What HTML Is: Everything You Need To Know

HTML is the markup language used on the web, and it is used to make most of the pages you see online. But what is HTML, really?

In this article, Designveloper will give the most in-depth introduction to basic HTML that we can. Before we start, try not to get too scared. This guide is for anyone and everyone, no matter how much technical knowledge they have.

Are you ready to start getting acquainted with HTML? Let’s go.

What Is HTML?

HTML, or hypertext markup language, is a fundamental computer language that is used for the creation of websites. The knowledge of this language is an absolute must if you are thinking about pursuing a career in online design or development; nevertheless, even in other fields, such as digital marketing, even a basic understanding of HTML can be useful.

Markup languages like HTML are used to describe how your work is put together. HTML is made up of different parts called “elements”. You can use these elements to “wrap” different parts of the content to make it look or act in a certain way. With the surrounding tags, you can make text italic, change the size of the font, turn a word or image into a link to another page, and do a lot of other things to format it.

HTML is considered to be one of the three most important tools for building websites. 

1. HTML tells you how a website is put together, including how text, images, and other media will be shown on the page. 
2. Cascading style sheets, or CSS, decide how these elements look, including their colors, layout, and format. 
3. JavaScript makes it so that these elements respond in certain ways to what a user does. 

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The History Of HTML

As was already said, HTML is a type of programming language that is used to make websites. Its full name is “Hypertext Markup Language,” but people usually just call it “HTML”. HTML is a markup language that tells an internet browser how to display a document. 

Tim Berners-Lee was a scientist who worked as a contractor at CERN. In the late 1980s, he came up with the idea for a system that CERN researchers would use. In a document he wrote in 1989, he suggested a hypertext system based on the internet.

As a result, HTML was made by Tim Berners-Lee, who is well known for this. Tim’s idea for a document called “HTML Tags” in late 1991 was the first time that HTML was explained to the public. Consequently, HTML5 is the most recent version of HTML, and we’ll learn more about it in the next section.

The Many Different Versions

Since HTML was first made, many different versions of it have been put on the market. The following gives a quick overview of each of these versions:

HTML 1.0: The first version of HTML came out in 1991. It was called the “barebones” version of HTML. The first version of HTML was also HTML 1.0.

HTML 2.0: This version came out in 1995. After it was first used, it became the standard language version for making websites. HTML 2.0 could add features like form-based file uploads and form parts like text boxes, choice buttons, and so on.

HTML 3.2: The HTML 3.2 version was released by the W3C at the beginning of 1997. This version added more options for form elements and made it possible to make tables. This version also had the ability to build tables. It can also host a website with complicated mathematical formulas on it. It wasn’t considered an official standard for any browser until January 1997. Even now, support for it can be found in a large number of browsers.

HTML 4.01: HTML 4.01 came out in December 1999 and is a pretty stable version of the HTML language. HTML 4.01 was also used to make the World Wide Web. This version is the official standard at the moment, and it has better support for stylesheets (CSS) and better scripting for a wide range of multimedia features.

HTML5: This is the name for the most recent version of the HyperText Markup Language. It is also just called HTML5. In January 2008, the first draft of this edition was shown to the public. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) are both important groups that are working on the HTML 5 version, which is still being improved.

How Does HTML Work?

HTML is like other programming languages in that it is made up of a series of commands and blocks of text that are then turned into what the user sees. This is done so that web browsers can understand HTML. 

If you are using a desktop or laptop computer and want to see what the HTML code on this page looks like, you can do so by right-clicking anywhere on this page and choosing “View Page Source” from the context menu. This is the right way to get to the HTML code of a page (the option may vary depending on your browser). When you click on it, you should be taken to a big block of text that has code in it.

As we’ve already talked about, HTML can tell a browser where to get more resources and what to do with the content on a page by using a series of tags. Some of these instructions can tell the browser where to look for more things to load. Even though there are more than 100 HTML tags that can be used, most websites only need a small number of them to work as they should.

An Example Of HTML

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Page Title</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>My first heading</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>

Explanations

<!DOCTYPE>: This is a command that tells the browser what version of HTML is being used or what kind of document is being shown.

<html>: This tag tells the browser that the file being looked at is an HTML file. The text that is between the html tags describes the web document. With the exception of the <!DOCTYPE> tag, it holds all of the other HTML elements.

<head>: It should be the first element inside the html element, and it should hold the metadata. The full name of the head element is “head” (information about the document). Before the body tag can be opened, it has to be closed.

<title>: The title of an HTML page, which is shown at the top of the viewer’s window, is what the title> tag is for, and it does exactly what its name says. It needs to be put inside the head tag, and as soon as it’s there, it needs to snap shut.

<body>: The text inside the body element is used to explain to the end user what is in the main body of the page. This tag is where the HTML document’s main text content can be found.

<h1>: The text inside a h1 element is used to describe the first level heading of a webpage.

<p>: On a webpage, the text inside the p element is used to describe the paragraph.

Recommended reading: What Is Web Development? An Overview to Get Started

The HTML’s 7s

Now, let’s explore a fascinating aspect of HTML which we call the HTML’s 7s. These are seven fundamental concepts that every web developer should understand to effectively use HTML. They include the best features of HTML, as well as the differences between HTML and HTML5.

The 7 Features Of HTML

Analyzing the essence of HTML we come across seven significant characteristics that define the role of HTML in web development. These features though subtle are the foundation for every webpage you come across in your internet browsing. So, what is HTML? It is not just a markup language; it is the skeleton of the World Wide Web.

1. Easy To Learn

HTML is relatively easy to learn, and this makes it a good starting language for any beginner who wants to be a web developer. When you ask, “What is HTML?”, the answer lies in its ease of learning.

According to Statista, HTML is among the most used languages by developers. Five percent of the respondents reported using it. This is because it is easy to use and can be applied in many fields of endeavor.

For example, to create a heading in HTML, you simply use the <h1> tag, like so:

<h1>This is a Heading</h1>

This code will print out the text “This is a Heading” as the highest level of heading on your webpage. That, in a nutshell, is the formula!

2. Effective Presentation

What makes HTML so useful in presenting the content of the web? Let’s delve into this.

Firstly, HTML is universal. It is compatible with all the leading web browsers. This means that any HTML document can be viewed on any device ranging from a PC to a mobile device, thus the content will reach many people.

Secondly, HTML is flexible. It employs tags to structure different web resources such as text, animation, sound, tables and links. This means that there is a lot of flexibility in how your content is delivered to your audience.

Thirdly, HTML is evolving. The latest version of HTML is the HTML5 and it supports the use of other data types like the video and audio. This expands new opportunities for creating interactive and multimedia materials.

But it is not only the question of what can be done with HTML. It’s also about how it is used. HTML document is not only a set of tags but it should be efficient enough to perform the desired function. It is a well-organized and designed content that conveys knowledge in an informative and appealing manner.

For instance, let us take an example of the use of headings in HTML. Headings are used to subdivide content and make it more convenient to find the necessary information. They also help in SEO to ensure that search engines are able to understand the structure and importance of the content you have posted.

Another important feature of presentation in HTML is the use of links. These are used to refer the users to other related materials, which can be useful for further reading. They also assist in enhancing the visibility and ranking of your content in the search engine.

3. Flexibility

Of all the markup languages, HTML or Hypertext Markup Language is most preferred due to its flexibility. This feature enables the developers to be in a position to develop almost any form of web content starting from the basic text only page to the more complex web applications.

For instance, let us take a news website. It may be in form of text articles, images, videos and other features such as polls or comment sections. In fact, all these various components can be coded in HTML.

However, HTML is not a fixed language. They change with the trends of the web. The new version of the language is HTML5, which includes new elements and attributes that meet the modern web’s needs. These are multimedia tags such as <audio> and <video> and new semantic tags such as <article> and <section>.

This flexibility of HTML is supported by data. HTML is used according to the Web Technology Surveys report by 97% of the websites all over the world. One percent of all the websites. Such extensive use is evidence of HTML’s versatility in meeting various web development requirements.

4. Link Optimization

Link optimization is one of the important attributes of HTML that is the language that constitutes the web. When we pose the question, “What is HTML?”, we have to take into account its capacity to generate links. These links are like bridges that span the enormous chasm of the internet, and lead the user from one page to another.

Recent research indicates that search engines prefer sites with a good internal link connectivity. It improves the usability of the site, and it becomes easy to navigate through the site. For instance, Moz has published a report on internal linking for SEO, and the author underlines the need for a proper approach.

Consider an online store. A customer that is interested in a winter jacket may find it useful to be provided with links to other jackets of the same type or related accessories. This is where HTML excels at. It is very easy to create such links with the help of <a> tag.

Let’s take a look at a simple example:

<a href="matching-gloves.html">Check out these matching gloves!</a>

In this snippet, the href attribute specifies the page that contains gloves that match the current one. The actual text that is to be clicked is placed between the <a> and </a> tags.

5. Platform-Independent

Another advantage of HTML is that it is platform independent. This means that HTML can work well in any operating system and devices that are used in the modern society. HTML is the same no matter you are working on a Windows PC, a Mac, or any Linux machine. It also applies to mobile devices, which makes HTML an international language in every sense of the word.

HTML is most advantageous to the software developers. It does away with the need to develop different versions of the same site for the different platforms. Instead, they can concentrate on developing a single, strong website while being assured that HTML will make the site appear good on any device.

6. Multimedia Elements

When we ask, “What is HTML?”, we often overlook a key feature: Multimedia elements are used in the following way: HTML enables one to embed different sorts of media into a given webpage. This includes images, audio clips and videos which makes the webpage more interactive and interesting to the users.

For instance, the <img> tag is used to insert an image on a webpage. It needs the src attribute which is used to define the source URL of the image. In the same manner, the <audio> and <video> are used to embed sound clips and videos in the webpage.

Additionally, HTML5 introduced new multimedia tags such as <canvas>, <svg>, and <video>. The <canvas> element for instance can be used to draw graphics dynamically as the page is being rendered through the help of JavaScript. This has made it possible to develop new forms of web content that are live and engaging.

7. Case-Insensitive

HTML or Hypertext Markup Language is another language that does not distinguish between the upper case and the lower case. This means that the tags can be in either capital letters or small letters and it will not make any difference in the meaning of the code. For example, <p> and <P> are both correct and equal in HTML.

This feature of HTML is very useful when one is starting off with the code. It makes it easy to write and minimizes the possibility of making mistakes because some characters are sensitive to the change of case. But it is advisable to be consistent with the usage of case throughout the HTML document. HTML tags are usually written in lowercase as it makes the code easier to read, as well as because other languages like CSS and JavaScript are case-sensitive.

One of the most famous peculiarities of HTML is the case-insensitive nature of the language, but it is crucial to mention that this is not true for all areas of web development. Some of the values of attributes, for example, can be case sensitive depending on the doctype. HTML5 has made the class and id attributes case sensitive, thus class=”test” and class=”Test” are two different classes.

7 Main Differences Between HTML And HTML5

The biggest difference between HTML and HTML5 is that HTML5 now lets you use new types of form controls. HTML5 also added a number of semantic tags, like “article,” “header,” and “footer,” which describe the content in more detail.

1. Browsers

When it comes to the question of “what is HTML”, the role of web browsers cannot be left unmentioned. Web browsers are the applications that render HTML and other web technologies to make web pages.

HTML and HTML5 are similar, but are treated differently by browsers. HTML, the first version, needs such technologies as flash, VML, or silverlight for vector graphics. On the other hand, HTML5 the latest version supports vector graphics natively through SVG and Canvas.

This is one of the main areas where HTML and HTML5 are different when it comes to the use of multimedia content. HTML does not have built-in support for audio and video. This limitation made developers to depend on applications such as the plugins like the flash. However, with the advent of HTML5, the <audio> and <video> tags were added to the language as built-in elements.

2. Type

The second major difference between HTML and HTML5 is the type attribute. In HTML, this attribute was required for some elements such as <script> and <link>. However, with the introduction of the HTML5, this attribute was made optional. This change makes the code more concise and easier to read.

For instance, in HTML, you would write:

<script type=”text/javascript” src=”script. js”></script>

In HTML5, it becomes:

<script src=”script. js”></script>

This move to simplicity is characteristic of HTML5. It is a part of the general drive to improve the efficiency and ease of web development.

3. Vector Graphics

The third major distinction between HTML and HTML5 is in the way that vectors graphics are treated. HTML5 brings in the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) which is a versatile tool for creating and editing vector-based images within the HTML.

Vector images are different from raster images in the sense that the former is created by algorithms. This means that they can be enlarged without compromising on quality and therefore are suitable for logos and icons. SVG is an XML based language that is used to describe these 2D graphics. It is like HTML but it does not markup content but rather it markup graphics.

For example, SVG provides elements for simple geometrical shapes such as <circle> or <rect> and for complex shapes in the form of <path> or <polygon>. Here’s an example of how to create a circle using SVG:

<svg width=”100″ height=”100″>
<circle cx=”50″ cy=”50″ r=”40″ stroke=”green” stroke-line-width=”4” fill=”yellow” />
</svg>

It will display a yellow circle with green border. The circle is centered at (50,50) with a radius of 40.

SVG has this advantage over HTML traditional image handling because it supports other web standards such as CSS, DOM, XSL, and JavaScript. This makes for more control and interactivity. For instance, every single item and characteristic in SVG files can be animated.

4. Multimedia

The fourth area of difference between HTML and HTML5 is in the area of multimedia content. HTML used to necessitate the use of third-party plugins such as Flash or Silverlight to play an audio or video file. This often resulted in problems of compatibility and security risks.

HTML5, for instance, incorporated native multimedia support. It introduced the <audio> and <video> tags that allow the direct integration of multimedia objects into web pages. This has enhanced the usability of multimedia content and at the same time enhanced the security of the content.

For example, let us take a basic HTML5 audio player:

<audio controls>
<source src=”audio. mp3″ type=”audio/mpeg”>
Sorry, your browser does not support the audio element.
</audio>

The code snippet creates an audio player that is compatible with all the browsers without the use of any plugins. And that is a perfect example of how HTML5 has made it easy to incorporate multimedia into websites.

5. Help With Off-site Storage

Another major difference between the two is that HTML5 is capable of dealing with off-site storage. This feature is a revolution as to what HTML is capable of in the management of data.

HTML5 introduces two new mechanisms for storing client-side data: localStorage and sessionStorage. These mechanisms enable web applications to store key-value pairs in a web browser, with no expiration date. This means that data stored in the browser will remain the same even if the browser window has been closed.

For example, let a user complete a form on a website. In case of HTML, if the user by any chance closes the browser, all the data that has been filled in the form would be cleared. But with the HTML5, the form data can be stored in the localStorage. If the browser is closed and then reopened the data filled in the form is still there.

This feature of HTML5 improves the user experience and offers the developers more options for designing effective and reliable web applications. This is a clear indication of how HTML5 has developed from its previous versions and is a very useful tool in the current web development.

6. Help With Web Sockets

Web Sockets, one of the features of HTML5, have changed the approach to real-time communication. This technology enables the client to have a continuous connection with the server and can send and receive information at any one time.

When discussing the meaning of the term ‘HTML’, one cannot but mention Web Sockets as well. They have enabled web applications to deal with real-time data without the need to poll for updates continually. This has resulted in a reduction of latency and an enhanced user experience in the case of the new system.

7. Geolocation

The seventh difference between HTML and HTML5 is the use of Geolocation API. This powerful feature enables web application to get a user’s geographical location. However, location data is only accessible with the user’s permission because of privacy issues that are involved.

HTML5 Geolocation employs the GPS or the mobile/WiFi signals to identify the location of the device. This leads to high accuracy, which can be precise to the street where the target is located. But this has a problem of privacy since the exact location of the user is well identified.

For instance, the getCurrentPosition() method of the HTML5 is used to get the position of the user. If the method is successful it returns a coordinates object that holds the latitude and longitude of the user position. This can be very useful for local businesses, restaurants or when you want to show a location on a map.

But as of Chrome 50, the Geolocation API will only be available if the page is loaded through a secure context such as HTTPS. If your site is on HTTP, the requests to get the users’ location will stop working, and your site will be on HTTPS.

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Top 5 HTML Practices

1. Make a list of all the pages with URLs that are clear and full of keywords

If you use HTML, you can change the URL of your pages by hand. Use this to your advantage by making websites that are easy to understand not only for people but also for search engines. Make sure that the words “swimming trunks” are in the URL of a page about swimming trunks, for example. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there are a lot of URLs out there that use letters, words, and other things that don’t mean anything and hurt the organic SEO of a page.

2. Use title tags that mean something

Using the title> tag, you can give a web page more meaning and make it easier for search engines to find. For example, the text inside the title> element is shown on the page that shows the results of a Google search, as well as on the user’s web browser bar and tabs.

3. Write unique content full of keywords

By using keywords and key phrases in the body text in a natural way, you not only send good signals to search engines but also let readers know they are in the right place. As a general rule, keywords should be used a few times throughout the content, sometimes making up 1% to 2% of the text on a page. To make search engine optimization better, keywords should be used. This means that between one and two of the 100 words on a page should be keywords.

4. Write consistent code

A code base that is neatly written and indented correctly shows that you are a professional and care about other people who may need to work on your code in the future. It’s a good idea to start your work with clear and correctly indented marks to make it easier to read.

5. Link to external and internal pages

You can show Google that a certain page is linked to the rest of your site by linking to other pages on your site that are about the same subject. It also gives readers the option of clicking through to other interesting parts of your website, which can make their reading experience much better. By using this search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, which shows search engines and readers that you know what other information people might be looking for on the web, you can increase the number of people who visit other pages on your website.

Recommended reading: How To Outsource SEO & Web Design Processes?

If you put external links in your content, both your readers and search engines will be able to tell that the information you provide comes from credible, authoritative, and trustworthy sources. Though you may pass link equity to them from your site, linking to external sources whose domains end in.gov or.edu is a great way to show that you only trust the most trustworthy organizations, which will make a reader more likely to trust you. Even if you pass link equity to them from your site, linking to outside sources whose domains end in.gov or.edu is a great way to show that they are trustworthy.

Recommended reading: Top 7 Web Development Languages To Use in 2022

The 5 Best HTML Editors

In order to build our first website, we need a reliable HTML editor. There are many choices out there on the market. Below is a list of carefully selected ones.

1. Notepad++

Programmers who code in HTML and other languages often choose Notepad ++. It is a very small tool that you can download and use to do the things you need to do to write clean code.

People who like to work with images will find that this choice is fantastic. In addition to all of its basic features, Notepad++ has a graphical user interface (GUI) that lets users communicate with the program by using pictures to show what to do.

2. Komodo Edit

One of the two editors that were published by the same label is called Komodo Edit. They provide a straightforward, open-source editor that is compatible with a wide number of add-ons and languages.

Like Notepad++, it’s free to download and an incredible editor in its own right. 

3. Adobe Dreamweaver CC

Next on our list of the best HTML editors is Adobe Dreamweaver CC. This HTML editor is a great choice for you to think about if you are a coder looking for a program with a lot of coding features.

Adobe Dreamweaver CC is designed for professionals who want a tool that lets them customize and be creative while also making coding easy and effective.

4. Sublime Text 3

Users of Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux can use Sublime Text 3 because it works on all three platforms and is free. It can be changed in a lot of ways and is easy to use, which makes it a great choice for a wide range of users.

5. Atom

Atom is the last one on our list. Most people agree that Atom is one of the best HTML editors on the market. This open-source editor gives programmers access to high-quality tools at a low cost, so they can get what they need without putting a strain on their finances.

Atom is a great tool for building websites because it has a great mix of simple and advanced features. This makes it a great choice for both people who have never built a website before and those who have been doing it for years.

FURTHER READING:

2. 12 Free HTML5 Resources To Learn for Newbies

3. Web Application Development Tutorial: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

4. 23 Awesome Web Development Tutorials for Beginners

So, What Is HTML?

Without hypertext markup language (HTML), the world wide web would not be what it is today. HTML is the language that is used to create the structure that makes up the World Wide Web. This structure includes page layouts, paragraphs, links, tags, and attributes. Whenever any of us browse the internet, HTML is almost certainly present, regardless of whether or not we are aware of its presence.

With the help of this article, Designveloper aims to be able to provide a comprehensive response to the question “What is HTML?” Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you need expert consulting or services related to HTML.