Web Application Development
Overview
This unit is designed to introduce a variety of technologies and techniques typically used in development of contemporary web-based systems, and to enable students to achieve a level of fluency in using these in a thoughtful and considered manner. Two web programming techniques will be introduced. The first is to use web-based embedded scripting language (PHP) on a web server (Apache) and a server-side database (MySQL), and the second is to use Ajax to manage asynchronous client-server communication and XML/JSON as data exchange languages.
Requisites
Rules:
Undergraduate
COS10011 Creating Web Applications
AND
COS10009 Introduction to Programming
Postgraduate
COS60004 Creating Web Applications
AND
COS60006 Introduction to Programming
OR
COS60010 Technology Inquiry Project
OR
MA-ITPC1 Master of Information Technology (Professional Computing)
27-October-2024
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe, identify and debug issues related to the development of web applications
- Design and develop interactive web applications using embedded server-side scripting language PHP
- Use MySQL for data management and manipulate MySQL with PHP
- Design and develop asynchronous web applications using Ajax techniques
- Use client-side dynamic scripting language JavaScript and server-side scripting language PHP with Ajax
- Apply XML/JSON technologies for data management with Ajax
- Use Ajax framework, web services and APIs and apply design patterns for developing web applications
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 8.50 | 12 weeks | 102 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Exercises | Individual | 15 - 25% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Project 1 | Individual | 30 - 40% | 1,2,3 |
| Project 2 | Individual | 40 - 50% | 1,4,5,6 |
Content
Server-side scripting language PHP: variables, data types, operations, strings, functions, control statements, arrays, files and directory access, maintaining state
- Web programming approach by using embedded PHP
- Access and manipulation of MySQL
- The Ajax web application development approach
- DOM and CSS used in JavaScript
- Asynchronous content update technologies
- XMLHttpRequest objects used to communicate between clients and servers
- XML and JSON
- XSLT and XPath as mechanisms for transforming XML documents
- Web services and APIs (especially Google Maps)
- Ajax frameworks for contemporary web application development
- Design patterns used in web applications
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.