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The frontend has to handle all the data entry/editing/display. At the moment I enter data on certain pages, then use other pages to look at the data and see if it's OK, and link times. Errant data entries then have to be tracked down manually.
I've got a general workflow in my mind, that once you enter a competitor number and time, then key information relating to the competitor is loaded on the screen, along with all the relevant times. This way incorrect details should get picked up at that point.
I'd also like various charts shown on the page, giving an event overview. I could cludge that via IFrames and JS, but I'd like a more dynamic appearance. I.e. say I have top 20 shown, I'd like a new entrant to the top 20 to slot in with a bit basic animation, instead of the page simply refreshing with the new top 20.
And on the subject of results screens, I'd like something that could gracefully handle connection loss (a bit like how Gmail does), and can pick up without the need to manually refresh the screen.
My problem is it's been that long since I paid any kind of real attention to web development (I think Rails had just appeared to give you an idea when that was!), I'm currently facing choice paralysis as to what to use. I've looked at options quite a few times, but I just end up with information overload, and going back to what I have.
My current thinking is try Angular, as at least it'll give me some kind of insight into SPA, and if needed move to something else. However I still keep thinking that going back to the basics of PHP, JS/JQuery, and AJAX might be simpler.
As for data visualisation...check this out:
https://d3js.org/
You can use that whether you have a traditional web app or SPA.
There is no real need to move to an SPA unless you just want to learn something new. It will probably just slow your development down quite a bit, but any of Vue, React and Angular 2 (the 2 part is important).
You are still going to need a backend though. If you want to get heavily into Javascript then you could do the backend APIs in NodeJS with something like Express. That said as inelegant as PHP is it will get the job done and it's probably the quickest route to a working solution if that's what you are used to. If you aren't already combine it with some kind of Rails like framework and away you go.
If you want to be really fancy you could look at Phoenix/Elixir which is designed by one of the guys that made Rails to be the next generation of Rails like frameworks. Haven't had too much time to look at it yet, but it seems very cool indeed.
Thanks guys, you've certainly helped clear things up in my mind.
I'll stick with PHP for the backend for now, as it shouldn't take much effort to change the existing code to get an API that can generate the required data. I'll work through the Angular 2 course, and see if it'll do what I'd like before making any final decision.
Feel free to shout if you get stuck.
It seems most of the DB vendors are responding to MongoDB with JSON data types.
You can do similar things with Postgres and MySQL now.
Aww thanks man, will do. It's the web development bootcamp, very well reviewed so I'm hoping it gives a decent overview of all the above - I'll finally understand what you guys are talking about
I started getting more interested when making my website. I used squarespace which was really easy to use and mobile responsive, fast loading etc but every template had limitations that drove me a bit nuts (perfect home screen but no thumbnails for blog posts?! Or a lovely blog and page format but poor gallery). I figured if i can create my own in a year's time it'll save me forking out another subscription and I'll get the website I really wanted.
I'm a self employed web developer - loads of hand coded PHP/MySql / my own 'strictly procedural' CMS /plenty of throwing JQuery/JS/Ajax around. A few sites where the admin side is the business, so not yer average catalogue site. Design skills, manager skills, some good names on the CV, but I've been out of the market for years.
I need more work, there's not enough coming through.
I'm old - can't write OO to save my life - would love to pick up a new skill that I can freelance with.
I can't abandon my current clients either, but I only get around 6-7 months work a year from it.
Plumbing? I'm not bad at that either.
Seriously, any suggestions would be much appreciated.
edit: not heard of Vue before - looks interesting - I'm so old school, one page apps remind me of developing with Macromedia Director - we've only just got past what that could do 20 years ago!!
A huge percentage of the sites out there are just skinned up wordpress or drupal etc.
One thing that might be worth a look is something like: http://youmightnotneedjquery.com/
Which shows you some of the things you can do in modern browsers that you used to need JQuery for. Handy if you are doing something basic and don't want to pull in a library. It's worth learning some Javascript ES6 features as it makes the language much nicer to use.
If you are principally doing static or basic DB driven sites there is really no need to learn Angular or React unless you really want to as a skinned up CMS is a much better fit for those types of applications.
If you want to have lots of jobs open to you, ASP.NET and C# is the way forward; all these years later, Microsoft still have a monopoly on the programming market.
If you want to do something interesting, Ruby on Rails is a really easy way into OO programming because it's baked into the whole thing and forces you down that road without you even thinking about it (in fact, it does a lot of the OO stuff for you). Otherwise, Node.js might be a good thing to try if you're already familiar with Javascript.
Not sure about RoR, I looked into it a bit 10 years ago. But for now Node, probably followed by Vue.
edit: Started 'Vue2- The complete guide' very good, surprised how professional it is (price dropped to a tenner too)