HTML Tutorial

Learn HTML: Completely Free Tutorial for Beginners and Developers

Welcome to your completely free tutorial on learning HTML from basic to advanced. This tutorial will guide you through the fundamental basics of HTML, from understanding its purpose to building your very first webpage. By the end, you'll have a strong foundation to start your journey in web development or web design.

Before writing any code, it's necessary to understand what HTML is and why it's the bedrock of every single website you visit online, irrespective of the programming language used.

What is HTML?

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is not a programming language, but a markup language used to create the structure and content of a webpage.

  • HyperText: Refers to the "links" that connect web pages, allowing you to navigate the internet.
  • Markup Language: Refers to the use of "tags" (like <h1> or <p>) to define the layout and elements of your content.

HTML is the skeleton of the page that gives every website its shape.

Read more about HTML

Why is Learning HTML Essential?

Learning HTML is the first and most critical skill for anyone interested in making a career in web development or Designing.

  • Build Websites: It is the fundamental building block of all websites. You can't build a house without a foundation; similarly, you can't build a website without HTML.
  • Launch a Web Development or Design Career: A deep understanding of HTML is essential for roles such as Front-End Developer, Web Designer, Full-Stack Developer, and even Email Developer.
  • To Understand Other Languages: Knowing HTML makes it significantly easier to learn its companion technologies: CSS (for styling) and JavaScript (for functionality).

Learn to Build Your First HTML Page

Let's move from theory to practice. Here's how to create and view your very first webpage.

What You Need

  • A Text Editor: Any simple text editor will work (e.g., Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac, or more advanced editors like VS Code).
  • A Web Browser: Google Chrome, Firefox, or any modern browser to view your page.

Basic HTML Document Example

  • Open your text editor.
  • Copy and paste the code below into the editor.
  • Save the file with a .html extension, for example: my.html.
  • To see your work, find the file on your computer and double-click it. It will open in your default web browser.

Try Our Free Online HTML Editor

Elements of Basic HTML Structure

Let's understand what each tag in that example does.

<!DOCTYPE html>

This declaration defines that the document is an HTML5 document. It must always be the very first line of your code.

<html>...</html>

This is the root element of the page. All other elements are nested inside it.

<head>...</head>

The <head> section contains meta-information that isn't displayed directly on the page, like the page title or links to CSS stylesheets.

<title>...</title>

The <title> tag sets the title of the webpage. This is what you see in the browser tab and what search engines use as the main title in search results.

<body>...</body>

The <body> tag contains all the visible content of your webpage—headings, paragraphs, images, links, etc.

Essential HTML Elements (Tags)

Elements are the building blocks of HTML. Here are the most common ones you'll use every day.

Headings: <h1> to <h6>

HTML provides six levels of headings. <h1> is the most important (the main title of your content), while <h6> is the least.

<h1>Main Title</h1> <h2>A Sub-heading</h2>

Paragraphs: <p>

The <p> tag defines a paragraph of text. Browsers automatically add space before and after each paragraph.

<p>This is a paragraph of text. You can write multiple sentences here.</p>

Links: <a>

The <a> (or anchor) tag creates a hyperlink. The href attribute specifies the URL to which the link points.

<a href="https://www.google.com">Click here to visit Google</a>

Comments: <!-- ... -->

You can add comments to your code to leave notes for yourself or others. The browser ignores comments.

<!--This is a comment-->

Learn more about HTML comments

Semantic HTML

As you advance, use semantic elements like <header>, <footer>, <nav>, and <article> to add meaning to your content when designing or developing a web page. This improves both accessibility and SEO.

Learn more about HTML Basic Tags

HTML Tools and Resources

  • Online HTML Editor: To practice without setting up files, you can use an online editor that shows you a live preview of your code almost instantly. – Try Our Free Online HTML Editor
  • Further Practice: Once you are comfortable, test your knowledge with resources like an HTML Cheat Sheet, Interview Questions, and Quizzes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about HTML

Q1: Is HTML a programming language?

No, HTML is a markup language. It structures content but lacks the logic and computational functions of a programming language.

Q2: What is the latest version of HTML?

The latest major version is HTML5, which introduced many modern features like <video>, <audio>, and semantic elements.

Q3: What is the difference between <head> and <header>?

The <head> section is for browser and SEO metadata (such as the <title>) that is not visible on the page. The <header> is a semantic element used inside the <body> to define the introductory content or navigation links that are visible on the page.

Q4: How do you save an HTML file?

In your text editor, go to "File" -> "Save As" and save your document with a name followed by the .html extension (e.g., index.html).

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