Acronym Soup Episode 05: Understanding HTML, CSS, JS, and… PHP

In this anniversary of the first year of the founding of Human Friend Digital, Jeffrey and Jacob celebrate with another edition of Acronym Soup, a dive into the trio of tools that power the internet: HTML, CSS, and JS (and don’t forget PHP!). These aren’t just technical terms—they’re the foundation of how websites look, feel, and function.

Jacob breaks it down simply: HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the structure, the bones of any website. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) adds beauty, controlling colors, fonts, and layouts. JavaScript is the nervous system that creates interactivity, like complex outcomes based on user interactions, countdown timers, or form validations.

The discussion touches on the evolution of web building, with tools like WordPress and Squarespace making coding optional for many users. But Jacob emphasizes the importance of understanding these languages if you want a site that’s truly customized and efficient. He also introduces resources like Codecademy for learning and platforms like CodePen and Stack Overflow for problem-solving and inspiration.

For anyone curious about what makes a website tick—or how to make theirs stand out—this episode serves as a roadmap to the foundational languages of the web.

Code Academy:

https://www.codecademy.com

CodePen:

https://codepen.io

Stack Overflow:

https://stackoverflow.com