HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is a computer markup language (not a programming language) used for creating web pages. Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, are designed for the sole purpose of reading this language and translating it into language we can understand. Of course, like any other language, HTML needs to follow a set of grammar rules in order to be read without confusion.
Because HTML is a markup language, it needs markup tags. Tags are keywords surrounded by a greater than and less than sign. These tags normally come in pairs, telling the web browser when the tag action starts and ends. In writing your end tag, also called the closing tag, you must include a forward slash before the keyword but after the less than sign or else the language becomes unreadable.
Basic HTML Example:
<html>
<header>
<title> This is my title </title>
</header>
<body>
This is my body
</body>
</html>
Explained:
· The “<html>” tags tell your web browser it is looking at an HTML document.
· The “<header>” tags gives information about the web page.
· The “<title>” tags give your web page a title located on the title bar of the web browser (note: the “<title>” tags are located in between the “<header>” tags because they are a part of the web page’s header).
· The “<body>” tags contain all your pictures and text.
The example above or any other HTML document you have fashioned can be created with the use of Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac), or any other text editor. Just save your HTML document as “anything”.html under all types and when opened with your web browser, your web page will appear. With a few more tags, attributes to them, and with the help of a little JavaScript, you can easily turn your simple web page into a successful website.
