What is HTML?
HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language, is the standard markup language used for creating web pages and applications. It provides the structure and content of a web page, allowing developers to define the elements and their relationships on a webpage.
How Does HTML Work?
HTML uses tags to define elements on a web page. These tags are enclosed in angle brackets (<>) and are placed before and after the content they apply to. Each tag has a specific purpose and function, such as defining headings, paragraphs, images, links, and more.
HTML tags are organized in a hierarchical structure, with some tags acting as containers for other tags. This structure allows developers to create well-organized and easily readable web pages.
Basic HTML Structure
Every HTML document starts with a doctype declaration, which tells the browser what version of HTML is being used. This is followed by the <html> tag, which serves as the root element of the document.
Inside the <html> tag, there are two main sections: the <head> and the <body>. The <head> section contains meta-information about the document, such as the title, character encoding, and linked stylesheets or scripts. The <body> section contains the actual content of the web page.
Common HTML Tags
HTML offers a wide range of tags to structure and format the content of a web page. Here are some of the most commonly used tags:
<h1>to<h6>: Headings of different levels, with<h1>being the highest level and<h6>being the lowest.<p>: Paragraphs of text.<a>: Links to other web pages or resources.<img>: Images.<ul>and<ol>: Unordered and ordered lists, respectively.<li>: List items.<div>: A generic container for grouping elements.<span>: A generic inline container for styling or targeting specific parts of text.<table>: A table for organizing tabular data.<form>: A container for form elements like input fields, checkboxes, and buttons.
HTML Attributes
HTML tags can also have attributes, which provide additional information about the element. Attributes are placed inside the opening tag and consist of a name and a value, separated by an equals sign.
For example, the <a> tag has the href attribute, which specifies the URL that the link should point to:
<a href="https://example.com">Click here</a>Some common attributes include:
class: Specifies one or more CSS classes to apply to the element.id: Specifies a unique identifier for the element.src: Specifies the source URL for an image or a script.alt: Specifies alternative text for an image.style: Specifies inline CSS styles for the element.
HTML5
HTML5 is the latest version of HTML and introduced several new features and elements. It provides better support for multimedia, improved semantics, and enhanced accessibility.
Some of the new elements introduced in HTML5 include:
<header>: Represents the header of a document or a section.<nav>: Represents a section of a document that contains navigation links.<section>: Represents a standalone section of a document.<article>: Represents a self-contained composition in a document.<footer>: Represents the footer of a document or a section.<video>and<audio>: Elements for embedding video and audio content.<canvas>: A drawing surface for graphics and animations.
Conclusion
HTML is the foundation of the web, allowing developers to create structured and accessible web pages. By using HTML tags and attributes, developers can define the content and structure of a web page, making it easy to understand and navigate for both users and search engines.
With the introduction of HTML5, developers have even more powerful tools at their disposal to create engaging and interactive web experiences. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, understanding HTML is essential for building modern websites and applications.
