Looking to make my new website mobile & tablet friendly advice

I am creating a new website with ColdFusion to drive my database for searching and downloading documents and have the following concerns and would like some advice.

I use Dreamweaver - should I use Dreamweaver's fluid layout?

If I use Dreamweaver's fluid layout does this limit/complicate my build options?

This new web page will be primarily used on regular computer screens and don't want to put too much effort for mobile devices but would like this option.

What about bootstrap? Is this an alternative to Dreamweaver's fluid layouts?
DJPr0Asked:
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Jason C. LevineConnect With a Mentor No oneCommented:
I use Dreamweaver - should I use Dreamweaver's fluid layout?

You can (I wouldn't), but "fluid" sites are an older design technique developed prior to mobile devices being common and useful.  So Fluid != Responsive and responsive is what you want. A fluid layout just shrinks the width of each element defined as a percentage.  So if your site is three columns set at 25% / 50% / 25% of the viewport, those ratios maintain no matter what.  So on a small screen, you still have a three column layout just very, very tiny.

What about bootstrap? Is this an alternative to Dreamweaver's fluid layouts?

It's a different way to build a site.  It's not really an alternative to fluid, as fluid is not responsive nor modern and bootstrap based sites can be responsive.  Responsive sites do something a little different than fluid.  A responsive site typically uses a grid-based design and the javascript element measures how much space is available in the display (and the type of display) and reflows the content based on the rules you define.  So a responsive site uses one template, but that template looks different on the desktop, tablet, and phone screens.  Three columns can be shrunk to two or one, elements can be repositioned based on width, etc. Bootstrap is a library that simplifies this work...you just drop it in and configure.
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Gurpreet Singh RandhawaConnect With a Mentor Web DeveloperCommented:
To ask me i would suggest you the following:

1. Bootstrap Best CSS Framework till now - Love to use it [It will make you life very easier and better]

2. Use Responsive Design, Bootstrap Supports it, Make use of HTML 5 Elements like articles, header, footer, content etc.

3. Use HTML5Shiv.js file in your code to make it backward compatible  for all other browsers

4. Dreamweaver [is the fav editor], love to work in this and great for css3 and html5 elements

5. Hassle Free development with all the above and keep you running in few days to best site ever made and most modern browsers support HTML5 elements and responsive design

6. I suggest you do not use fluid layouts, that might not be the correct one to use,

ask for more if you need any more guidance

regards
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DJPr0Author Commented:
Thanks for your responses.

What is the best way to get started with Responsive design with Dreamweaver?


Is there a good template\template download site to get started with?
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Gurpreet Singh RandhawaConnect With a Mentor Web DeveloperCommented:
visit Themeforest.net website, you will lot of good templates with very cheap price
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nanharbisonConnect With a Mentor Commented:
My experience with Dreamweaver is that the site never looks like it does on the Dreamweaver page, so you have to upload it and test it there.
Have you thought about doing the site with Wordpress or Drupal? They have hundreds of free templates.
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