First Steps in Coding by Informal Web Developers

While prior research has investigated the practices of experienced web developers, little is known about the initial coding episodes of novices who are on the cusp of web development. Through interviews with library and information science students who have completed a web development course, we explore coding challenges that novices face and the emergence of strategies in response to them. Our results reveal that challenges arise from abstractions present in web development and their mismatch with WYSIWYG interfaces. These findings suggest new avenues for the design of web development tools that support the transitioning of non-coders into active web developers.