Mtazamaji,
It's good to see that you know something already. May be the best way I can help is to give you a guidance to get somewhere, meaning how you can excel your skills from academic to professional. So let's find somewhere to start ....
A fully blown web site/application will includes the following knowledge arenas:
1) Server side scripting language : e.g PHP or ASP, or Ruby
2) Database : e.g MySqL or Sql Server
3) HTML
4) CSS
5) JavaScript
There could be more things to learn, but those five should be enough to craft anything big you can imaging. (Because I know there is flash kinda thing in the field)
The first two items runs on the server, and the rest runs on the client. Personally, I would advice you to find for yourself the best place to start as I know learning the all at a time is kinda complicated. So which one you do suggest I should start with, you say!
The rule is clear! There is a big difference between a web application and a web site. I am not sure you can tell the difference. But if you were looking for skills to develop just web sites, I would say you stick most to the last three items first, and then learn PHP and MySql when you have time. Ont he other hand, if you were looking something to power your next web application, I would say try to invest as much of your time in the first three, and then learn CSS and JavaScript when you have time. At least you can now decide where to start, I guess.
The first three or the last three? Which one I should get to first? Such questions depends merely on the essence of what you are developing. Remember, THE ESSENCE OF A WEBSITE IS IT'S PRESENTATION but THE ESSENCE OF A WEB APPLICATION IS IT'S FUNCTIONALITY. The firsts 3 can give you enough power to concentrate on functionality whilst the last three gives you all the skills to focus on presentation(appearance and animation effects) I am very soon uploading a website I created using HTML, CSS and JavaScript and will post a link here, and send you the source code for you to follow up.
Also you can check out this website
Welcome to ODC Center - ODC Center Limited - ICT Solutions Centre, it's a project under preview (Not the login box is not functional). But the whole idea is that, this website is writen in only HTML, CSS, JavaScript and a veeeeeery simple PHP. If you like it, I can send you the entire source code for you to follow along.
So what HTML tags should you know?
I normally advice newbie web developers to focus more on CSS than HTML. Why? Because CSS is so powerful that you can design an entire website with no more than 7 tags. Is that true? Yes, because the website I have just mentioned is written using only 7-9 HTML tags, and in fact all my life time I have never used any other tags other than those.
What you have to know is the basic meaning of HTML and the way it's structure. And when it comes to tags, trust me the following can develop any when site, no matter how big it is:
HTML, HEAD, META, SCRIPT, LINK, TITLE - That's is on the heading portion, and
BODY, DIV, H1, a, span, ul, li, p - in the body section
Is that all? Yes, that is everything you need to know about HTML. What about tables, I hear people talk about? I said HTML is so powerful that you can convert a div tag to act as a table. In short when it comes to creating a web site, it's no a matter of tag anymore, but the output!
So what about CSS?
Yah, now you have come to it. CSS is the wild beast frightening enough to take on. There is a long way to go out there, just because CSS is big enough and can be quite confusing and intimidating to say the least. CSS is a very important tool for web designers and there is no other way than learning it.
JavaScript:
Not that important unless you want to go where newbies don't dare to go. But you can still design a good website without it. In short, it's not mandatory. Just learn it when you think you have to know it.
PHP?
That is how you will build your application logic. PHP is a scripting language as you already know. If you want to create a dynamic website, there is no other cheaper option. Stick with it. But you still can design simple static html website without it.
MySQL?
That is as important as PHP. Normally the two they go along together, but you can still use PHP without MySQL. It depends actually on what you are trying to achieve.
The bottom line.
If you are a newbie and you want to eat up this whole jargon gradually and be able to see yourself working with a client (for simple projects) before you are even done with the entire stack, follow this simple path:
1) Start with HTML - Do it quickly spend no more than two days
2) Learn CSS - Do it slowly please, spend as much time as you need
At this stage you should be able to create simple website for most clients here in Dar, and I am telling you they will appreciate your output.
3) Jump to PHP
At this stage you should be able to craft nice looking site, dynamic, rich in functionality.
4) Learn how to love MySQL
Whaoo, now you are just a grown up punk. I am telling you, this stage is good enough to rewrite this entire JF Forum with your script, believe me.
5. Try JavaScript:
If you are done with this stage, you are close to a pro.
I hope this helps, and you should be able to find your way out.
If you have questions or think there is somewhere I can still help, please post here. I keep watching.