+1 to write a couple of CGI scripts to get a feel for how pages are actually put together by the framework. My personal experience is with Perl and Java, both

+1 to write a couple of CGI scripts to get a feel for how pages are actually put together by the framework. My personal experience is with Perl and Java, both of which are going the way of the dodo, or so it seems. So, I can't recommend any of them in good conscience. But, whatever language you learn, I would first take some time to write some basic non-web programs. Once you are familiar with the basics of the language (variables, flow control, arrays, hash tables, etc.) then I would write some CGI-based web forms. That would give you an idea of how the basic functionality of a web site is chiseled from the primordial silicon. Then, when you pick a framework you will know what is being abstracted and what parts of the web programming tasks are being streamlined.