A website is defined as the arrangement and creation of web pages that in turn make up a website. A web page is a document typically written in HTML format, offering a collection of information about a particular topic or subject for which the website is developed. For example, a website might be compared to a book, where each page of the book is a web page.

There are many aspects (design concerns) in this process, and due to the rapid evolution of the Internet, new aspects may arise. For typical commercial websites, the basic aspects are:

• The content: Substance and informational value of the site, from its target public's point of view;
• The usability of the site: Navigation scheme, intuitive interface, compatibility and reliability of dynamic functions;
• The appearance: what's communicated by the styles, design concept, and professional appearance of the pages;
• The visibility of the site on the Internet: Particularly within the major search engines, effected by compatibility with the major search engines and all of the above.

Web development is a broad term that incorporates all areas of developing a web site for the World Wide Web. This can include e-commerce business development, web design, web content development, client-side and server-side programming, and web server configuration. Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, or social network services.