Have you ever wondered how websites are made? Behind every webpage you see is a special language called HTML. It’s the starting point for learning web development, and it’s simpler than you think! Let’s dive in and explore what HTML is, how it was created, and why it’s so important for the web.
*co-authored with artificial intelligence
What Does HTML Stand For?
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language.
- Hypertext: This means linking text to other pages or resources on the web.
- Markup Language: It’s a way to structure and organize content on a webpage.
Think of HTML as the blueprint of a webpage. It tells your browser (like Chrome or Safari) what to display and how to display it.
Who Created HTML and Why?
HTML was created in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.
- He designed it to help people share documents and information through a network of computers.
- The first version of HTML made it possible to link documents together, which became the foundation of the internet as we know it today!
Fun fact: The original version of HTML only had 18 tags!
Why Is HTML Important?
HTML is the backbone of every website. Without it, there would be no text, images, links, or videos on the web!
- It helps developers organize content into headings, paragraphs, images, and more.
- HTML works with other languages like CSS (to style websites) and JavaScript (to make them interactive).
Even if you’re just starting out, learning HTML opens the door to building your own websites!
What Does HTML Look Like?
Here’s a simple example of HTML code:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My First Webpage</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
<p>This is my first webpage created with HTML!</p>
</body>
</html>
What’s happening here:
<!DOCTYPE html>: Tells the browser this is an HTML5 document.<html>: The root of the HTML document.<head>: Contains information about the page (like the title).<body>: The main content of the page.<h1>and<p>: Tags for a heading and paragraph.
Copy this code into any text editor, save it as index.html, and open it in your browser to see your first webpage!
Want to dive deeper into how this example works? Check out Understanding the Basic Structure of an HTML Document for a step-by-step explanation!
Conclusion
HTML is the first step on your journey to becoming a web developer. It’s easy to learn, and with practice, you’ll be building your own webpages in no time. Start experimenting with HTML code today, and explore the resources above to dive deeper.
What do you want to create first with HTML? Mention easydevtips on X and let me know!