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What Is HTML

The document provides an introduction to HTML, including what HTML is, the structure of an HTML document, common HTML elements like headings, paragraphs, links and images, and how to view HTML source code. It also discusses HTML attributes, nested elements, and empty elements.

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Muhammad Tayyab Ali
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33 views

What Is HTML

The document provides an introduction to HTML, including what HTML is, the structure of an HTML document, common HTML elements like headings, paragraphs, links and images, and how to view HTML source code. It also discusses HTML attributes, nested elements, and empty elements.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Tayyab Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to HTML

What is HTML?

 HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language


 HTML is the standard markup language for creating Web pages
 HTML describes the structure of a Web page
 HTML consists of a series of elements
 HTML elements tell the browser how to display the content
 HTML elements label pieces of content such as "this is a heading", "this is a
paragraph", "this is a link", etc.

A Simple HTML Document

Example

Example Explained

The <!DOCTYPE html> declaration defines that this document is an HTML5


document
The <html> element is the root element of an HTML page
The <head> element contains meta information about the HTML page
The <title> element specifies a title for the HTML page (which is shown in the
browser's title bar or in the page's tab)
The <body> element defines the document's body, and is a container for all the
visible contents, such as headings, paragraphs, images, hyperlinks, tables, lists, etc.
The <h1> element defines a large heading
The <p> element defines a paragraph

What is an HTML Element?

An HTML element is defined by a start tag, some content, and an end tag:

<tagname> Content goes here... </tagname>

The HTML element is everything from the start tag to the end tag:
<h1>My First Heading</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>

Note: Some HTML elements have no content (like the <br> element). These
elements are called empty elements. Empty elements do not have an end tag!

Web Browsers

The purpose of a web browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) is to read HTML
documents and display them correctly.

A browser does not display the HTML tags, but uses them to determine how to
display the document:

View in Browser
HTML Page Structure

Below is a visualization of an HTML page structure:

Note: The content inside the <body> section will be displayed in a browser. The
content inside the <title> element will be shown in the browser's title bar or in the
page's tab.

HTML History

Since the early days of the World Wide Web, there have been many versions of
HTML:

Year Version
1989 Tim Berners-Lee invented www
1991 Tim Berners-Lee invented HTML
1993 Dave Raggett drafted HTML+
1995 HTML Working Group defined HTML 2.0
1997 W3C Recommendation: HTML 3.2
1999 W3C Recommendation: HTML 4.01
2000 W3C Recommendation: XHTML 1.0
2008 WHATWG HTML5 First Public Draft
2012 WHATWG HTML5 Living Standard
2014 W3C Recommendation: HTML5
2016 W3C Candidate Recommendation: HTML 5.1
2017 W3C Recommendation: HTML5.1 2nd Edition
2017 W3C Recommendation: HTML5.2

This tutorial follows the latest HTML5 standard.

HTML Editors
Learn HTML Using Notepad or TextEdit
Web pages can be created and modified by using professional HTML editors.
However, for learning HTML we recommend a simple text editor like Notepad
(PC) or TextEdit (Mac).
We believe that using a simple text editor is a good way to learn HTML.
Follow the steps below to create your first web page with Notepad or TextEdit.
Step 1: Open Notepad (PC)

Windows 8 or later:

Open the Start Screen (the window symbol at the bottom left on your screen).
Type Notepad.

Windows 7 or earlier:

Open Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad

Step 1: Open TextEdit (Mac)

Open Finder > Applications > TextEdit

Also change some preferences to get the application to save files


correctly. In Preferences > Format > choose "Plain Text"
Then under "Open and Save", check the box that says "Display HTML files as
HTML code instead of formatted text".

Then open a new document to place the code.

Step 2: Write Some HTML

Write or copy the following HTML code into Notepad:


Step 3: Save the HTML Page

Save the file on your computer. Select File > Save as in the Notepad menu.

Name the file "index.htm" and set the encoding to UTF-8 (which is the preferred
encoding for HTML files).

Step 4: View the HTML Page in Your Browser

Open the saved HTML file in your favorite browser (double click on the file, or
right-click - and choose "Open with").

The result will look much like this:


HTML Basic Examples

HTML Documents

All HTML documents must start with a document type declaration: <!DOCTYPE
html>.
The HTML document itself begins with <html> and ends with </html>.
The visible part of the HTML document is between <body> and </body>.

The <!DOCTYPE> Declaration

The <!DOCTYPE> declaration represents the document type, and helps browsers
to display web pages correctly.
It must only appear once, at the top of the page (before any HTML tags).
The <!DOCTYPE> declaration is not case sensitive.
The <!DOCTYPE> declaration for HTML5 is:

HTML Headings
HTML headings are defined with the <h1> to <h6> tags.

<h1> defines the most important heading. <h6> defines the least important
heading:
HTML Paragraphs

HTML paragraphs are defined with the <p> tag:

HTML Links

HTML links are defined with the <a> tag:

The link's destination is specified in the href attribute.


Attributes are used to provide additional information about HTML elements.
You will learn more about attributes in a later chapter.

HTML Images

HTML images are defined with the <img> tag.

The source file (src), alternative text (alt), width, and height are provided as
attributes:
How to View HTML Source

Have you ever seen a Web page and wondered "Hey! How did they do that?"

View HTML Source Code:


Right-click in an HTML page and select "View Page Source" (in Chrome) or
"View Source" (in Edge), or similar in other browsers. This will open a window
containing the HTML source code of the page.

Inspect an HTML Element:


Right-click on an element (or a blank area), and choose "Inspect" or "Inspect
Element" to see what elements are made up of (you will see both the HTML and
the CSS). You can also edit the HTML or CSS on-the-fly in the Elements or Styles
panel that opens.

HTML Elements

An HTML element is defined by a start tag, some content, and an end tag.

The HTML element is everything from the start tag to the end tag:

<tagname>Content goes here...</tagname>


Examples of some HTML elements:

<h1>My First Heading</h1>


<p>My first paragraph.</p>

Note: Some HTML elements have no content (like the <br> element). These
elements are called empty elements. Empty elements do not have an end tag!
Nested HTML Elements

HTML elements can be nested (this means that elements can contain other
elements).

All HTML documents consist of nested HTML elements.

The following example contains four HTML elements (<html>, <body>, <h1> and
<p>):

Example Explained

The <html> element is the root element and it defines the whole HTML document.

It has a start tag <html> and an end tag </html>.

Then, inside the <html> element there is a <body> element:


The <body> element defines the document's body.

It has a start tag <body> and an end tag </body>.

Then, inside the <body> element there are two other elements: <h1> and <p>:

The <h1> element defines a heading.

It has a start tag <h1> and an end tag </h1>:

The <p> element defines a paragraph.

It has a start tag <p> and an end tag </p>:


Never Skip the End Tag

Some HTML elements will display correctly, even if you forget the end tag:

However, never rely on this! Unexpected results and errors may occur if you forget
the end tag!

Empty HTML Elements

HTML elements with no content are called empty elements.

The <br> tag defines a line break, and is an empty element without a closing tag:
HTML is Not Case Sensitive

HTML tags are not case sensitive: <P> means the same as <p>.

The HTML standard does not require lowercase tags, but W3C recommends
lowercase in HTML, and demands lowercase for stricter document types like
XHTML.

HTML Tag Reference (Link)

HTML Attributes

HTML attributes provide additional information about HTML elements.

All HTML elements can have attributes


Attributes provide additional information about elements
Attributes are always specified in the start tag
Attributes usually come in name/value pairs like: name="value"

The href Attribute

The <a> tag


defines a
hyperlink.

The href attribute


specifies the
URL of the page
the link goes to
The src Attribute

The <img> tag is used


to embed an image in
an HTML page. The
src attribute specifies
the path to the image
to be displayed:

There are two ways to specify the URL in the src attribute:

1. Absolute URL - Links to an external image that is hosted on another website.


Example: src="https://www.w3schools.com/images/img_girl.jpg".

Notes: External images might be under copyright. If you do not get permission to
use it, you may be in violation of copyright laws. In addition, you cannot control
external images; it can suddenly be removed or changed.

2. Relative URL - Links to an image that is hosted within the website. Here, the
URL does not include the domain name. If the URL begins without a slash, it will
be relative to the current page. Example: src="img_girl.jpg". If the URL begins
with a slash, it will be relative to the domain. Example:
src="/images/img_girl.jpg".

Tip: It is almost always best to use relative URLs. They will not break if you
change domain.

The width and height Attributes

The <img> tag


should also
contain the width
and height
attributes, which
specify the width
and height of the
image (in pixels):
The alt Attribute

The required alt


attribute for the <img>
tag specifies an
alternate text for an
image, if the image for
some reason cannot be
displayed. This can be
due to a slow
connection, or an error
in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader.

The style Attribute

The style attribute is


used to add styles to
an element, such as
color, font, size, and
more.

The lang Attribute

You should always


include the lang attribute
inside the <html> tag, to
declare the language of
the Web page. This is
meant to assist search
engines and browsers.

The following example


specifies English as the
language.
Country codes can also be added to the language code in the lang attribute. So, the
first two characters define the language of the HTML page, and the last two
characters define the country.

The following
example specifies
English as the
language and United
States as the
country:

The title Attribute

The title attribute


defines some extra
information about an
element.
The value of the title
attribute will be
displayed as a tooltip
when you mouse over
the element:

We Suggest: Always Use Lowercase Attributes


The HTML standard does not require lowercase attribute names.

The title attribute (and all other attributes) can be written with uppercase or
lowercase like title or TITLE.

We Suggest: Always
Quote (“) Attribute
Values
The HTML standard
does not require quotes
around attribute values.
However, W3C recommends quotes in HTML, and demands quotes for stricter
document types like XHTML.

Single or Double Quotes?


Double quotes around attribute values are the most common in HTML, but single
quotes can also be used.

In some situations, when the attribute value itself contains double quotes, it is
necessary to use single quotes.

Chapter Summary:

 All HTML elements can have attributes


 The href attribute of <a> specifies the URL of the page the link goes to
 The src attribute of <img> specifies the path to the image to be displayed
 The width and height attributes of <img> provide size information for
images
 The alt attribute of <img> provides an alternate text for an image
 The style attribute is used to add styles to an element, such as color, font,
size, and more
 The lang attribute of the <html> tag declares the language of the Web page
 The title attribute defines some extra information about an element
HTML Headings

HTML headings are titles or subtitles that you want to display on a webpage.

HTML headings are defined with the <h1> to <h6> tags.

<h1> defines the most


important heading.
<h6> defines the least
important heading.
Note: Browsers
automatically add
some white space (a
margin) before and
after a heading.
Headings Are Important

Search engines use the headings to index the structure and content of your web
pages.

Users often skim a page by its headings. It is important to use headings to show the
document structure.

<h1> headings should be used for main headings, followed by <h2> headings, then
the less important <h3>, and so on.

Note: Use HTML headings for headings only. Don't use headings to make text BIG
or bold.

Bigger Headings

Each HTML heading has a default size. However, you can specify the size for any
heading with the style attribute, using the CSS font-size property:
HTML Paragraphs

The HTML <p> element defines a paragraph.

A paragraph
always starts on a
new line, and
browsers
automatically
add some white
space (a margin)
before and after a
paragraph.

HTML Display
You cannot be sure how
HTML will be displayed.

Large or small screens, and


resized windows will create
different results.

With HTML, you cannot


change the display by adding
extra spaces or extra lines in
your HTML code.

The browser will


automatically remove any
extra spaces and lines when
the page is displayed:
HTML Horizontal Rules

The <hr> tag defines a


thematic break in an HTML
page, and is most often
displayed as a horizontal rule.

The <hr> element is used to


separate content (or define a
change) in an HTML page:

The <hr> tag is an empty tag,


which means that it has no end
tag.

HTML Line Breaks

The HTML <br>


element defines a
line break.

Use <br> if you want


a line break (a new
line) without starting
a new paragraph:

The <br> tag is an empty tag, which means that it has no end tag.
The Poem Problem

This poem will display on a single line:

Solution - The HTML <pre> Element


The HTML <pre>
element defines
preformatted text.

The text inside a


<pre> element is
displayed in a fixed-
width font (usually
Courier), and it
preserves both
spaces and line
breaks:

HTML Styles

The HTML
style attribute is
used to add
styles to an
element, such as
color, font, size,
and more.

The HTML Style Attribute

Setting the style of an HTML element, can be done with the style attribute.

The HTML style attribute has the following syntax:


The property is a CSS property. The value is a CSS value.

Background Color

The CSS background-color property


defines the background color for an
HTML element.

Text Color
The CSS color property defines the text color for an HTML element:
Fonts
The CSS font-family property defines the font to be used for an HTML element:

Text Size
The CSS font-size
property defines the text
size for an HTML
element:

Text Alignment
The CSS text-
align property
defines the
horizontal text
alignment for an
HTML element:

Chapter Summary
 Use the style attribute for styling HTML elements
 Use background-color for background color
 Use color for text colors
 Use font-family for text fonts
 Use font-size for text sizes
 Use text-align for text alignment
HTML Text Formatting

HTML contains several


elements for defining
text with a special
meaning.

HTML Formatting Elements


Formatting elements were designed to display special types of text:
 <b> - Bold text
 <strong> - Important text
 <i> - Italic text
 <em> - Emphasized text
 <mark> - Marked text
 <small> - Smaller text
 <del> - Deleted text
 <ins> - Inserted text
 <sub> - Subscript text
 <sup> - Superscript text
HTML <b> and <strong> Elements
The HTML <b> element defines bold text,
without any extra importance.

The HTML <strong> element


defines text with strong
importance. The content inside is
typically displayed in bold.

HTML <i> and <em> Elements


The HTML <i> element defines a
part of text in an alternate voice
or mood. The content inside is
typically displayed in italic.

Tip: The <i> tag is often used to


indicate a technical term, a phrase from another language, a thought, a ship name,
etc.
The HTML <em> element defines
emphasized text. The content inside is
typically displayed in italic.

Tip: A screen reader will pronounce


the words in <em> with an emphasis, using verbal stress.

HTML <small> Element


The HTML <small> element
defines smaller text:

HTML <mark> Element


The HTML <mark>
element defines text
that should be marked
or highlighted:
HTML <del>
Element
The HTML <del>
element defines text
that has been deleted
from a document.
Browsers will usually
strike a line through deleted text.

HTML <ins> Element


The HTML
<ins>
element
defines a
text that has been inserted into a document. Browsers will usually underline
inserted text.

HTML <sub> Element


The HTML <sub> element
defines subscript text.
Subscript text appears half a
character below the normal
line, and is sometimes rendered in a smaller font. Subscript text can be used for
chemical formulas, like H2O.

HTML <sup> Element


The HTML <sup> element
defines superscript text.
Superscript text appears
half a character above the
normal line, and is
sometimes rendered in a smaller font. Superscript text can be used for footnotes,
like WWW[1].

HTML Quotation and Citation Elements

In this chapter we will go through the <blockquote>,<q>, <abbr>, <address>,


<cite>, and <bdo> HTML elements.
HTML <blockquote> for Quotations
The HTML <blockquote> element defines a section that is quoted from another
source.
Browsers usually indent <blockquote> elements.

HTML <q> for Short Quotations


The HTML <q> tag defines a short quotation.
Browsers normally insert quotation marks around the quotation.

HTML <abbr> for Abbreviations


The HTML <abbr> tag defines an abbreviation or an acronym, like "HTML",
"CSS", "Mr.", "Dr.", "ASAP", "ATM".
Marking abbreviations can give useful information to browsers, translation systems
and search-engines.

Tip: Use the global title attribute to show the description for the
abbreviation/acronym when you mouse over the element.

HTML <address> for Contact Information


The HTML <address> tag defines the contact
information for the author/owner of a
document or an article.
The contact information can be an email address, URL, physical address, phone
number, social media handle, etc.
The text in the <address> element usually renders in italic, and browsers will
always add a line break before and after the <address> element.

HTML <cite> for Work Title


The HTML <cite> tag defines the title of a creative work (e.g. a book, a poem, a
song, a movie, a painting, a sculpture, etc.).
Note: A person's name is not the title of a work.
The text in the <cite> element usually renders in italic.

HTML <bdo> for Bi-Directional Override


BDO stands for Bi-Directional Override.
The HTML <bdo> tag is used to override the current text direction.

HTML Quotation and Citation Elements


Tag Description
<abbr> Defines an abbreviation or acronym
<address> Defines contact information for the author/owner of a document
<bdo> Defines the text direction
<blockquote> Defines a section that is quoted from another source
<cite> Defines the title of a work
<q> Defines a short inline quotation
HTML Comments
HTML comments are not displayed
in the browser, but they can help
document your HTML source
code.
HTML Comment Tag
You can add comments to your HTML source by using the following syntax.

Notice that there is an exclamation point (!) in the start tag, but not in the end tag.

Note: Comments are not displayed by the browser, but they can help document
your HTML source code.

Add Comments
With comments you can
place notifications and
reminders in your HTML
code.

Hide Content
Comments can be used to
hide content.
This can be helpful if you
hide content temporarily.

You can also hide


more than one line.
Everything between
the <!-- and the -->
will be hidden from
the display.
Comments are also
great for debugging
HTML, because you can comment out HTML lines of code, one at a time, to
search for errors.

Hide Inline Content


Comments can be used to
hide parts in the middle of
the HTML code.

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