HTML Essentials

HTML Introduction

Discover how HTML gives a web page its meaning and structure.

HTML is the language browsers read to understand the structure of a page. It labels content as headings, paragraphs, links, images, and more.

Why HTML matters

Good HTML describes what content means, making pages easier for people, browsers, and assistive technology to understand.

Important definitions

HTML
HyperText Markup Language.
Element
A complete piece of HTML, usually made from a start tag, content, and an end tag.
Tag
The marker inside angle brackets that identifies an element.
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Syntax

Use this general pattern as a reference:

HTML
<element>content</element>

Examples

A page heading

EXAMPLE 1
<h1>My first page</h1>
ResultMy first page

A short paragraph

EXAMPLE 2
<p>I am learning HTML.</p>
ResultI am learning HTML.
Try it yourself

Expected output

A browser tab titled My page with a large Hello, web! heading.

Note

HTML describes structure; CSS controls presentation and JavaScript adds behavior.

Tip

Begin with meaningful elements before thinking about colors or layout.

Common mistakes

  • Using HTML only for visual appearance.
  • Forgetting the document language or page title.