One thing I've noticed lately is that it's sometimes hard to find basic beginner to intermediate level information on many of the subjects that we, as developers, care about. Whether it's pointing a newbie to a "how to get started with...", starting from scratch myself in a new language or technique, or brushing up on something I last did 4 years ago, I'm finding that basic articles seem to be getting as scarce as hens' teeth.

I think this is mainly for two reasons.  First, a lot of people write articles to share their latest insights or build their reputations.  Frankly, you're not going to have many insights on something that 95% of developers already know how to do, and the world isn't going to be impressed that you spent your hard-won free time sharing knowledge that most of your peers already have.  The second reason is that it's hard to see a need for resources on something "everyone already knows."  Even though new people are entering the business all the time, we found resources that helped us get started—clearly the resources are there to be had, if people take the trouble to look, right?

Well, maybe.  I fondly remember teaching myself to code a data-driven web page using WebMonkey's "Your First Database" article.  This article is packed with great information, including the least mysterious discussion of normalization I have ever read.  Unfortunately, it's no longer hosted on that site.  My theory is that they've decided that ASP is "so ten years ago" and abandoned the article in favor of sexier topics, despite the wealth of great information it contains that is not specific to ASP.  If you're interested in seeing the article, it is still available on the Way Back Machine.

However, there are still loads of great sites out there that have been around for many years, and still contain content that was cutting edge five or ten years ago, as well as continuing to add content that breaks new ground today.  As such, they are great references for developers of every level.

• AListApart—Their CSS section is da bomb
• HTMLGoodies—Does a great job of explaining some really basic stuff that other sites assume you know
• MSDN Library—Even if you think Microsoft is the Devil, this is a terrific place to get the lowdown on the exact syntax to use in several languages.
• SitePoint—I've found their AJAX tutorials especially useful
• w3Schools—Comprehensive tutorials and reference on many subjects, and their Try It Yourself feature gives you a little sandbox to play in to check that you understand what you're reading
• WebReference—Lots of meaty, thoughtful articles on a wide range of subjects

What are your favorite sites?

Read more from Amy Blankenship.