Introduction to HTML

In the vast landscape of web development, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) stands as the foundational building block. It’s the backbone upon which every web page is constructed. This in-depth guide is tailored exclusively for beginners who aspire to master the art of HTML. We will delve deep into the world of HTML, exploring the essential tools, terminologies, coding practices, and the critical concept of semantics.

Chapter 1: Unveiling the HTML Universe

1.1 What is HTML?

HTML, in its essence, is a markup language, not a programming language. It acts as the structural framework for web pages, defining the content’s layout and hierarchy.

1.2 Anatomy of an HTML Document

<!DOCTYPE html>: A declaration that sets the document’s type.
<html>: The root element enclosing all content.
<head>: Metadata and document-related information.
<title>: The title displayed in the browser tab.
<meta>: Information about character encoding, keywords, and descriptions.
<link>: Links external stylesheets for styling.
<script>: Links external JavaScript files or contains inline scripts.
<body>: The container for the visible content.

Chapter 2: Structuring Content

2.1 Headings

HTML offers six levels of headings from <h1> (most important) to <h6> (least important). Mastering heading tags is crucial for organising content effectively.

<h1>Main Heading</h1>
<h2>Subheading</h2>
<h3>Sub-subheading</h3>

2.2 Paragraphs and Text Formatting

Learn to use the <p> element for paragraphs and text formatting tags like <em> (italic) and <strong> (bold) to convey emphasis and importance.

<p>This is an <em>italic</em> and <strong>bold</strong> text example.</p>

2.3 Lists

Master the art of creating unordered lists (<ul>), ordered lists (<ol>), and definition lists (<dl>) to structure content effectively.

<ul>
  <li>Item 1</li>
  <li>Item 2</li>
</ul>

<ol>
  <li>First</li>
  <li>Second</li>
</ol>

2.4 Links and Anchors

The <a> tag allows you to create hyperlinks. Learn how to link to other web pages or resources within your site.

<a href="https://www.example.com">Visit Example.com</a>

2.5 Images

Incorporate images using the <img> element, and understand the importance of the alt attribute for accessibility and SEO.

<img src="image.jpg" alt="A breathtaking landscape">

Chapter 3: The Essence of Semantics

3.1 Semantic HTML

Delve deep into semantic HTML elements that convey the meaning of the content they enclose. Gain insights into how semantic elements impact accessibility and SEO.

3.2 Semantic Elements

Explore HTML5’s rich set of semantic elements, including <header>, <nav>, <article>, <section>, <aside>, <footer>, and more, and understand their roles in document structure.

<header>
  <h1>Website Header</h1>
  <nav>
    <ul>
      <li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
    </ul>
  </nav>
</header>

3.3 Importance of Semantic Tags

Learn why using semantic tags is not just a best practice but a necessity in modern web development. Discover how they assist screen readers, search engines, and future-proof your code.

Chapter 4: Beyond the Basics

4.1 Forms

Unlock the potential of HTML forms, exploring input elements, buttons, text areas, checkboxes, and radio buttons. Dive into the intricacies of form attributes and methods.

<form>
  <label for="username">Username:</label>
  <input type="text" id="username" name="username" required>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

4.2 Tables

Master the creation of tables using <table>, <tr>, <td>, and <th> tags. Understand the structure required for organizing tabular data.

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Header 1</th>
    <th>Header 2</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Data 1</td>
    <td>Data 2</td>
  </tr>
</table>

4.3 Embedding Media

Learn how to embed media elements like audio and video using <audio> and <video> tags. Understand the attributes for specifying sources and controls.

<video controls>
  <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>

Chapter 5: Advanced Techniques

5.1 HTML Entities

Explore the world of HTML entities, special characters, and symbols that can be represented using entity codes.

&copy; for ©
&trade; for ™

5.2 HTML Forms: Advanced Topics

Delve into advanced form concepts, such as form validation, custom styling, and AJAX form submissions, to create robust and user-friendly web forms.

5.3 Web Accessibility

Gain a deep understanding of web accessibility principles and how HTML can be used to create inclusive web experiences for all users.

Chapter 6: Best Practices and Optimization

6.1 Code Validation

Learn the importance of validating your HTML code using tools like the W3C Markup Validation Service.

6.2 SEO-Friendly HTML

Discover techniques to optimize your HTML for search engines by focusing on meta tags, semantic markup, and proper document structure.

6.3 Version Control

Understand the benefits of version control systems like Git for tracking changes, collaborating with others, and managing your HTML projects efficiently.

Conclusion

HTML is a language that forms the backbone of the World Wide Web. This in-depth guide has equipped you with the knowledge and skills needed to master HTML. As you embark on your journey into web development, remember that practice, exploration, and continuous learning are the keys to becoming proficient in the art of HTML. With this foundation, you’re prepared to create web content that’s both functional and meaningful on the ever-evolving digital landscape.

You can learn more from W3Schools for in-depth detail in each topic. Read more on how to get started with HTML.

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In this tutorial, we will discuss getting started with HTML. We will see the basics of HTML, HTML Tags, Head and Body Sections.

What is HTML?

The HyperText Markup Language or HTML is the standard markup language for documents viewed in Browsers. It very well may be helped by advancements, for example, Cascading Style Sheets and scripting languages like JavaScript. HTML gives a basic structure to the website, whereas CSS or Cascading Style Sheets beautifies the page, and JavaScript provides the functionality to the page.

Let’s jump in learning the HTML

Please note that you will need an IDE or Integrated Development Environment for coding in HTML. There are several IDEs available on the web, such as Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Atom. We have prepared the article for installing VS Code and necessary extensions for coding in HTML, CSS.

With the consideration that you have installed your preferred IDE, we begin the HTML tutorials.

Create a folder and name it according to your preference

Open Visual Studio Code, click on Explorer and Open Folder, click on the recently created folder. Shortcut to open Explorer Window in Control + B.

Right-click and create a file called index.html. We name the file index because it is the first file that will load in the domain.

We must say the version of HTML to the browser for that, and we have to type the following code. <!DOCTYPE html> . HTML is not case sensitive, so it is not wrong to use upper or lowercase. In convention, we use it in the case mentioned above.

Under the HTML version we use the tag HTML. Generally, most of the HTML elements will have opening tag and closing tag <html> </html>

Inside the HTML tag, we will have two elements, Head and Body tags.

In the head tag, we give information about the document to the browser, such as document name, meta information and more. For example, we will use the tag <title> to define the title of the HTML document.

Inside the Body tag, we have information such as images, paragraphs, and other elements which the HTML document will have.

For example, if we create a Tweet structure with a profile image, Twitter handles, and the message, we will first use an img tag to call an image to the document and give paragraph tags. For that, we will need to copy-paste the image file in the folder where we have index.html. In the directory, we can create a folder called images and paste the image there. Img tag has the following syntax, and we can call the absolute path of the image, i.e., direct URL of the image, if the available or relative path to the current index.html file. Next, we will give a paragraph tag for the Twitter handle and message.

<title>HTML Document</title>
<img src="images/ampersand-tutorials.png">
<p>@ampersandtutorials</p>
<p>Here's our tutorial on HTML!</p>

Following is the output for our corresponding HTML code. But there is no proper layout or structure as we see on Twitter. In the following tutorial, we will see how to beautify the HTML document using CSS.

Now that you have read an article about Getting Started with HTML, You can also check out our courses from Ampersand Academy.

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HTML Tutorial [2023]: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

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