HTML Basics: Understanding the Fundamentals of Hypertext Markup Language
About
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a coding language used to create and structure content for the internet. It provides a framework for designing web pages, defining text, images, multimedia, and other elements. HTML is an essential part of web development, and understanding its basic concepts is essential for anyone interested in creating websites or web applications.
History
HTML was first developed in the late 1980s by Tim Berners-Lee. The first version of HTML, HTML 1.0, was published in 1993 and was designed to be a simple language for creating websites. HTML has come a long way, with the latest version being HTML5. HTML5 is the most current version of HTML and is used to create modern websites. It offers support for responsive design. HTML5 has become the most popular version of HTML, and is used by many web developers to create complex webpages.
File extension – .html
Structure
<html>
<head>
......
</head>
<body>
......
</body>
</html>
What is it?
It provides the structure and layout of webpages and is used to create and edit documents. HTML uses tags to define the structure and content of a page and can be used to add visual elements like images, forms, and interactive content. HTML gives consistent look and feel to webpages. Also important for SEO by providing index to webpages which enables ease for search engine bot.
How to use
To use, you first need to understand the basic HTML elements. This includes understanding the tags, like head tag and the body tag, and the attributes, such as the id, class, and href attributes. Also need the basic elements, such as the paragraph tag, the heading tag, and the table tag. Once having basic understanding, you can begin to create more complex webpages by adding CSS and JavaScript.
Advantage
- Supported by all web browsers.
- Highly extensible in the sense feature can be added as needed.
- Easy to learn.
- Great for mobile-friendly websites.
- Can be written in any environment, even in notepad.
Tags
- Semantic— <article> </article>, <aside> </aside>, <details> </details>
- Heading — <h1> </h1>, <h2> </h2>, <h3></h3>
- List— <ol></ol>, <ul></ul>, <dl></dl>
- Form— <form></form>
Code editors, with HTML and CSS will render out in your browser. All you have to do is go to the file and open in a browser to view how it looks. All of the below have different benefits and you should pick one that you can get comfortable with. You can style the coding area in the preferences on any of them, so you can have light text with a dark background or light background with dark text.
Here are some top IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) for HTML, each IDE has its own set of features and advantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences. Some are more beginner-friendly, while others are better suited for experienced developers. Ultimately, the best IDE for you will depend on your individual requirements and workflow.
- Visual Studio Code
- Atom
- Sublime Text
- Brackets
- WebStorm
- Komodo IDE
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Notepad++
- Bluefish
- Eclipse
Conclusion
In conclusion, HTML is the backbone of the internet, and having a strong understanding of its fundamentals is essential for anyone interested in web development or design. By grasping the basic elements and principles of HTML, you will be able to create well-structured and accessible web pages that are optimized for search engines and can be easily viewed on a variety of devices. By taking the time to learn HTML, you will be well on your way to building beautiful, functional, and effective websites that can make a lasting impact on the world wide web.