What Is HTML? Hypertext Markup Language Basics Explained

HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, allows web users to create and structure sections, paragraphs, and links using elements, tags, and attributes. However, it’s worth noting that HTML is not considered a programming language as it can’t create dynamic functionality.

HTML has a lot of use cases, namely:

• Web development. Developers use HTML code to design how a browser displays web page elements, such as text, hyperlinks, and media files.
• Internet navigation. Users can easily navigate and insert links between related pages and websites as HTML is heavily used to embed hyperlinks.
• Web documentation. HTML makes it possible to organize and format documents, similarly to Microsoft Word.

It’s also worth noting that HTML is now considered an official web standard. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) maintains and develops HTML specifications, along with providing regular updates.

Currently, there are 142 HTML tags available that allow for the creation of various elements. Even though modern browsers no longer support some of these tags, learning all the different elements available is still beneficial.

HTML Evolution — What Differs Between HTML and HTML5?

The first version of HTML consisted of 18 tags. Since then, each new version came with new tags and attributes added to the markup. The most significant upgrade of the language so far was the introduction of HTML5 in 2014.

The main difference between HTML and HTML5 is that HTML5 supports new kinds of form controls. HTML5 also introduced several semantic tags that clearly describe the content, such as <article>, <header>, and <footer>.

How Are HTML, CSS, and Javascript Related

HTML is used to add text elements and create the structure of content. However, it is not enough to build a professional and fully responsive website. So, HTML needs the help of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript to create the vast majority of website content.

CSS is responsible for stylings such as background, colors, layouts, spacing, and animations. On the other hand, JavaScript adds dynamic functionality such as sliders, pop-ups, and photo galleries. These three languages are the fundamentals of front-end development.

Understanding HTML and Improving Your HTML Knowledge

Learning about HTML is a great first step for those interested in web development.

There are plenty of courses available online to learn to code, but we have listed three of the best tutorial databases for HTML:

• W3Schools — has resources, examples, and exercises to help learn basic HTML for free. There is also a self-paced HTML tutorial that costs $95 and provides an official certificate.
• Codecademy — offers introductory courses for free with interactive tutorials. Codecademy uses a split-screen that will automatically show the result of your coding on an HTML file. There is exclusive content available for $19.99/month.
• Coursera — offers various courses that provide in-depth explanations with real-life examples. The subscription price is $49/month, and there is a 7-day free trial to start.

Conclusion

HTML is the primary markup language found on the internet. Every HTML page has a series of elements that create the content structure of a web page or application.

HTML is a beginner-friendly language with plenty of support and is mainly used for static website pages. HTML works best together with CSS for the styling and JavaScript for the functionality.