Home
>
Web Development
>
How to Build a Database Driven Web Site

How to Build a Database Driven Web Site

If you ever want to create a state directory, article directory, dating site or link directory, you need to know about creating database driven web sites. This may seem like a daunting task at first, if you have never done it, however I was in the same boat as you. It is not as difficult as you think.

Benefits of building database driven web sites

-Store vast amounts of information about your products or services.

-Efficient data sorting and retrieval

-Complex queries and statistical analysis performed relatively easily

-Separate site design from site's content

-Create new pages on the fly without manually creating or editing new web pages

-Makes it easy for client to post content, update records without the need to know html or rely on a web developer.

-Advanced search capabilities

-Attract repeat visitors with fresh and constantly updated content.

-Update site information online without the need to upload web pages.

-Site maintenance greatly reduced.

-Enhance web interactivity

Requirements

MySQL - to retrieve information from a database, you first need to have a database. That's where MySQL comes in. MySQL is a relational database management system, or RDBMS. It's a software package that is very good at organizing and managing large amounts of information. MySQL also makes that information readily accessible by using a server-side scripting language like PHP.

PHP - this is a server-side scripting language. With PHP installed, your Web server will be able to read a new file (called a "PHP script") that can retrieve information instantly from a database and insert it into a web page before sending it to the browser that requested it. PHP is completely free to download and use.

Check with your current Web host. Make sure they have already installed MySQL and PHP on your Web server. Most web hosting companies already have it installed. If not find a web host that provides this service.

Steps to building a database driven web site:

You will be building a link directory site using a mySQL database and the WSN Links Script (a PHP script). Here's an example of the "Colorado Business Directory Site" that was built, based on following the 7 steps below:

http://www.hereiscolorado.com

1. Check that your web host has PHP 4.10+ (or PHP 5) and MySQL 3+ installed on the server.

2. To create the mySQL database on the web server:

-login to the cpanel of your server ie domainname/cpanel with your user name and password.
-click on 'MySQL Databases' icon.
-enter database name
-click 'add db'
-click on 'go back'
-under 'Users' enter user name and password for database
-click 'add user'
-click on 'go back'
-click on 'add user to database'

You should now get the reply that your database installation was successful.

3. Download the PHP script files to your desktop at: WSN links - http://www.isitebuild.com/cgi-bin/a/t.cgi?wsnlinks

4. Extract files from the ZIP folder and save them to a folder on your computer.

5. Upload all the extracted files to your hosting space

6. Set the correct permissions for your files.

7. To complete the installation and to customize the script, read the manual at:

http://www.isitebuild.com/cgi-bin/a/t.cgi?wsnlinks

You can continue to customize or edit your site online by accessing the admin panel within your web site.

Adding, sorting, retrieving, searching data, creating new pages, links etc can now easily be accomplished.

Congratulations!... you successfully have built yourself a database driven web site.

Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) owner and author of http://www.isitebuild.com Affordable Web Site Design and Web Hosting. Subscribe to his "Marketing Tips" newsletter for more original articles. http://www.isitebuild.com. You can read more of his in-depth articles at: http://www.isitebuild.com

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

How to Build a Database Driven Web Site

Web Development