Tech Resources

As one begins to build a startup venture, there are a number of technical choices that need be made. Far from comprehensive, we list a few of our favorite resources that simplify development time, are easily obtainable, and have momentum within the community. Again, this list was made quickly and will be refined to fit the Web Startup Group group by the community itself. If there are any technologies that you think should be listed, simply make a comment on this page, and then we’ll update the list accordingly. In addition to this listing, we also recommend checking out Steve Blank’s list of Startup Tools for Entrepreneurs.

(Additionally, this is a very dynamic list, so if there are any resources you prefer go ahead and include that in your comment.)

Web Programming

• Javascript Libaries: JQuery, ExtJS
• Layout/Design: CSS, Photoshop/Gimp/Inkscape
• Server-side: PHP, Ruby, Perl
• Databases: MySQL, Postgres, MongoDB
• Local development: XAMPP
• Javascript Libaries: JQuery, ExtJS

Education: (Learn to Code!)

• Google Code University
• Web Programming - HTML, CSS, and Javascript from the Ground Up
• Programming Languages, Web Security, Algorithms, Android, Distributed Systems, Tools 101, Google APIs & Tools
• Building Dynamic Websites Lectures (Harvard): Fall 2010 , Fall 2009
  • (Covers: HTTP, PHP, SQL, Javascript, Ajax, Security, Scalability)
• BYU Tech Training: BYU IT Training (e.g., Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash), Lynda (BYU student access), Safari Books Online (BYU academic access)
• Codecademy.com – Learn Javascript interactively

Tools

• IDE: NetBeans, Eclipse
• SSH/FTP: FileZilla, WinSCP, Public/Private Keys
• Revision Control: Git (see 
Git Manual), SVN
• Collaboration: DropBox, SugarSync

Platforms

• WordPress: Plugins, Themes (BestWPThemes)
• Django
• Drupal
• Magento
• PHP Frameworks: CodeIgniter, CakePHP, Yii
• Node.js:  Express
• Ruby on Rails
• Cloud:  Amazon EC2, Google App Engine, Heroku, and Nodejitsu

Mobile

• Cross-platform: Appcelerator (CodeStrong), PhoneGap, Sencha, JQuery Mobile
• IPhone:  iUI, jQTouch, iWebKit
• Android
• Blackberry

Payments

• Standard:  PayPal, Google Checkout, Amazon Payment Services
• Gateways:  Authorize.net
• Newer options: Chargify.com, Recurly.com, Twitpay.me

Marketing

• Email Marketing: Aweber, MailChimp, iContact
• Brand Management:  BrandNew, knowem.com

Programming Methodology

• Lean Startup – Startup Lessons Learned (Eric Ries), Startup Tools (Steve Blank)
• Agile
• Tips: 97 Things Every Programmer Should Know

Analytics

• Basic web analytics (Google Analytics, AWStats, Adobe/Omniture)
• Split testing tools (Google Web Optimizer, Genetify)
• Heatmap tracking (CrazyEgg, ClickTale)
• User Testing (UserFly, Other Tips)
• Customer feedback app (UserVoice, GetSatisfaction, etc.)
• Survey tool (Survey.io, Wufoo, SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, JFormer)
• Mailing list software (MailChimp, CampaignMonitor, AWeber)
• Event tracking analytics (Mixpanel, Nuconomy)

More Resources

• Startup Library
• CS Seminars from Harvard (on interesting topics, such as:  Building Social Applications with the Facebook Platform, Scraping Data from the Internet, or Beginning iPhone Development: Resources, Tips & Trick)
• Data Mining Meetup - a mini lecture series held regularly in the BYU Data Mining Lab (TMCB 3314). All are welcome!