Introduction to HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard language used to create and design webpages. It provides the structure of a webpage using a system of elements (or "tags") that define content such as text, images, links, and more.
Key Features of HTML:
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Markup Language: HTML uses tags to organize and format content.
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Structure-Based: It defines the layout of a webpage, with elements like headings, paragraphs, and lists.
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Hypertext Linking: It enables linking between different web pages.
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Multimedia Support: It allows embedding images, videos, and audio files.
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Works with CSS & JavaScript: HTML is often used alongside CSS (for styling) and JavaScript (for interactivity) to build modern websites.
Why is HTML Important?
- It is the backbone of all webpages.
- It allows structuring of content using a simple and readable syntax.
- It enables hyperlinking, making the web an interconnected network.
- It supports multimedia, including images, videos, and audio.
- It works seamlessly with CSS and JavaScript to build interactive and visually appealing websites.
Basic Structure of an HTML Document
A simple HTML document looks like this:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My HTML Webpage<title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to HTML!<h1>
<p>This is a basic webpage created with HTML.<p>
</body>
</html>
Brief History of HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 at CERN to structure and share documents on the internet. Over the years, it has evolved to support multimedia, interactive elements, and mobile-friendly designs.
- 1991 - HTML 1.0: First version with basic tags for simple webpages.
- 1995 - HTML 2.0: Standardized version with support for forms and tables.
- 1997 - HTML 3.2: Added scripting support (JavaScript) and improved styling with CSS.
- 1999 - HTML 4.01: Introduced CSS integration, better multimedia support, and accessibility features.
- 2000 - XHTML 1.0: A stricter, XML-based version of HTML for cleaner code.
- 2008 - HTML5 (Beta): Development started, introducing
<video>,<audio>,<canvas>and better form elements. - 2014 - HTML5 (Official): Full multimedia support, improved user experience, and mobile responsiveness.
- 2021 - HTML Living Standard: HTML became a continuously evolving standard maintained by WHATWG.
Today, HTML remains the backbone of web development, constantly evolving to meet modern digital needs.