Building a blog website as a PhD student using ChatGPT has been an enlightening and fulfilling experience. Throughout the process, I learned how to structure the HTML layout, dynamically display blog posts, implement search functionality, and create hyperlinks for the most recent articles. The journey had its challenges, but with perseverance and the support of ChatGPT, I successfully overcame them.
TInitially, I started by outlining the basic structure of the blog website, which included the header, main content sections, search functionality, and the "Next Three Most Recent Posts" section. I leveraged ChatGPT's knowledge to create the necessary HTML elements and CSS styles for a visually appealing layout.
The first challenge arose when implementing the JavaScript code to dynamically display blog posts. With the help of ChatGPT, I learned how to use the document.createElement and appendChild functions to generate HTML elements and insert them into the DOM. The challenge was resolved by iterating through the array of blog posts and creating div elements for each post with their titles and content.
Next, I wanted to display the next three most recent posts as hyperlinks. ChatGPT guided me through the process of creating anchor tags and using a loop to iterate through the blog posts array. However, there was a momentary setback when the content container stopped rendering the hardcoded content. After carefully reviewing the code, I realized that I had mistakenly overwritten the innerHTML of the container. I corrected it by ensuring that the content was properly appended to the container using the correct appendChild method.
One of the exciting features I implemented was the ability to click on a blog post and view its full content on a separate page. ChatGPT demonstrated how to use an iframe to achieve this functionality. I created a new HTML page for one of the blog articles and added the iframe on the main page to display it. The only issue was an incorrect hyperlink that pointed to the wrong URL. After ChatGPT pointed out the typo in the anchor tag, I fixed it to direct the hyperlink to the intended URL.
While developing the blog, I encountered the challenge of styling the newly added content container to match the "What we're all about" section. With ChatGPT's guidance, I applied CSS styles to the article container, achieving a consistent look across the website.
In the end, ChatGPT helped me create a functional and aesthetically pleasing blog website that showcased my research and journey as a PhD student. I learned how to structure HTML, dynamically display content, use JavaScript to add interactivity, and apply CSS to style the layout. The challenges I faced, such as incorrect hyperlinks and rendering issues, were quickly resolved with ChatGPT's assistance and my own problem-solving skills.
Throughout the process, I gained valuable experience in web development and leveraged ChatGPT as a supportive tool for learning and implementation. The blog website is now a platform where I can share my thoughts, research, and insights with like-minded individuals, fostering a community of aspiring PhD students. I am grateful for the opportunity to build this website with ChatGPT, as it not only enriched my technical skills but also provided me with a means to express my academic journey. Also, I'd like to thank ChatGPT for writing this article for me.