Free Ebooks for Designers & Developers

Whenever you are a newbie designer, or an advanced pro, the Web always has some interesting reading for you. Looking for a little experience in wiring SVG, building web apps or becoming a full-time freelancer? Well, there is no need to drown in hefty books. There are a lot of short, but useful ebooks which can help you become a pro in a particular subject. And the best part of these ebooks is that all of them are completely free to download!

So, scroll down and enjoy a showcase of 15 free ebooks for web designers and developers to take your skills to the next level. Some are available as PDF and other formats, while others can only be read online.

1. Pocket Guide to Writing SVG

In this guide, you’ll find a detailed introduction to writing SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and get an understanding on where to start. Using clear examples of fruit images and brief description of attributes, you’ll learn SVG step by step with this handy pocket guide. Also available in Portuguese.

Author: Joni Trythall

Available: Read Online

2. Speaking JavaScript

This ebook would be useful for both newbie Javascript programmers and for seasoned JavaScript programmers as it features the topic in-depth. The author continuousyly blog about Javascript and his other interests on his blog2ality.com

Author: Dr. Axel Rauschmayer

Available: Read Online

3. Adaptive Web Design

Learn the origins of progressive enhancement, its mechanism, philosophy, and a lot of practical ways which you can apply progressive enhancement principles using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS in this 6-chapter book.

Author: Aaron Gustafson

Available: Read Online

4. 27 Page Type Classification eBook

The 27 pages of this short ebook will walk you through the key classifications for typography. It covers a quick history for each classification and core characteristics of the style.

Author: Jacob Cass

Available: PDF

5. 11 Things to Do with Every New WordPress Install

This guide includes 11 awesome tips on how to build a great WordPress site. If you’re a newbie on this matter and who is just going to install WordPress, this ebook was written for you.

Author: iThemes Media

Available: PDF

6. Building Web Apps with Go

This is a 15-chapter ebook by Jeremy Saenz, which will teach you how to quickly build web applications using the Go programming language.

Author: Jeremy Saenz

Available: PDF | ePUB | Mobi | Read Online

7. Go Mobile With WordPress

It’s never too late to turn your site mobile. Learn what is responsive design, mobile sites and mobile apps, and the tips you need to turn a site mobile-friendly.

Author: iThemes Media

Available: PDF

8. HTML Canvas Deep Dive

It contains exercises, interactive examples and walkthrough lessons to get you started on building your canvas app. It is advised that you should know a bit Javascript and HTML before going into this book.

Author: Josh Marinacci

Available: Read Online

9. 10 Keys to Great Landing Pages

In this really short ebook you’ll get to know the key differences between landing pages and home pages, why they are so important, and how to build smart cool landing page, all in less than 20 pages.

Author: iThemes Media

Available: PDF

10. Book of Speed

The book of speed by Stoyan Stefanov is an online, free ebook about web performance. It begins by focusing on the business implications of web performance: why speed matters to the bottom line, and then moves on to changes that can make the performance better.

Author: Stoyan Stefanov

Available: Read Online

11. A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web

This ebook written by Five Simple Step’s founder Mark Boulton. The ebook covers 5 main chapters including topics like research and ideas, colors, typography, layout and what to expect if you are going into the world of web design.

Author: Mark Boulton

Available: PDF

12. PHP: The Right Way

There is so much outdated info on the Web that leads new PHP users astray. This ebook if here to stop that. PHP: The Right Way is an easy to read and understand ebook with PHP best practices and links to authoritative tutorials.

Author: Josh Lockhart

Available: Read Online

13. Essential Career Advice for Developers

This book was written by the founder and CEO of iThemes, specifically for developers. It will tell you how to build your portfolio, work with clients, develop good communication skills, and inspire you to keep learning and exploring.

Author: Cory J. Miller

Available: PDF

14. So You Want To Be A Freelancer?

Do you want to be a full-time freelance web designer, but have no idea where to start? This ebook will tell you all pros and cons of a freelance web designer career, along with some practical tips how to build a strong business in this field. You’ll learn how to make money, be more organized, find new clients, and more.

Author: iThemes Media

Available: PDF

15. Magic of CSS

There are six chapters encompassing the box model, layout, table layout, color, typography and CSS transitions. The book is easy to understand, well written and full of interactive examples to keep things interesting.

Author: Adam Schwartz

Available: Read Online

via hongkiat.com

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Great examples of innovative navigation for inspiration

Could you imagine landing on a website with no navigation? It would be like trying to find your way in the ocean with no compass. It would be terrible.

Lucky for you, most sites have at least some kind of navigation, so you’re not completely lost. Recently, the Betterment blog featured a UX Flows post on navigation, where we discussed the importance and function of navigation in a web site. Navigation is critical — and it’s safe to say that some sites do it better than others. For this post, we’ve decided to take a look at some navigation that’s breaking the mold.

Take a look, and say “ahoy” with your thoughts in the comments!

Yar, Matey! Let’s Set Sail to 23 Web Destinations.

1. Disqus

Disqus offers simple and effective navigation. The streamlined header is highlighted in white, which stands out against the blue background, and a footer navigation also appears with more options after scrolling down.

2. Big Spaceship

With a different approach, Big Spaceship offers left sidebar navigation that expands from a menu icon that is similar to what you see on mobile sites. The nav is easy to find in the upper left hand corner of the main landing section, which displays a paint splash animation against a black background.

3. Dataveyes

Upon loading, the Dataveyes navigation is conspicuously displayed in the center of the header, but then shrinks to a mobile navigation icon, allowing you to easily access the information without intruding on the content.

4. Glossy ReyWith contrasting white text against a black background, the split navigation header is easy to locate and offers a really cool hover animation for each menu option.

5. Words Pictures Ideas

This single page, anti-navigation website is captivating and organized — users can still find their way around the site with ease.

6. Equus Design

Simple, clean, and minimalist, the navigation design for Eqqus Design pops against the page’s dark background.

7. Miss Julia Piep

When you land on Miss Julia Piep’s page, the company logo is centered with a row of five menu options below it, and when you select an option, the responsive navigation moves to the top of the page. Neat.

8. Teehan + Lax

Teehan + Lax’s mobile navigation icon flies out to offer six menu options that you can later close.

9. Danielle LaPorte

Danielle LaPorte’s nav is fancy, as the navigation responsively appears in both the header and the footer as you scroll. Best of both worlds!

10. Olympic Story

A mobile nav icon flies out to be a substantially sized sidebar menu that also can be closed. Boom — mobile can be anywhere and now it is.

11. Curad Mir

Users’ attention is drawn to the upper left hand navigation icon, and without even clicking — just hovering over the icon — a menu sprawls out along the top bar while a white frame outlines the page.

12. Weyland Industries

Neatly tucked under the company’s logo with an arrow that implores you to click, the mega- navigation flies out to offer three main categories of navigation with multiple options below it. For sites that have a ton of content, neatly organized mega-menus with flyouts are where it’s at (jussayin’).

13. Lexus

This navigation is different from most top bar menus. Lexus layers it up with a full navigation bar that flips out directly below the “MENU.” Layers of navigation = layers of fun. (Plus the option to use your keyboard!)

14. P’unk Avenue

P’unk Avenue’s navigation keeps it easy breezy for users with a horizontal grid-esque design at the top of the page that’s also numbered, titled, and provides a short, one-sentence description of what you’ll find.

15. SRG

It’s the circle of navigation! The pageless design is navigable by way of a responsive hero area circle navigation. I clicked to learn more — would you?

16. I Think I Might

Easy to use icon navigation in the upper right hand corner of the page makes navigating this site caveman-picture simple.

17. Zaarly’s Employee Handbook

Zaarly’s nav starts out as a boring mobile icon — then BOOM! Fun, full-screen navigation with color bar menu that cascades down and across the screen. I love it when designers realize the nav doesn’t have to be boring.

18. Editer

Speaking of top bar navigation menus, Editer provides us with just that, but the flyout feature enhances the experience and organizes the content, which is essential for mega-sites.

19. Firestorm

The Guardian’s completely interactive site is exploding with drool-worthy design aspects. The vertical navigation menu is easy to see but doesn’t take away from what’s going on visually — and it’s educational! Bonus!

20. Petersham Nurseries

Petersham Nurseries gives you two navigation menus: vertical navigation menu on the left, providing new users with information on the company, and a horizontal navigation menu on the top right for account holders.

21. NKI Studio

This site’s navigation commands attention from a different perspective in the bottom left of the page.

22. Cloud Nine

Cloud Nine has left side icon navigation in a blue colorblock bar, which nicely complements the responsive, pageless design.

23. Pervasive Light

Pervasive Light’s light bulb nav is exciting with an electric wiggle mouse over feature. The nav also smartly flies up and out of the way when users reach their destination.

via dtelepathy.com

Are you thinking of doing something Responsive?

Here’s a great site with tips and tricks. I highly recommend.