What languages do I need to know to make an e-commerce web site?

Question

I know C/C++ and am quite good with them, but know NOTHING about doing web pages!

I plan on learning myself (Its just a hobby right now), but don't know the different languages needed or what tools to use (preferably free tools). Can someone give me an idea what a fairly simple e-commerce site would entail (accepting credit card orders or maybe paypal). Maybe a shopping cart or something also, along with shipping information (optional). 

Basically, I want a web site that has pictures and descriptions of the items for sale, and the ability to either add to a shopping cart or just order with out the cart. Accept credit card info (and verify its valid), maybe email me with the order info so it can be shipped. Im not sure how all this works so info on the process would be helpful.

Remember, This isn't for some fortune 500 company! Its just something small and simple. For instance, suppose I wanted a web site to sell items in my own home (not what Im doing, but something small like that).

Don't tell me to use ebay or craigslist, because I want to learn how to DEVELOP the website, not necessarily SELL items.

P.S. My timeframe for learning is unlimited, so if it takes me a several years, so what.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Good practice for making dynamic web pages is to use PHP. It's a server side language so you will need to be hosted to practice the code. If I were you, I wouldn't take on the challenge to completely develop your own e comm platform. I would start with a base, and there are many. My best advice would be to download the source files from Magento: http://www.magentocommerce.com/download

You can use their community addition for free. If you have your own server, you can create a database and install Magento directly to it. The possibilities with this platform are fairly scalable and customizable. Once you have everything installed properly, you will control all the properties of your site through the content management system. If you want to dramatically customize the front end design, you will need to have a good HTML / CSS / Javascript knowledge.

Here some other good e commerce platforms that you can work from:

- http://www.opencart.com/
- http://getshopped.org/
- http://www.hybris.com/
- http://www.zen-cart.com/

hope this helps

Anonymous · Answer

If you are not planning on writing the cart, which I would not advise you not to, then HTML, PHP CSS and a MySql database would take care of it.  You could also use some javascript.  I have developed several different e-commerce sites, once you understand the fundamentals of adding the products to the shopping cart, the process is rather easy. (providing you know a little HTML...  My first e-commerce sites years ago were strictly HTML.)

Writing a CMS for the back-end is a little more difficult, but again once you setup the database(s), adding editing and deleting the products is not that hard.

I designed all my sites in notepad+, so really no other software other than the cart is needed.

If you are planning on designing the cart, there are a lot of things that you might never think of that you have to keep in mind when starting.... pci compliance when storing credit cards, security issues of personal information, SSL folders, interfacing with credit card processors, protecting your server from hackers, etc.  It was too much work for me, so I just used and existing cart designed by a third party designer.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.
Best wishes.

UMM · Answer

So if you know NOTHING about web pages then LEARN:
HTML-Its a must and is required for any single page out there(everything uses it)
CSS- To make it look pretty(must)
Javascript- So this is what you use for mostly for events, ei..i click this button, and it updates my profile
-you should use javascript, but thats a big should
    also, learn javascript library jquery, its A LOT EASIER
PHP/MYSQL- for an e-commerce web site, youll definetly need them, for storing and retrieving from database
AJAX- can do stuff without reloading the page..so its cool/fast...

TIMEFRAME- if your serious about learning yourself and have knowledge of programming, it wont take years to learn...really if you spent like 30 minutes a day, for 1 year...you should be good...
learn the things in that order...for html and css, websites i suggest are 
thenewboston.org and w3 schools
for javascript i suggest these: w3schools thenewboston and tizag
for php: phpacademy.org
for ajax...umm a lot of stuff...all of the sites listed above

Anonymous · Answer

HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, AJAX, PHP, MySQL

What languages do I need to know to make an e-commerce web site?

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