Full Stack Web Development
Building a Fully Functional E-commerce Website Using cPanel
A comprehensive guide using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and Node.js
Introduction
This book provides a detailed guide on how to create a fully functional e-commerce website using
front-end technologies
(HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and back-end frameworks (PHP and Node.js), while managing the entire
process through cPanel and
MySQL databases. The goal is to offer a practical, programming-centric approach to building an
online store, without
using WordPress, Elementor, or drag-and-drop tools.
In this guide, you'll learn:
1. How to use cPanel for managing databases and web files.
2. Setting up MySQL databases for e-commerce applications.
3. Front-end development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
4. Back-end development with PHP and Node.js for handling dynamic functionalities.
5. Creating a product catalog, shopping cart, and handling user authentication.
6. Secure payment integration and deployment.
Let's dive in and build a real-world e-commerce solution step-by-step!
Chapter 1: Introduction to cPanel
cPanel is a user-friendly web hosting control panel that helps you manage your hosting account via
a web-based interface.
In this chapter, we'll walk through setting up and using cPanel for managing databases and web
server configurations.
You'll learn:
1. How to log in to cPanel and access key features.
2. Setting up and managing MySQL databases.
3. Uploading website files using the File Manager.
### Setting Up MySQL in cPanel
1. Log into cPanel and navigate to the "Databases" section.
2. Click on "MySQL Databases."
3. Create a new database by entering the database name and clicking "Create Database."
4. Add a new user with appropriate permissions.
5. Use phpMyAdmin to manage tables and database queries.
Chapter 2: Front-End Development
### HTML Basics for Structuring Your Website
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundation of any web page. We'll start by setting up the
structure of an e-commerce
website using HTML. Here's a simple outline of how an e-commerce site's homepage might be
structured.
```html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>My E-Commerce Store</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
<header>
<h1>Welcome to My E-Commerce Store</h1>
<nav>
<a href="index.html">Home</a>
<a href="products.html">Products</a>
<a href="cart.html">Cart</a>
<a href="login.html">Login</a>
</nav>
</header>
<main>
<section id="featured-products">
<h2>Featured Products</h2>
<!-- Product items will go here -->
</section>
</main>
<footer>
<p>© 2024 My E-Commerce Store</p>
</footer>
</body>
</html>
```
### CSS for Styling
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used to style the HTML structure. Here is how you can add styling
to the homepage.
```css
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
background-color: #f4f4f4;
}
header {
background-color: #333;
color: white;
padding: 10px 0;
text-align: center;
nav a {
color: white;
margin: 0 15px;
text-decoration: none;
main {
padding: 20px;
background-color: white;
footer {
text-align: center;
padding: 10px 0;
background-color: #333;
color: white;
position: fixed;
width: 100%;
bottom: 0;
}
```
### JavaScript for Interactivity
JavaScript will allow us to make the website interactive, handling actions like adding products to the
cart.
```javascript
const cart = [];
function addToCart(productId) {
// Find product by ID and add to cart
cart.push(productId);
alert('Product added to cart!');
```
This structure forms the basic front-end for your e-commerce website.
Chapter 3: Back-End Development
### Introduction to Back-End Development
The back-end of an e-commerce website is what handles dynamic content, such as user data,
products, and orders. In this chapter,
we'll explore how to use both PHP and Node.js to create server-side scripts.
#### PHP Example: Connecting to MySQL
PHP is widely used in web development for server-side scripting. Let's connect to the MySQL
database to retrieve products.
```php
<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "ecommerce";
// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);
// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}
$sql = "SELECT id, name, price FROM products";
$result = $conn->query($sql);
if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
echo "id: " . $row["id"]. " - Name: " . $row["name"]. " - Price: " . $row["price"]. "<br>";
} else {
echo "0 results";
$conn->close();
?>
```
#### Node.js Example: Building an API for Products
Node.js allows for the creation of fast, scalable network applications using JavaScript. Below is a
simple API for retrieving
products from the database.
```javascript
const express = require('express');
const mysql = require('mysql');
const app = express();
const db = mysql.createConnection({
host: 'localhost',
user: 'root',
password: '',
database: 'ecommerce'
});
db.connect(err => {
if (err) {
throw err;
console.log('MySQL Connected...');
});
app.get('/products', (req, res) => {
let sql = 'SELECT * FROM products';
db.query(sql, (err, results) => {
if (err) throw err;
res.send(results);
});
});
app.listen(3000, () => {
console.log('Server running on port 3000');
});
```
This will set up a Node.js server and a simple API endpoint for retrieving product data.
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