In today’s digital world, where websites are everywhere and web apps are a part of daily life, one technology sits quietly at the heart of it all: HTML, or HyperText Markup Language. Whether you’re browsing a blog, shopping online, or reading this article, HTML is at work behind the scenes. It’s the standard language used to create and structure content on the web, making it an essential skill for anyone interested in web development or design.
What Is HTML?
HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It’s not a programming language like JavaScript or Python. Instead, it’s a markup language used to define the structure and layout of web pages. Think of it as the skeleton of a webpage — the basic outline that tells the browser what to show and how different elements relate to each other.
The “HyperText” part refers to the ability to link between web pages using hyperlinks. The “Markup Language” part means HTML uses special tags to “mark up” content, telling the browser what each part of the content represents.
Why HTML Matters
Without HTML, the internet as we know it wouldn’t exist. HTML provides the structure that allows us to create web pages, link them together, and present content in a meaningful way. Every website, no matter how complex or dynamic, starts with HTML. It serves as the foundation upon which other technologies like CSS (for styling) and JavaScript (for interactivity) are built.
Even large platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Amazon use HTML at their core. That’s why learning HTML is often the first step for anyone entering the world of web development or design.
How HTML Works
HTML works using a system of tags. These tags tell the browser how to display the content. Most HTML tags come in pairs: an opening tag and a closing tag. The content goes in between.
Example: