If you would have wanted to build a simple and ready-to-run website all by yourself, with zero knowledge of HTML, CSS or the other programming languages of the same ilk, you would have been scoffed at. Add to that, the struggle in designing the user experience (colours, image placement, font etc.), makes this an impossible task for beginners. But now, times have certainly changed. The rise and sustenance of readymade online templates has given each one of us a chance to make a website with ease. Let’s go back and see what made the world first hear about website building.

HTML 5

The advent of website building began in the early 90s. The programming language used for this was Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML). Slowly, these plain text codes were assimilated into software. The core element of this software was tables. The development of the web, invented by Tim Berners-Lee, led to a paradigm shift in website building. An international community known as World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) began setting up protocols for website building companies to be compliant with.

By 1996, W3C had started Amaya to envelope website building as a web client into a framework. Starting with HTML and CSS, Amaya started supporting XML and a new mark-up language called – HTML 5. HTML 5 consisted of a detailed process model, which allowed interoperable implementations. For complex web applications, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) was introduced, which make HTML 5 the preferred option for cross mobile applications.

Today, there are plenty of tools developed specially for the creation of websites. An HTML5 website builder allows the construction of web-friendly sites without any manual coding. Everything is automated right from adding of fields, carousel selection, to readymade header-footer. HTML 5 website builders fall into two categories – online and offline.

  • Online website builders

This requires the client (the one who purchased a template from a website builder) to sign up on the website hosting company’s portal. Some online builders provide a showcase of their successful clients. The client has to just choose a readymade template, add the content and go live. A website that allows selling products is called a Web Store.

  • Offline website builders

These include those professionals or freelancers who aid the client/customer in creating web pages. They also create web pages for companies. Offline builders allow direct editing of the source code and CSS styling. However, they are costly due to the increased time and labour required in preparing the web pages. Some online builders allow downloading of their software into offline mode for a license fee.

Advantages of website builders

  1. Website builders are easy to use.
  2. You do not require experience or knowledge of HTML for creating unique websites.
  3. They are much faster to go ‘live’.
  4. Website builders now cater to specific fields, such as medical, ecommerce or showcase.
  5. Website builders provide technical support with the help of tutorials or telephonic assistance.