What is HTML?
HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is the standard language used to create and design web pages. It provides the basic structure for a website, allowing developers to embed content such as text, images, links, and other media.
The Structure of an HTML Document
An HTML document is made up of various elements, each defined by tags. The basic structure of an HTML document includes the following key components:
1. Document Type Declaration
The document type declaration () is the first line in an HTML document, informing the web browser about the version of HTML being used.
2. HTML Tag
The tag encompasses the entire HTML document. It indicates the start and end of the HTML code.
3. Head Section
The
section contains meta-information about the document, such as its title and links to stylesheets or scripts. This information is not displayed directly on the webpage.4. Body Section
The
section contains all the content that is displayed on the webpage, including text, images, videos, and other elements.Common HTML Tags
HTML uses a variety of tags to format content. Here are some common tags you should know:
1. Headings
Headings range from
to
, with
being the most important and
the least. They are used to structure content and improve accessibility.
2. Paragraphs
being the most important and
the least. They are used to structure content and improve accessibility.
2. Paragraphs
2. Paragraphs
The
tag is used to define paragraphs of text, creating space between blocks of content.
3. Links
The tag is used to create hyperlinks, allowing users to navigate between different pages or websites.
4. Images
The tag is used to embed images in a webpage. It requires the ‘src’ attribute to specify the image source and the ‘alt’ attribute for alternative text.
Conclusion
HTML is the foundation of web development and serves as the backbone of every website. Understanding its structure and commonly used tags is essential for anyone looking to create web content. As you continue to learn HTML, you’ll discover its versatility and how it can be combined with CSS and JavaScript to create dynamic and interactive web experiences.