Best Web Dev Books in 2025: Learn HTML, CSS, JS, PHP & jQuery

Web development has come a long way – it’s no longer just about creating static pages that display information. Today, the web is deeply woven into our daily lives. Whether you’re interacting with public cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, shopping on e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba, or even writing and deploying code directly from a browser-based environment, the web is at the center of it all. And that’s just scratching the surface of what web development makes possible, which is why it’s such a valuable skill to learn.

Modern websites also prioritize design and user experience, so designers now play a key role in building beautiful, standout sites. If you’re ready to start your journey, the books listed below will give you the solid foundation you need to build great things in the future.

Just keep in mind that continuous learning and knowledge review is a fundamental parts of being a web developer. Web technologies and tools constantly evolve and improve, and web designers and developers must keep abreast of them. For example, on November 26, the new version of PHP, the most widely used programming language, was released. And even those who already have some PHP/web development experience should study it to develop cutting-edge, high-performance PHP web applications with the newest PHP features.

The world of JavaScript is also constantly enriched with new and libraries, JavaScript UI frameworks which contribute to accelerating web app development.”

1. HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites

Duckett observed that more and more people are looking to learn HTML and CSS every day. His book is designed for absolute beginners, but also serves as a handy reference for those with some experience. It appeals not only to aspiring web designers and developers, but also to people in other fields—like those updating content on a CMS or managing an online store – who need just a bit of coding knowledge. Unlike many other HTML and CSS books that feel dry or overly technical, this one takes a fresh, accessible approach that makes learning both engaging and practical.

  • Introduces HTML and CSS in a way that makes them accessible to everyone―hobbyists, students, and professionals―and it’s full-colour throughout
  • Utilizes information graphics and lifestyle photography to explain the topics in a simple way that is engaging
  • Boasts a unique structure that allows you to progress through the chapters from beginning to end or just dip into topics of particular interest at your leisure

This educational book is one that you will enjoy picking up, reading, and then referring back to. It will make you wish other technical topics were presented in such a simple, attractive and engaging way!

Start your HTML & CSS voyage by clicking on the link below:

2. Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery Set

Jon Duckett must have seen the frustration that web development learners face when they tossed their heads into the field and got themselves swamped with a myriad of jargon and paths to follow. He provides a two-book set for web designers and front-end developers that make it easier to follow along.

This two-book set combines the titles:

  • HTML & CSS: Designing and Building Web Sites and
  • JavaScript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Development.

Together these two books form an ideal platform for anyone who wants to master HTML and CSS before stepping up to JavaScript and jQuery making it extra simple to follow as you grow in your skill.

HTML & CSS covers the structure, text, links, images, tables, forms, useful options, adding style with CSS, fonts, colours, thinking in boxes, styling lists and tables, layouts, grids, and even SEO, Google analytics, FTP, and HTML5. JavaScript & jQuery offers an excellent combined introduction to these two technologies using a clear and simple visual approach using diagrams, infographics, and photographs.

Summary

  • A handy two-book set that uniquely combines related technologies
  • The highly visual format and accessible language make these books highly effective learning tools
  • Perfect for beginning web designers and front-end developers

Have it all in your library from Amazon below;

3. JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development

Once you are comfortable with HTML & CSS, this full-colour book by Jon Duckett will show you how to make your websites more interactive and your interfaces more attractive and intuitive. The author has HTML & CSS: Design and Build Websites book as well to cover the most fundamental part of web development.

What the book covers

  • Basic programming concepts – assuming no prior knowledge of programming beyond an ability to create a web page using HTML & CSS
  • Core elements of the JavaScript language – so you can learn how to write your own scripts from scratch
  • jQuery – which will allow you to simplify the process of writing scripts (this is introduced halfway through the book once you have a solid understanding of JavaScript)
  • How to recreate techniques you will have seen on other websites such as sliders, content filters, form validation, updating content using Ajax, and much more (these examples demonstrate writing your own scripts from scratch and how the theory you have learned is put into practice).

By the end of the book, the author promises that not only will you be able to use the thousands of scripts, JavaScript APIs, and jQuery plugins that are freely available on the web, and be able to customize them – you will also be able to create your own scripts from scratch.

More on this pricing can be found below;

4. Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming

JavaScript lies at the heart of almost every modern web application, from social apps like Twitter to browser-based game frameworks like Phaser and Babylon. Though simple for beginners to pick up and play with, JavaScript is a flexible, complex language that you can use to build full-scale applications. Noted that Marijn Haverbeke the author put together this book that focuses on JavaScript.

This much anticipated and thoroughly revised third edition of Eloquent JavaScript dives deep into the JavaScript language to show you how to write beautiful, effective code. It has been updated to reflect the current state of Java¬Script and web browsers and includes brand-new material on features like class notation, arrow functions, iterators, async functions, template strings, and block scope. A host of new exercises have also been added to test your skills and keep you on track.

As you build projects such as an artificial life simulation, a simple programming language, and a paint program, you’ll learn how to:

  • Understand the essential elements of programming, including syntax, control, and data
  • Organize and clarify your code with object-oriented and functional programming techniques
  • Script the browser and make basic web applications
  • Use the DOM effectively to interact with browsers
  • Harness Node.js to build servers and utilities

Ready for JavaScript? The link below will serve you best.

5. Learn JavaScript VISUALLY with Interactive Exercises

If you love learning with visually rich kind of material, then you will fall in love with this resource put together by Ivelin Demirov. His reason is that visual learners retain information very differently than their left-brained counterparts and thus benefit from different approaches. Full-colour illustrations help memory triggers as your brain never forgets an image, metaphor or schema. One page of this visual JavaScript guide can equal one chapter of a conventional book as illustrations can make a world of difference over strict words on a page!

If you have ever tried to learn JavaScript and found it boring, or difficult or you needed a different approach, why not get this book and see if it makes a difference?

What you will learn

  • How to read and write JavaScript
  • The syntax of the language
  • The most important concepts
  • Programming terminology
  • Basics of the object-oriented programming
  • Learn by doing exercises

6. Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide

The author Jennifer Robbins targets those who want to build web pages but have no prior experience. The book id a friendly guide and serves as the perfect place to start. You’ll begin at square one, learning how the web and web pages work, and then steadily build from there. By the end of the book, you’ll have the skills to create a simple site with multicolumn pages that adapt to mobile devices.

Each chapter provides exercises to help you learn various techniques and short quizzes to make sure you understand key concepts.

This thoroughly revised edition is ideal for students and professionals of all backgrounds and skill levels. It is simple and clear enough for beginners, yet thorough enough to be a useful reference for experienced developers keeping their skills up to date.

What you will take away

  • Build HTML pages with text, links, images, tables, and forms
  • Use style sheets (CSS) for colours, backgrounds, formatting text, page layout, and even simple animation effects
  • Learn how JavaScript works and why the language is so important in web design
  • Create and optimize web images so they’ll download as quickly as possible
  • New! Use CSS Flexbox and Grid for a sophisticated and flexible page layout
  • New! Learn the ins and outs of Responsive Web Design to make web pages look great on all devices
  • New! Become familiar with the command line, Git, and other tools in the modern web developer’s toolkit
  • New! Get to know the super-powers of SVG graphics

Visit Amazon to get this book by clicking on the link below

7. PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites

Larry Ullman presents an easy visual approach using demonstrations and real-world examples to guide you step by step through advanced techniques for dynamic Web development using PHP and MySQL. If you would wish to advance your server-side skills using PHP and any SQL-based Database, then you should check out for the content that Larry shares in this resource.

What you will find inside

  • Concise steps and explanations let you get up and running in no time.
  • Essential reference guide keeps you coming back again and again.
  • Whether you’re new to programming or an experienced veteran just needing to get up to speed on PHP and MySQL, this book will teach you all you need to know, including the latest changes in the languages, and much more!

Find all the details you need by clicking on the link below:

8. Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript

Robin Nixon, the author has taken a hands-on approach to teach his readers web development which is a very effective way of mastering and getting results as you proceed. In the resource, you will build interactive, data-driven websites with a potent combination of open-source technologies and web standards, even if you have only basic HTML knowledge. In this update to this popular hands-on guide, you’ll tackle dynamic web programming with the latest versions of today’s core technologies: PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, and key jQuery libraries.

Web designers will learn how to use these technologies together and pick up valuable web programming practices along the way—including how to optimize websites for mobile devices. At the end of the book, you’ll put everything together to build a fully functional social networking site suitable for both desktop and mobile browsers.

Home takeaways

  • Explore MySQL, from database structure to complex queries
  • Use the MySQLi extension, PHP’s improved MySQL interface
  • Create dynamic PHP web pages that tailor themselves to the user
  • Manage cookies and sessions and maintain a high level of security
  • Enhance the JavaScript language with jQuery and jQuery mobile libraries
  • Use Ajax calls for background browser server communication
  • Style your web pages by acquiring CSS2 and CSS3 skills
  • Implement HTML5 features, including geolocation, audio, video, and the canvas element
  • Reformat your websites into mobile web apps

Click on the link below to view more details about the resource and to also purchase your copy.

9. Murach’s PHP and MySQL

Co-authored by experienced developers Joel Murach, Ray Harris, and Anne Boehm (Editor), this 4th Edition does a better-than-ever job of delivering the skills you need to develop database-driven websites using PHP and MySQL, the way today’s top web professionals do. Grasping PHP can be a little bit tricky but having resources like this that know that fact, it becomes way better to follow and understand.

Right from the start, you’ll learn to create applications that conform to the MVC pattern, so they’ll be easier to maintain as they grow. In addition, you’ll learn how to create applications that prevent SQL injection attacks and guard against XSS attacks.

As you proceed, you will be taken deeper into PHP by covering the skills you’ll use every day, like how to work with form data, dates, arrays, sessions, cookies, functions, objects, regular expressions, and exceptions. Likewise, the next section dives into MySQL, teaching you how to design and create a database, as well as how to access and maintain database data from your PHP programs. Finally, you will learn important web programmings skills like how to secure web pages, send emails, upload files, and process images.

Note that complete sample applications and chapter exercises provide training support throughout. A great choice for any developer who wants to master PHP without a lot of frustration and unnecessary expense. Click below to get your book soonest.

10. Murach’s JavaScript and jQuery

Today, you’ll find JavaScript and jQuery used everywhere on the web, from small individual sites to the largest commercial sites like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. That’s why every web developer needs to have at least a basic set of JavaScript and jQuery skills which Zak Ruvalcaba, Mary Delamater, Anne Boehm, and Mike Murach have presented so well in this eloquent book.

Whether you’re a web designer who’s coming from a background in HTML and CSS or a server-side programmer who’s coded in languages like PHP, C#, Java, and Python, you can absolutely lean on this resource. Due to its unique, self-paced approach, this book works regardless of your experience. And when you’re through learning from it, this book will become the best quick reference that you’ve ever used.

Complete coding examples, practice exercises, and Murach’s distinctive paired-page format (each topic is presented in a 2-page spread with text and illustrations) combine to let you tailor the pace and content to your learning style.

Find out more about Murach’s resources in Amazon on the link below

11. PHP & MySQL: Server-side Web Development

Technologies are changing lives in different aspects, especially with the innovation of feature-rich computers and the birth of the internet. With the help of technology, web development has become a popular and very interesting field in the tech industry, portraying plenty of benefits in our everyday lives. Thus, being a developer in this attractive area will earn you a reputable and beneficial job. Improve your skills as a web developer by buying informative books with content on building a functional website. PHP & MySQL: Server-side Web Development is an outstanding book that will teach you the essential topics to make your career successful.

Jon Duckett, the book’s author, has provided information on PHP, a programming language mainly used in creating dynamic webpages that interact with databases. Additionally, you will dive deep into topics with MySQL, an open-source relational database management system widely used to store and manage  volumes of data. You will appreciate the content in this learning material since it is logical, concise, and descriptive. Remember that it is packed with code examples, photography, and infographics to help the learner understand PHP programming language and how it works with databases. Topics covered in the book are way more detailed, enhancing your ability to create websites and applications from scratch. Gain knowledge with the help of step-by-step instructions, an exceptional visual approach, and the hints and tips given by the author. 

Jon Duckett  in the PHP & MySQL: Server-side Web Development book will:

  • Shows how to apply the learned skills in creating a complete content management system.
  • It teaches you how to create modern database-driven websites using PHP.
  • Explores practical techniques that you will recognize from popular sites

12. Full Stack Web Development For Beginners

A full-stack developer is a respected professional with excellent front-end and back-end technologies expertise. Such an experienced person can work with the layers of a web application, including the server-side logic, database, user interface, and more. There is a high demand for full-stack developers; thus, if you are in this field or aspiring to become one of these specialists, consider optimizing your chances of success through learning. Luckily, Full Stack Web Development for Beginners will equip you with your dream skillset. Jump straight into it since no prior experience is needed.

Riaz Ahmed has written this amazing book for beginners interested in becoming full-stack developers and willing to learn. HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP are the core technologies used to develop web applications. From the content in this book, you will gain a solid foundation in the world of web development as the author focuses on the functional areas of these exceptional technologies. It is an easy-to-understand study material with a well-thought-out visual design and a smooth flow of information. As a developer, you will learn by yourself and gain hands-on skills from the provided real-world examples with clear explanations. Pick this resourceful book to kick-start your area of expertise or as a way of elevating your career.

Interact with the following from Full Stack Web Development For Beginners:

  • Assemble all scattered pieces in one place: HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap,  JavaScript, PHP and MySQL. Step-by-step instructions are provided on downloading and installing the required software and components to set up a complete development environment on your pc.
  • Focuses on the inspiring, practical aspects of these web technologies
  • Move novices gradually from creating an HTML file with a text editor through learning HTML, CSS, MySQL, JavaScript, Bootstrap,  and PHP to building and deploying a professional e-commerce website that contains static and dynamic pages.

13. Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS

In the web development industry, we must keep familiarizing ourselves with previous, new, and trending technologies. For instance, Responsive web design is now a widely used term implying the approach used in creating websites that offer optimal user experience across different devices, screen sizes, platforms, and orientations. It is an important field for web developers, and Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS book will let you dig deep into this area. Ben Frain, the author of this learner-friendly book, has ensured you understand modern web development properly while diving into the latest content in responsive web design.

Enjoy going through topics, approaches, and tips for front-end development as you take note of the best ways to create modern and real-life websites. It has everything you need to bring up to speed on the current techniques and practices applied in responsive web design. Remember that the language used by the author is easy to understand, and he provides examples to enhance your hands-on skills.

Get to interact with the color images that will help you understand topics on layout and design. Enjoy learning the various approaches for better accessibility, font loading, variable fonts, and the latest color manipulation tools. Ben Frain aims to provide information that will let you explore the latest abilities of HTML5 and CSS to build a single User Interface that works flawlessly on your computer, phone, or tablet.

Prepare to learn the following from Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS:

  • Use media queries, such as detection for touch/mouse and color preference
  • Understand HTML semantics and author-accessible markup
  • Learn to facilitate different images depending on screen size or resolution
  • Writing the latest color functions, mixing colors, and choosing the most accessible ones
  • How to use SVGs in designs to provide resolution-independent images
  • Creating and using CSS custom properties and new CSS functions
  • Adding validation and interface elements to HTML forms
  • How to enhance interface elements with filters, shadows, and animations

Epilogue

Whether you’re just starting out or already have programming experience, the books above will help you take meaningful steps into web development. Explore the ones that best fit your goals—we’re confident they’ll support your journey to success. To accelerate your learning, consider connecting with a mentor, joining online communities, and working on hands-on projects to strengthen your skills. Below, you’ll also find more great guides and articles that you might find useful.

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