In April 2011, Ecommerce Developer readers were interested in Twitter accounts, accessibility, development tools, and Magento tutorials.
Here are the most popular articles that we published in April. They are presented countdown style from ten to one. Articles that we published later in the month are less likely to appear on the list.
No. 10: Create a Custom Magento Theme, Part 9: Background Rotation
The ABN theme's design required a large background image that was highly stylized. What's more, I wanted the theme to randomly rotate the background image when the page loaded. And finally, as mentioned above, Athlete by Nature does not have a staff member that is proficient enough at coding to manage the background images in what might be considered "the normal way," with JavaScript, HTML, or the like.
No. 9: 21 Mobile Development Platforms and Tools
Mobile devices have captured the attention of merchants and online businesses. The prospect for developing within the mobile environment is filled with great potential for any developer up to the task.
Here is a list of development tools for each of the most popular mobile operating systems – Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, webOS and many more – as well as list of cross-platform development tools to develop rich apps for any device.
No. 8: Create a Custom Magento Theme, Part 8: More Search and Navigation
A significant portion of any design is devoted to tiny details that can make or break a project.
Here in "Part 8" of this series, I am going to focus on some minor details with the search bar and secondary or account navigation. It is not glamorous stuff, but it needs to be done.
No. 7: Using Facebook's API to Register Users
Facebook has more than 500 million users — half of which log in to Facebook on any given day. It can make sense, therefore, to let users log in or even register for a site using their Facebook credentials.
What's more, Facebook offers an excellent API; using Facebook to register site visitors is a snap. In this short tutorial, I will describe how to use the Facebook JavaScript SDK and PHP to produce a site registration form, add custom fields, and get user data that can be saved in your site's database.
No. 6: 10 Excellent HTML5 Examples
HTML5 is a reality. With the improvements in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9, every major browser vendor now supports significant portions of the standard.
With this in mind, I set out to find sites that were putting HTML5 to use to producing new effects or improved user experiences. Below are ten excellent examples of sites that are using HTML5 right now.
No. 5: 55 Google APIs for Developers and Designers
Google usually has developers and designers in mind when it rolls out a new product or service, as it generally includes an API that can be used to integrate that product easily into a website or application.
Below is a list of 55 of Google's most widely used APIs. The APIs are separated into their most basic categories, but many have cross-category function and could be used for multiple purposes.
No. 4: 23 Free, Open-Source Shopping Carts
Open source shopping carts can help ecommerce developers who have special client needs or require customized features.
Here is a list of free, open source shopping cart platforms. If you know of other free, open source carts, please let us know in the comment section, below.
No. 3: Create a Custom Magento Theme Part 12: Beginning the JavaScript for the Content Slider
When you're including a content slider in your Magento project you have two basic options. You can use an existing carousel or slider, or you can code your own.
Both solutions have their challenges. If you pick an already made slider or carousel, you need to use specific class names or ID, or you may have to use a particular layout. If you decide to code your own, you may face any number of challenges as you work through the process. For the ABN Magento theme, I chose to write my own.
No. 2 Web Accessibility: 10 Common Developer Mistakes
The most common mistakes made in web accessibility have more to do with a failure to understand what constitutes accessible content than with a failure to understand the technology. To avoid gross web accessibility errors, understand one fundamental concept of web accessibility: What you see is not what you get.
The problems here are non-technical and easily tested. And yet, they are very commonly overlooked from those who fail to grasp the principles of accessibility.
No. 1: 10 Web Developers You Must Follow on Twitter
Every industry has its leaders — individuals whose efforts, experience, and influence often guide the collective field.
Staying in lock step with these industry gurus can help your work. In this post, you'll find my list of must-follow web developers and the links to their Twitter accounts.
