But...
Looking at source code is often recommended and I agree with it in principle. In fact I do it all the time. Great way to learn.
However, there is one caveat that needs to be emphasized here for new webmasters that I do not think has even been mentioned. Just as the bulk of money making sites and seo sites, etc., are awful, so are the source codes even on some of the major sites. It just depends on who is doing them.
The point is to be aware of the fact that a lot of folks who know how to do complicated stuff have been around a long time and have learned a lot of "hacks" that can be overly complicated and out of date. One clue is when there is an intricate table design structure that looks like a maze from a garden in the middle ages.
If you are aware of the deprecated tags in html and the like you can steer clear of trouble. When you find a good idea you would like to try but code that looks antiquated, do a little research of the concept involved to see how to do it best.
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