Html Introduction
What is HTML?
HTML is a language for describing web pages. HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. HTML is not a programming language, it is a markup language. A markup language is a set of markup tags. HTML uses markup tags to describe web pages.
HTML Tags
HTML markup tags are usually called HTML tags. HTML tags are keywords surrounded by angle brackets like <html>. HTML tags normally come in pairs like <b> and </b>. The first tag in a pair is the start tag, the second tag is the end tag. Start and end tags are also called opening tags and closing tags.
HTML Documents = Web Pages
HTML documents describe web pages. HTML documents contain HTML tags and plain text. HTML documents are also called web pages. The purpose of a web browser (like Internet Explorer or Firefox) is to read HTML documents and display them as web pages. The browser does not display the HTML tags, but uses the tags to interpret the content of the page. For example:
<html>
<body>
<h1>My First Heading</h1>
<p>My first paragraph</p>
</body>
</html>
Example Explained
The text between <html> and </html> describes the web page
The text between <body> and </body> is the visible page content
The text between <h1> and </h1> is displayed as a heading
The text between <p> and </p> is displayed as a paragraph
Creating HTML with a Text Editor
There are two basic approaches to making an HTML page: you can type out the textand HTML commands yourself with a text editor, or you can use graphical softwarethat generates the HTML commands for you. Though you'll eventually want to use an editor specially designed for HTML, but as a beginner the editor or word processor you're most familiar with is recommentded. That way you won't have to learn a new software program at the same time you're starting to learn HTML.
Even a simple text editor like Windows Notepad will work just fine. When saving the file, make sure you give it an .html or .htm extension. The extension name is the only method by which browsers identify webpages. Before you start making webpages, create a seperate folder and put all the related pages into it. Also before you begin working, you should start with some text that you want to put on a Web page.
HTML code is very simple. You simply havve to type that you want displayed. At the appropriate places, insert the HTML tags to format and align the text and create hyperlinks. All the formatting, special effects and other specific HTML actions are only done by inserting HTML tags.
To view the webpage that you have created:
Load the browser
Chose the File--> Open Command.
Click the Browse button and select the file you created.
Chose Open.
Click the OK button
If you want to make a change in the HTML code then view it again:
From the browser's View option select Source. the code will be displayed in the Notepad file.
Make the changes.
Save it again.
Switch back to the browser
Click the Regfresh button
The changes will take effect.