HTML Fundamentals

What is HTML?

HyperText Markup Language — the backbone of every web page.

1HTML in One Minute

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It describes the structure of a web page using a tree of elements (called the DOM). Browsers read your HTML and render it into the visual page you see.

Example Code

css

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
    <title>My First Page</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
    <p>This is my first HTML page.</p>
  </body>
</html>

2Put the element in context

HTML describes the meaning and structure of content, while CSS presents it and JavaScript can change its behavior. Start with a document that reads clearly without styles. A heading, a paragraph, and a real link already form a usable small page.

3Practice with a small page

Create a page about a non-personal topic with a title, heading, paragraph, and link. Open it without CSS, read it in order, then add a stylesheet. Notice which decisions belong to content structure and which belong to presentation.

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<!DOCTYPE html>