Learn HTML

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 tags normally come in pairs like and
• 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:

My First Heading My first paragraph

What You Need

You don't need any tools to learn HTML at W3Schools.

• You don't need any HTML editor
• You don't need a web server
• You don't need a web site

Editing HTML

In this tutorial we use a plain text editor (like Notepad) to edit HTML. We believe this is the best way to learn HTML.
However, professional web developers often prefer HTML editors like FrontPage or Dreamweaver, instead of writing plain text.

Create Your Own Test Web

If you just want to learn HTML, skip the rest of this chapter.
If you want to create a test web on your own computer, just copy the 3 files below to your desktop.
(Right click on each link, and select "save target as" or "save link as")
mainpage.htm
page1.htm
page2.htm
After you have copied the files, you can double-click on the file called "mainpage.htm" and see your first web site in action.

Use Your Test Web For Learning

We suggest you experiment with everything you learn at W3Schools by editing your web files with a text editor (like Notepad).
Note: If your test web contains HTML markup tags you have not learned, don't panic. You will learn all about it in the next chapters.

HTM or HTML Extension?

When you save an HTML file, you can use either the .htm or the .html extension. We use .htm in our examples. It is a habit from the past, when the software only allowed three letters in file extensions.
With new software it is perfectly safe to use .html.

HTML Headings

HTML headings are defined with the

HTML Headings HTML headings are defined with the to tags. Example This is a heading This is a heading This is a heading

HTML Paragraphs

HTML paragraphs are defined with the
tag.

Example This is a paragraph This is another paragraph

HTML Links

HTML links are defined with the tag.

Example This is a link

Note: The link address is provided as an attribute.

HTML Images

HTML images are defined with the tag.

Example

Note: The name and the size of the image are provided as attributes.

HTML documents are defined by HTML elements.

HTML Elements

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

Start tag *	Element content	End tag *
	This is a paragraph
	This is a link

* The start tag is often called the opening tag. The end tag is often called the closing tag.

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HTML Element Syntax

• An HTML element starts with a start tag / opening tag
• An HTML element ends with an end tag / closing tag
• The element content is everything between the start and the end tag
• Some HTML elements have empty content
• Empty elements are closed in the start tag
• Most HTML elements can have attributes

(You will learn about element attributes in the next chapter of this tutorial)

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Nested HTML Elements

Most HTML elements can be nested (can contain other HTML elements).
HTML documents consist of nested HTML elements.

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HTML Document Example

This is my first paragraph

The example above contains 3 HTML elements.

Example Explained

The element:

This is my first paragraph

The
element defines a paragraph in the HTML document
The element has a start tag
and an end tag

The element content is: This is my first paragraph

The element:

This is my first paragraph

The element defines the body of the HTML document
The element has a start tag and an end tag
The element content is another HTML element (a paragraph)

The element:

This is my first paragraph

The element defines the whole HTML document.
The element has a start tag and an end tag
The element content is another HTML element (the body)

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Don't Forget the End Tag

Most browsers will display HTML correctly even if you forget the end tag:

This is a paragraph This is a paragraph

The example above will work in most browsers, but don't rely on it. Forgetting the end tag can produce unexpected results or errors.
Note: Future version of HTML will not allow you to skip end tags.

Empty HTML Elements

HTML elements without content are called empty elements. Empty elements can be closed in the start tag.

is an empty element without a closing tag (it defines a line break).
In XHTML, XML, and future versions of HTML, all elements must be closed.
Adding a slash to the start tag, like
, is the proper way of closing empty elements, accepted by HTML, XHTML and XML.
Even if
works in all browsers, writing
instead is more future proof.

HTML Tip: Use Lowercase Tags

HTML tags are not case sensitive:
means the same as
. Plenty of web sites use uppercase HTML tags in their pages.

Attributes provide additional information about HTML elements.

HTML Attributes

• HTML elements can have attributes
• Attributes provide additional information about the element
• Attributes are always specified in the start tag
• Attributes come in name/value pairs like: name="value"

Attribute Example

HTML links are defined with the tag. The link address is provided as an attribute:

Example This is a link Try it yourself »

(You will learn about links in a later chapter of this tutorial)

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Always Quote Attribute Values

Attribute values should always be enclosed in quotes.
Double style quotes are the most common, but single style quotes are also allowed.
In some rare situations, like when the attribute value itself contains quotes, it is necessary to use single quotes:
name='John "ShotGun" Nelson'

HTML Tip: Use Lowercase Attributes

Attribute names and attribute values are case-insensitive.
However, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommends lowercase attributes/attribute values in their HTML 4 recommendation
Newer versions of (X)HTML will demand lowercase attributes.

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HTML Attributes Reference

A full list of legal attributes for each HTML element is listed in our:
Complete HTML Reference
Below is a list of some attributes that are standard for most HTML elements:

Attribute	Value	Description
class	class_rule or style_rule	The class of the element
id	id_name	A unique id for the element
style	style_definition	An inline style definition
title	tooltip_text	A text to display in a tool tip

For more information about standard attributes:

Core Attributes

Not valid in base, head, html, meta, param, script, style, and title elements.

Attribute	Value	Description
class	classname	Specifies a classname for an element
id	id	Specifies a unique id for an element
style	style_definition	Specifies an inline style for an element
title	text	Specifies extra information about an element

Language Attributes

Not valid in base, br, frame, frameset, hr, iframe, param, and script elements.

Attribute	Value	Description
dir	ltr rtl	Specifies the text direction for the content in an element
lang	language_code	Specifies a language code for the content in an element. Language code reference
xml:lang	language_code	Specifies a language code for the content in an element, in XHTML documents. Language code reference

Keyboard Attributes

Attribute	Value	Description
accesskey	character	Specifies a keyboard shortcut to access an element
tabindex	number	Specifies the tab order of an element

Headings are important in HTML documents.

HTML Headings

Headings are defined with the

to

tags.

defines the largest heading.

defines the smallest heading.

Example This is a heading This is a heading This is a heading

Note: Browsers automatically add an empty line before and after headings.

Headings Are Important

Use HTML headings for headings only. Don't use headings to make text BIG or bold.
Search engines use your headings to index the structure and content of your web pages.
Since users may skim your pages by its headings, it is important to use headings to show the document structure.
H1 headings should be used as main headings, followed by H2 headings, then less important H3 headings, and so on.

HTML Rules (Lines)

The

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tag is used to create an horizontal rule (line).

Example This is a paragraph This is a paragraph This is a paragraph

HTML Comments

Comments can be inserted in the HTML code to make it more readable and understandable. Comments are ignored by the browser and are not displayed.
Comments are written like this:

Example

Note: There is an exclamation point after the opening bracket, but not before the closing bracket.

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HTML Tip - How to View HTML Source

Have you ever seen a Web page and wondered "Hey! How did they do that?"
To find out, right-click in the page and select "View Source" (IE) or "View Page Source" (Firefox) or similar for other browsers. This will open a window that shows you the HTML code of the page.