.

The Birth of the World Wide Web

The true need for web design arose with the advent of the World Wide Web (WWW), invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. Berners-Lee, a British scientist working at CERN, proposed a system that would enable researchers to share information seamlessly. He introduced the first web browser and the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), laying the groundwork for web pages.

Tim Berners-Lee

The First-ever Website

The first-ever website was created by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, while he was working at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research). The site went live on August 6, 1991, and it was hosted on Berners-Lee’s NeXT computer. The URL for the first website was http://info.cern.ch.

This website was a simple page that provided information about the World Wide Web project, including an explanation of what the web was, how to use a browser, and how to set up a web server. It served as an introduction to the concept of hypertext and offered links to more detailed technical documentation.

Early Web Design: Text and Hyperlinks

The earliest websites were rudimentary, consisting mainly of text and hyperlinks. The focus was on functionality rather than aesthetics. These text-based pages served as directories, research papers, and simple communication tools. An example is the first website ever created, hosted on Berners-Lee’s NeXT computer at CERN.

However, as the web gained popularity in the 1990s, it became clear that a more visually appealing and user-friendly approach was necessary to engage a broader audience.

The Evolution of Web Design Tools

Several key developments in the 1990s and early 2000s propelled web design forward:

1. Graphical Browsers: The release of Mosaic in 1993, the first graphical web browser, revolutionized web design. It allowed users to view images inline with text, making web pages more visually engaging.
2. HTML and CSS: The evolution of HTML and the introduction of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) in 1996 were pivotal. CSS enabled designers to separate content from design, allowing for more complex and visually appealing layouts.
3. JavaScript: Introduced in 1995, JavaScript added interactivity to web pages, enabling dynamic content and user engagement.
4. Flash: Macromedia Flash, introduced in the late 1990s, brought multimedia elements to the web. Designers could now create animations, interactive menus, and complex graphics, although it had limitations in terms of accessibility and SEO.

The Founders of Web Design

While Tim Berners-Lee is often credited with inventing the web, several individuals significantly contributed to the field of web design:

• David Siegel: Often referred to as one of the pioneers of web design, Siegel wrote “Creating Killer Websites” in 1996, which became a seminal work for early web designers. He emphasized the importance of design and aesthetics in web development.

Creating Killer Websites

• Jeffrey Zeldman: A prominent web designer and author, Zeldman was a strong advocate for web standards and accessibility. His work helped shape modern web design practices.

The Development of Modern Web Design

As technology advanced, so did web design. The early 2000s saw the rise of Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, which democratized web design by allowing non-technical users to create and manage websites.

Responsive design, introduced by Ethan Marcotte in 2010, addressed the need for websites to adapt to various screen sizes and devices. This approach became crucial with the proliferation of smartphones and tablets.

Today, web design is a multifaceted discipline encompassing user experience (UX), user interface (UI) design, graphic design, and front-end development. Tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD have streamlined the design process, while frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS simplify development.

Interesting Readings and Scientific Papers

1. “A Brief History of the Internet” by Barry M. Leiner et al.: This paper provides an overview of the development of the internet, including the origins of the World Wide Web.
2. “Designing the User Interface” by Ben Shneiderman: Although focused on human-computer interaction, this book offers valuable insights into the principles of good design, which are fundamental to web design.
3. “Responsive Web Design” by Ethan Marcotte: The seminal article and subsequent book that introduced the concept of responsive design, transforming how websites are built.

The need for web design arose from the desire to make information on the internet accessible, engaging, and easy to navigate. From the humble beginnings of text-based pages to the sophisticated and dynamic websites of today, web design has come a long way. It continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements and the ever-changing needs of users. As we look to the future, the possibilities for web design are limitless, promising even more innovative and immersive online experiences.