What is HTML?
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundation of every website on the internet. Created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991, it provides the structure for web pages — headings, paragraphs, links, images, and forms. HTML is not a programming language; it is a markup language that tells browsers how to display content. It works alongside CSS (styling) and JavaScript (behavior) to create modern websites. HTML5 is the current standard, maintained as a Living Standard by WHATWG.
What is HTML?
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundational building block of every web page on the internet. Think of it like the skeleton of a human body — it provides the basic structure and framework that everything else is built upon. Just as a house needs a frame before you add paint or furniture, a website needs HTML before you can add colors (CSS) or interactive behavior (JavaScript).
The word 'HyperText' means text that links to other text — this is how web pages connect to each other through clickable links. The word 'Markup' means you are 'marking up' plain text with special tags that tell the browser how to display it. And 'Language' simply means it follows a set of rules and syntax.
HTML is NOT a programming language — it is a markup language. This is an important distinction. Programming languages like JavaScript or Python can perform calculations, make decisions, and run logic. HTML simply describes the structure and content of a page. It tells the browser: 'This is a heading, this is a paragraph, this is an image, this is a link.'
Every single website on the internet — from a simple personal blog to a complex web application like Gmail — starts with HTML. When you type a URL into your browser and press Enter, your browser downloads an HTML file from a server and renders (displays) it as the formatted web page you see. The browser reads each HTML tag and transforms it from plain text into headings, paragraphs, images, links, forms, and more.
HTML was first created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991 at CERN (the European nuclear research center). The first version was incredibly simple — it had only 18 tags. Over the decades, HTML evolved through several versions (HTML 2.0, 3.2, 4.01), and in 2014, HTML5 became the official standard. HTML5 added powerful new features like video playback, audio, drawing graphics, and more — all without needing extra plugins. Today, HTML5 is the version used by all modern web browsers and is maintained by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) and WHATWG.
HTML provides structure, CSS adds styling, JavaScript adds interactivity
What HTML Does
- Defines the structure of web pages — headings, paragraphs, sections, articles, footers, and navigation areas
- Embeds multimedia content — images, videos, audio files, and animations directly into the page
- Creates hyperlinks that connect pages together — this is the core feature that makes the 'web' a web
- Builds forms for user input — text fields, passwords, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, and submit buttons
- Works together with CSS (for styling and visual design) and JavaScript (for interactivity and behavior)
- Runs natively in every web browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera — no installation needed
- Provides semantic meaning to content — helping search engines (like Google) understand what your page is about
- Makes content accessible — screen readers and assistive technologies read HTML tags to help visually impaired users
- Is the entry point for web development — every web technology (React, Angular, WordPress) ultimately outputs HTML
- Is completely free and open — you do not need any special software, license, or subscription to write HTML
How HTML Works — Step by Step
When you visit a website, here is what actually happens behind the scenes:
- 1You type a URL (like https://www.google.com) into your browser's address bar.
- 2Your browser sends a request over the internet to the server where that website is hosted.
- 3The server responds by sending back an HTML file (and usually CSS and JavaScript files too).
- 4Your browser receives the HTML file and starts reading it from top to bottom.
- 5As it reads each HTML tag, it builds a 'Document Object Model' (DOM) — a tree-like structure of the page.
- 6The browser then 'renders' (draws) this structure on your screen as a formatted web page.
- 7If there is CSS, the browser applies the styles (colors, fonts, spacing). If there is JavaScript, the browser runs the code for interactivity.
The key takeaway is: HTML is always the first thing the browser reads. Without HTML, the browser has nothing to display. This is why HTML is called the 'foundation' of web development.
Real-World Analogy
Think of building a house:
- HTML is the structure — the walls, floor, ceiling, doors, and windows. It defines what goes where.
- CSS is the decoration — the paint color, wallpaper, furniture placement, and lighting. It makes the house look beautiful.
- JavaScript is the electricity and plumbing — the interactive systems that make things work, like light switches, doorbells, and running water.
You must build the structure (HTML) first, then decorate it (CSS), and finally add functionality (JavaScript). You cannot paint walls that do not exist, and you cannot install light switches without walls to hold them.
Another analogy: Think of a newspaper. HTML defines the article titles (headings), the article text (paragraphs), the photos (images), and the navigation sections. Without this structure, a newspaper would just be a random pile of text and pictures with no organization.
Tip
Think of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as a team: HTML provides the skeleton (structure), CSS is the skin and clothes (appearance), and JavaScript is the muscles and brain (behavior). You always build the skeleton first — that's why HTML is the first language every web developer learns.
Your First HTML Page
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<!-- The head section contains information ABOUT the page -->
<!-- It is NOT visible on the page itself -->
<title>My First Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- The body section contains everything VISIBLE on the page -->
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
<p>This is my first HTML page.</p>
<p>I am learning HTML and it is easier than I thought!</p>
</body>
</html>Understanding the Code Line by Line
- <!DOCTYPE html> — This tells the browser 'this is an HTML5 document'. It must ALWAYS be the very first line. It is not an HTML tag — it is a declaration.
- <html> — The root element. Everything in your page goes inside this tag. Think of it as the container for the entire page.
- <head> — Contains metadata (information about the page). Nothing inside <head> appears on the visible page. It includes the title, character encoding, and links to CSS files.
- <title> — Sets the text that appears in the browser tab. For example, 'My First Page' would show in the tab at the top of your browser.
- <body> — Contains ALL the visible content. Everything the user sees on the page — text, images, links, buttons — goes inside <body>.
- <h1> — The largest heading. Used for the main title of the page. Search engines use <h1> to understand what the page is about.
- <p> — A paragraph of text. Browsers automatically add spacing above and below paragraphs.
- <!-- ... --> — An HTML comment. It is completely invisible on the page. Used to leave notes for yourself or other developers.
Try It Yourself: Hello World
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Forgetting <!DOCTYPE html> — Without it, the browser may render your page in 'quirks mode' which can cause display issues
- Not closing tags — Every opening tag like <h1> needs a closing tag </h1>. Forgetting to close tags causes broken layouts
- Putting visible content inside <head> — Only metadata goes in <head>. Everything you want the user to see must go in <body>
- Using multiple <h1> tags — Best practice is to have only ONE <h1> per page for SEO and accessibility
- Confusing HTML with a programming language — HTML does not have variables, loops, or conditions. It ONLY describes structure
Quick Quiz
Key Takeaways
- HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundation of every website on the internet.
- Defines the structure of web pages — headings, paragraphs, sections, articles, footers, and navigation areas
- Embeds multimedia content — images, videos, audio files, and animations directly into the page
- Creates hyperlinks that connect pages together — this is the core feature that makes the 'web' a web