HTML 101: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Writing, Learning & Using HTML

HTML serves as the backbone of every web page, allowing us to structure content with paragraphs, headings, images, links, forms, and more. If you're eager to delve into web development or explore the world of coding, mastering HTML is a fantastic starting point.

Join us on webtutor.dev as we unveil the ultimate guide to HTML for beginners. In this comprehensive tutorial, we'll demystify HTML, explore its diverse applications, and equip you with the skills to write your own HTML code. From essential elements to crucial attributes, we'll cover it all.

Get ready to embark on your HTML journey with webtutor.dev – your go-to resource for empowering web development education. Let us dive in and unlock the potential of HTML together.

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What is HTML?

First published by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, HTML is now used by 94% of all websites, and probably all the ones you visit. But what is it, exactly?

HTML, short for HyperText Markup Language, is the backbone of the web. It is a markup language that structures the content of web pages. HTML utilizes tags to define the elements and their attributes, such as headings, paragraphs, images, links, lists, forms, and more. These tags instruct web browsers on how to display and render the content to users. With HTML, developers can create interactive and visually appealing web pages. It plays a vital role in creating a seamless browsing experience by allowing users to navigate through hyperlinks and access information across different websites. HTML is the foundation upon which websites are built, providing the structure and organization for displaying text, multimedia, and interactive elements. By learning HTML, individuals can gain the skills to create and customize web pages, making their mark in the digital landscape.

Is HTML a programming language?

No, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is not considered a programming language. It is a markup language used for structuring the content and presenting information on web pages. HTML provides a set of tags that define the structure and semantics of the content, such as headings, paragraphs, links, images, and more.

While HTML is essential for web development, it primarily focuses on the presentation and organization of data rather than the logic and functionality found in programming languages. To add interactivity and dynamic behavior to web pages, programming languages like JavaScript are commonly used in conjunction with HTML.

What is HTML Used for?

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is used for creating and structuring the content of web pages. It provides a set of tags that define the elements and their layout within a web page. Here are some of the key uses of HTML:

Web page structure: HTML is used to define the structure of a web page, including headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, forms, and other elements. It allows you to organize and present content in a hierarchical manner.

Text formatting: HTML provides tags for formatting text, such as bold, italic, underline, headings of different levels, and more. These tags help in emphasizing and styling specific parts of the content.

HTML Hyperlinks: HTML enables the creation of hyperlinks, allowing you to connect different web pages together or link to external resources. Links are defined using the <a> tag and provide navigation within a website or to other websites.

Images and media: HTML allows you to embed images, videos, audio files, and other media elements into web pages. It provides tags like <img>, <video>, and <audio> for adding visual and multimedia content.

Forms and user input: HTML provides form elements, such as text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdown menus, and buttons, allowing users to enter and submit data. Form data can be processed using server-side technologies.

Semantic markup: HTML includes semantic elements that provide meaning and structure to the content. Examples of semantic elements are <header>, <nav>, <article>, <section>, <footer>, which help define the purpose and role of specific parts of a web page.

Accessibility: HTML supports accessibility features, such as providing alternative text for images, using proper heading structure, using semantic elements, and other attributes that make web content more accessible to users with disabilities.

Overall, HTML serves as the foundation of web development, providing the structure and presentation of content on the World Wide Web. It is often complemented by other technologies like CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) for styling and JavaScript for interactivity and dynamic behavior.

How to Write HTML?

<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title>My Page</title></head><body><h1>Hello, World!</h1></body></html>

Explanation:

<!DOCTYPE html>: Specifies the HTML version.

<html>: Opening tag for the HTML document.

<head>: Contains metadata about the page.

<title>: Sets the title of the page displayed in the browser's title bar or tab.

<body>: Contains the visible content of the page.

<h1>: Defines a heading level 1.

Hello, World!: The actual content to be displayed.

Please note that this example is a very basic HTML structure, and for more complex pages, additional tags and attributes would be required.

How to Create an HTML File

To create an HTML file, you can follow these steps:

Open a text editor: Open a text editor of your choice, such as Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac), Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, or any other editor that allows you to create plain text files.

Start with the HTML doctype: At the beginning of your file, add the HTML doctype declaration, which tells the browser that the file is an HTML document. Use the following line:

<!DOCTYPE html>

Create the HTML structure: After the doctype declaration, add the opening and closing <html> tags to enclose the entire HTML document.

Add the head section: Inside the <html> tags, include the <head> section. This is where you define metadata and include any external resources like stylesheets or scripts. For now, let's add a <title> element to set the title of your page:

<head>

<title>My First HTML Page</title>

</head>

Create the body: Within the <html> tags, include the <body> section. This is where you place the visible content of your web page. You can add various HTML tags here to structure and format your content. For example, let's add a heading and a paragraph:

<body>

<h1>Welcome to My Page</h1>

<p>This is my first HTML file.</p>

</body>

Save the file: Save the file with an .html extension, such as myfile.html. Choose a suitable location on your computer to save the file.

Open the HTML file in a browser: Double-click on the HTML file you just saved. It will open in your default web browser, and you will see the content displayed according to the HTML tags you added.

Congratulations! You have created an HTML file. You can now edit the file in your text editor, add more HTML elements, styles, scripts, and save the changes to see them reflected in the browser.

Common HTML Attributes

<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank">Link to Example</a>

<button onclick="myFunction()">Click me</button>

</select>

Explanation:

<input>: Attributes like type define the input type (text, checkbox, etc.), name sets the input's name for form submission, placeholder provides a hint to the user, and required specifies that the input is mandatory.

<img>: src specifies the image source URL, and alt provides alternative text for the image (useful for accessibility).

<a>: href sets the hyperlink URL, and target="_blank" opens the link in a new tab or window.

<div>: id assigns an identifier to the element, and class adds a CSS class for styling or JavaScript targeting.

<button>: onclick triggers a JavaScript function when the button is clicked.

<table>: border adds a border to the table.

<form>: action specifies the form submission URL, and method sets the HTTP method (GET or POST).

<select>: name assigns the name for the selection input, and <option> defines the selectable options within the dropdown menu.

These are just a few examples, and there are many more HTML attributes available for different elements, each serving specific purposes.

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