HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard markup language used to create and structure content on the web. It provides the backbone for all web pages by defining the structure of elements such as text, images, links, and multimedia. HTML uses a system of tags to label content and specify how it should be displayed by web browsers. It is the foundational technology for web development, working in conjunction with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and JavaScript to build fully functional web pages and applications.
HTML uses tags enclosed in angle brackets (< >) to define elements. Each element has an opening tag (e.g., <p>) and a closing tag (e.g., </p>), which together surround the content. For example, <p>This is a paragraph.</p> defines a paragraph.
HTML elements can include attributes, which provide additional information about the element. Attributes are written inside the opening tag and typically consist of a name and value. For example, <a href="https://example.com">Click here</a> uses the href attribute to specify the link’s destination.
HTML offers six levels of headings (<h1> to <h6>) to structure content hierarchically, with <h1> being the highest level and <h6> the lowest. Paragraphs are defined with the <p> tag, which separates blocks of text.
Links are created with the <a> tag, while images are added with the <img> tag. The src attribute in the <img> tag defines the source of the image, and the alt attribute provides alternative text for accessibility.
HTML has evolved significantly since its creation. The latest version, HTML5, introduced new features like audio and video elements, support for offline web applications, and improved semantics for structuring documents. HTML5 also removed the reliance on third-party plugins for multimedia, enhancing browser performance and security.
HTML is fundamental to web development as it structures the content displayed in browsers. It is essential for search engine optimization (SEO), as properly structured HTML allows search engines to understand and index content effectively. HTML also plays a crucial role in web accessibility, ensuring that content is usable by individuals with disabilities through assistive technologies like screen readers.