Build Web, Guide AI

Business Web Development with AI

A practical approach to web development that embraces AI as your development partner while building real business solutions with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, and React.

Author

Michael Borck

Published

January 23, 2026

Preface

Building for Business in the AI Era

Welcome to Build Web, Guide AI: Business Web Development with AI – a practical guide to modern web development that embraces AI as your development partner while never losing sight of why we build: to solve real business problems.

Why This Book Is Different

Most web development books teach you technologies. This book teaches you to think like a professional developer who happens to use specific technologies.

In a world where AI can generate code in seconds, the valuable skills are:

Understanding what to build – translating business needs into technical requirements
Evaluating technology choices – knowing when WordPress beats React, or vice versa
Communicating with stakeholders – explaining technical decisions in business terms
Iteratively improving – knowing when “good enough” ships and when quality matters

This book develops these skills while teaching you HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, and React.

The AI Partnership

AI can write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript faster than you ever will. That’s not a threat – it’s a superpower.

This book teaches you to:

Architect solutions that AI helps you build
Evaluate AI output with professional judgment
Communicate requirements clearly enough for AI to help
Debug and improve AI-generated code

You’re learning to be the architect. AI is your highly skilled assistant.

About This Book’s Creation

In the spirit of practicing what we teach, this book was created through human-AI collaboration. Every chapter represents a partnership between human expertise and AI assistance, with careful human oversight ensuring pedagogical quality and technical accuracy.

Your Learning Journey

Over 12 weeks (or at your own pace), you’ll progress from understanding web fundamentals to building integrated business applications. More importantly, you’ll develop the professional judgment that makes you valuable in any technology stack.

Who This Book Is For

Students in business technology or web development courses
Career changers entering tech from business backgrounds
Professionals who need to understand web development for their roles
Anyone who wants to build web solutions with AI assistance

Prerequisites

Basic computer literacy
Curiosity about how websites work
Willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes
Access to AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, or similar)

No prior programming experience required. We start from scratch.

How to Use This Book

Each chapter follows a consistent pattern:

Concept First – Understand the idea before the syntax
AI Exploration – Discover patterns with AI assistance
Hands-On Practice – Build something real
Business Connection – Understand why this matters
Reflection – Consolidate your learning

Work through chapters in order. Each builds on the previous.

Companion Course

This book aligns with ISYS3004: Business Web and Mobile Technologies at Curtin University, but stands alone as a complete learning resource.

Related Resources

This book is part of a “Learning with AI” collection – resources designed to help you master modern development in the AI era.

The AI Methodology Guide

Conversation, Not Delegation: Mastering Human-AI Development provides the deep methodology for AI collaboration that this book applies to web development. If you want to understand why certain prompting approaches work, Conversation, Not Delegation is your guide.

Key concepts from Intentional Prompting used throughout this book:

The Six-Step Methodology: Restate → Identify I/O → Work by Hand → Pseudocode → Convert → Test
Design before coding: Understanding problems before asking AI for solutions
Intentional prompts: Directing AI with clarity and purpose
Critical evaluation: Reviewing AI output with professional judgment

The Python Track

If you’re also interested in Python development, explore the Python learning path:

Think Python, Direct AI: For absolute beginners learning computational thinking
Code Python, Consult AI: Focused Python fundamentals with AI integration
Ship It: Python in Production: Professional Python development practices

Book Progression

                    ┌─────────────────────┐
                    │   CONVERSATION,     │
                    │  NOT DELEGATION     │
                    │   (Methodology)     │
                    └─────────────────────┘
                           │
            ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
            ▼              │              ▼
    ┌───────────────┐      │      ┌───────────────┐
    │  PYTHON TRACK │      │      │   WEB TRACK   │
    │               │      │      │               │
    │ Think Python  │      │      │ Build Web,    │
    │ Code Python   │      │      │ Guide AI      │
    │ Ship It       │      │      │ (this book)   │
    └───────────────┘      │      └───────────────┘
                           │
                    (shared methodology)

Start wherever matches your goals. The methodology from Conversation, Not Delegation enhances all paths.

Let’s build something meaningful together.

# Preface {.unnumbered} ## Building for Business in the AI Era Welcome to *Build Web, Guide AI: Business Web Development with AI* – a practical guide to modern web development that embraces AI as your development partner while never losing sight of why we build: to solve real business problems. ### Why This Book Is Different Most web development books teach you technologies. This book teaches you to **think like a professional developer** who happens to use specific technologies. In a world where AI can generate code in seconds, the valuable skills are: - **Understanding what to build** – translating business needs into technical requirements - **Evaluating technology choices** – knowing when WordPress beats React, or vice versa - **Communicating with stakeholders** – explaining technical decisions in business terms - **Iteratively improving** – knowing when "good enough" ships and when quality matters This book develops these skills while teaching you HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, and React. ### The AI Partnership AI can write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript faster than you ever will. That's not a threat – it's a superpower. This book teaches you to: - **Architect solutions** that AI helps you build - **Evaluate AI output** with professional judgment - **Communicate requirements** clearly enough for AI to help - **Debug and improve** AI-generated code You're learning to be the architect. AI is your highly skilled assistant. ### About This Book's Creation In the spirit of practicing what we teach, this book was created through human-AI collaboration. Every chapter represents a partnership between human expertise and AI assistance, with careful human oversight ensuring pedagogical quality and technical accuracy. ### Your Learning Journey Over 12 weeks (or at your own pace), you'll progress from understanding web fundamentals to building integrated business applications. More importantly, you'll develop the professional judgment that makes you valuable in any technology stack. ### Who This Book Is For - **Students** in business technology or web development courses - **Career changers** entering tech from business backgrounds - **Professionals** who need to understand web development for their roles - **Anyone** who wants to build web solutions with AI assistance ### Prerequisites - Basic computer literacy - Curiosity about how websites work - Willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes - Access to AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) No prior programming experience required. We start from scratch. ### How to Use This Book Each chapter follows a consistent pattern: 1. **Concept First** – Understand the idea before the syntax 2. **AI Exploration** – Discover patterns with AI assistance 3. **Hands-On Practice** – Build something real 4. **Business Connection** – Understand why this matters 5. **Reflection** – Consolidate your learning Work through chapters in order. Each builds on the previous. ### Companion Course This book aligns with ISYS3004: Business Web and Mobile Technologies at Curtin University, but stands alone as a complete learning resource. ## Related Resources This book is part of a **"Learning with AI" collection** – resources designed to help you master modern development in the AI era. ### The AI Methodology Guide **[Conversation, Not Delegation: Mastering Human-AI Development](https://michaelborck-books.github.io/conversation-not-delegation)** provides the deep methodology for AI collaboration that this book applies to web development. If you want to understand *why* certain prompting approaches work, Conversation, Not Delegation is your guide. Key concepts from Intentional Prompting used throughout this book: - **The Six-Step Methodology**: Restate → Identify I/O → Work by Hand → Pseudocode → Convert → Test - **Design before coding**: Understanding problems before asking AI for solutions - **Intentional prompts**: Directing AI with clarity and purpose - **Critical evaluation**: Reviewing AI output with professional judgment ### The Python Track If you're also interested in Python development, explore the Python learning path: - **Think Python, Direct AI**: For absolute beginners learning computational thinking - **Code Python, Consult AI**: Focused Python fundamentals with AI integration - **Ship It: Python in Production**: Professional Python development practices ### Book Progression ``` ┌─────────────────────┐ │ CONVERSATION, │ │ NOT DELEGATION │ │ (Methodology) │ └─────────────────────┘ │ ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐ ▼ │ ▼ ┌───────────────┐ │ ┌───────────────┐ │ PYTHON TRACK │ │ │ WEB TRACK │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Think Python │ │ │ Build Web, │ │ Code Python │ │ │ Guide AI │ │ Ship It │ │ │ (this book) │ └───────────────┘ │ └───────────────┘ │ (shared methodology) ``` Start wherever matches your goals. The methodology from Conversation, Not Delegation enhances all paths. --- Let's build something meaningful together.