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Website architecture refers to the hierarchy and connection of the pages on a website. Learn website architecture to create user-friendly and SEO-optimized websites with online courses from edX.

What is website architecture?

Website architecture refers to a website's structural and organizational design, including its layout, navigation, internal links, and content hierarchy. It involves planning and organizing the website's content to make it easy for users to find what they need quickly and for search engines to efficiently crawl and index all the relevant pages.1

The architecture of a website typically includes the site's homepage, top-level navigation menu, drop-down menus, categories, pages, and the links between them.2 Effective website architecture should allow users to intuitively navigate, find information, and complete tasks. The structure should also link related pages. Developing a good website architecture helps ensure a positive user experience for website visitors, and enables search engines to comprehend the structure and content on the site, thereby enhancing its search ranking.

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Website architecture tutorial curriculum

A UX/UI or website architecture course can equip you with the skills to design and create well-structured, user-friendly, and search-engine-optimized websites. A beginner-level course will aim to answer the fundamental question: What is website architecture? Learners will study how to:

  • Build a site hierarchy for easy navigation by users and search engines.

  • Organize content on your website effectively.

  • Create website architecture diagrams to visually represent a website to plan its structure.

  • Understand website design, which focus on the visual elements of a website, such as user interface and user experience.

Once comfortable with the basics, learners can begin to experiment with website architecture tools, such as Microsoft Visio or Draw.io, as well as website architecture templates, or pre-designed frameworks or structures that serve as a starting point for creating the architecture of a website. They may also learn how to use databases to store, retrieve, edit, and delete a website’s content.

Learners interested in designing complex websites may want to continue on to study advanced website architecture topics such as:

  • Web servers and deployment: Deploy and host a website on an online server.

  • Web performance: Optimize your site build to increase speed despite having a lot of content.

  • APIs and web services: Integrate your website with third-party applications and services.

Start building the knowledge you need to work in website architecture with edX. From accelerated boot camps to comprehensive programs that allow you to earn a bachelor’s degree or, for more advanced learners, a master’s degree, there are many different learning formats available to fit your needs. Busy professionals can even take advantage of executive education courses tailored to those in leadership and management positions. Find the right course for you.

Explore jobs that use website architecture

Many roles can benefit from website architecture knowledge, especially those related to building or managing websites. Some examples of these careers include:

  • Web designer: creates the visual design of websites, including navigation, typography, and color scheme. They ensure that the design supports the overall website architecture and optimizes the user experience and business goals.3

  • UX designer: focuses on the user experience of websites and other digital products. They work to understand user needs and behaviors and design user flows that support the website architecture.4

  • Information architect: designs the structure, layout, and organization of website content. They develop a website's information structure and ensure it fits the overall website architecture.5

  • SEO specialist: optimizes websites to increase ranking in search results. They ensure that content is properly organized, labeled, and crawlable for search engine bots.6

Each of these roles will have different education and skill requirements. For example, you may be able to build relevant skills in a UX/UI bootcamp or develop your programming skills in a coding boot camp. You may also benefit more from a digital marketing boot camp if you wish to focus more on SEO and content optimization, for example.

How to use website architecture in your career

You can apply website architecture skills in different contexts, depending on your role. As a web developer, you could use this knowledge to create efficient, scalable, high-ranking, and user-friendly websites. Some examples of use cases of website architecture skills in this role include:

  • Applying website architecture principles to plan and design website structure, components, and functionality

  • Choosing appropriate technologies, frameworks, and tools that align with the requirements and goals of the website architecture

  • Designing the website architecture to handle increasing user traffic and data growth

  • Integrating the website with external systems, such as databases, APIs, and third-party services

  • Incorporating security measures into the website architecture, including authentication, authorization, data encryption, and protection against common web vulnerabilities

Are you interested in making a professional move that involves understanding website architecture? Develop the skills you need to propel your career forward with edX.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Site Architecture: Where UX Meets SEO. (2021). UIZARD. Retrieved May 2023.

    2. Site Structure. (2017). Web Style Guide. Retrieved May 2023.

    3. Web Designer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications. Indeed. Retrieved May 2023.

    4. UX Designer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications. Indeed. Retrieved May 2023.

    5. Information Architect Job Description. Indeed. Retrieved May 2023.

    6. What Does an SEO Specialist Do?Indeed. Retrieved May 2023.