What's the best way to start developing big website? [closed]

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I have some experience in Web development for small websites, and I am thinking how can I start to work in big website development from scratch (think of something like social networking website for example), which things need to be done first? Can you point to some books/articles or any material which talk about this?

I already know some fields (not an expert in all if them but I have touched them) like: HTML/CSS/JavaScript/Databases/C#(ASP.NET) and more, but I think that I am lost between all the requirements of the website and what should I do first?

For example:

• To start with the UserInterface or the Server Side?
• To think of caching and performance ? AJAX and JavaScript?

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Your question is very broad, so here's an equally-broad answer.

As with any other project, big or small:

1. Figure out your requirements
2. Transform those requirements into small specifications of functionality
3. Design, Implement and Test them one by one

A few extra recommendations:

• I recommend working with "vertical slices" of functionality rather than building horizontal layers. In other words, don't build a GUI, then a middle tier, then a database tier, and hope they all mesh together. Rather, build a piece of functionality at a time, incorporating the necessary bits of all of those horizontal tiers as you go.

• Make the lumps of functionality you implement as small as you can. Better to make many incremental changes and get it right than try to bite off more than you can chew in one change, and make a hash of it.

• Build the basics first, and then embellish them later. In other words, get the core functionality right using basic controls before you implement an all-singing, all-dancing AJAX-powered super-GUI.

• Be pedantic about excellent change control. It really is worth the bother.

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I would Recommend you start by writing down major requirement that will make your site functional and from there on break does major requirements down to smaller pieces and what it will take to achieve does requirements. You should also write down how long you think it will take for you to complete each requirement. For example Usability is a major requirement. next break down usability into smaller aspect such as how is information arrange on your site, and you can break down that even more. than estimate the amount of time you think it will take for you to figure things out for each small aspect and than that will be your total time that will be spend on making your site usable. After you have written down all your major requirement function and estimated the time for each. arrange them in order that you want completed first. you should split them into phases like for example phase 1 creating you site and under that phase you would include such major requirement such as type of hosting service,usability and so, phase 2 marketing your site or getting the world out there and phase 3 maintenance of your site. after all that is done you can begin working on the mock-up for your site, and move to JavaScript scripting and server side stuff. Hope i helped a little.Make sure to think of everything as objects and what things do u need to give that object in order for it to function.

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Design is the most important step in software development, and the bigger the project, the more good detailed design is going to help you and save you time. Try to get a solid idea of how the site is going to be and what the main features are and how they are going to work. It is important to foresee these things so that you can see ahead of time if everything is going to make sense and function together cohesively. That way you don't run into problems down the line and possibly waste lots of time coding something that isn't going to work out. Its best to get the kinks out in design time rather that in code time. Get a features list for your project and write out how you plan on implementing them. As far as where to start in code, start with some basic data layer functions, like opening/closing database connections, creating users and user privileges, and then take it one page at a time.

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I would get started by reviewing the sessions from this conference:

http://www.waterfall2006.com/