In DHTML web development, what are the basic high level steps involved in creating a tile based application interface where multiple tiles can be laid out, styled, and updated dynamically?

Introduction / Context:
A tile based application interface in DHTML is a web page where information is presented in separate rectangular blocks or tiles that can be rearranged, updated, or highlighted dynamically. Interviewers often ask this type of question to test whether a candidate understands how HTML, CSS, and JavaScript work together to build interactive user interfaces rather than thinking of DHTML as a single magic technology.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We want a grid or dashboard of tiles in a browser window.
• Each tile may show text, icons, or small widgets.
• The application should be dynamic, so tiles can respond to clicks, hovers, or data updates.
• We are using standard web technologies: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Concept / Approach:
DHTML is not a separate language. It is a way of describing interactive pages using a combination of HTML for structure, CSS for presentation, and JavaScript for behavior. To build a tile based interface, you first need structural elements that represent each tile. Then you need styling rules so the tiles look like blocks aligned in rows and columns. Finally, you use JavaScript to manipulate the Document Object Model so that tiles can move, refresh content, or react to user actions without reloading the page.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Create semantic HTML containers for tiles, for example div elements with a class name such as tile, and group them inside a parent container. Step 2: Use CSS to define tile width, height, padding, colors, and layout, for example with flexbox or grid to arrange tiles in rows and columns. Step 3: Attach JavaScript event handlers to tiles so that clicks or hovers can trigger actions such as loading details or changing styles. Step 4: Use JavaScript to update tile content dynamically, for example by changing innerHTML or textContent or by adding and removing CSS classes. Step 5: Optionally persist tile state in local storage or send updates to the server so that the layout and content can be restored later.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you inspect any modern dashboard style web application, you will see HTML elements representing the tiles, CSS rules that define the grid layout, and JavaScript code that drives animation, drag and drop, or live data updates. Removing any one of these layers either breaks the visual layout or removes the dynamic behavior. This confirms that the proper description must mention all three layers together.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b is wrong because JavaScript alone cannot render a user interface without HTML and CSS. Option c exaggerates the power of CSS, which cannot fetch data or respond to complex events by itself. Option d incorrectly assumes that a browser can render database structures without markup. Option e describes a static image that does not provide real tile behavior or interactivity.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to mix layout logic into JavaScript instead of letting CSS handle positioning, which makes the code hard to maintain. Another pitfall is to build tiles with no semantic structure, which hurts accessibility and search indexing. Thinking of DHTML as the coordinated use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript helps you design tile interfaces that are both dynamic and maintainable.

Final Answer:
The correct high level description is that you define tile elements in HTML, style them with CSS, and use JavaScript to handle events and update tile content dynamically, as in option a.