What is HTML?

HTML is the markup language that defines the structure and meaning of web pages. It tells the browser which content is a heading, paragraph, link, image, or other element.

What you will learn

What markup, elements, and attributes mean
How the basic HTML document is organized
How HTML works with CSS and JavaScript
Why semantic HTML and accessibility matter

Basic document structure

A minimal document contains a doctype, an html element, a head for metadata, and a body for visible content.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <title>My first page</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Hello, HTML</h1>
  <p>This is a paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>

What the example produces

Save the example as index.html and open it in a browser. You will see a heading and a paragraph. HTML describes the role and order of content; CSS controls appearance and JavaScript adds behavior.

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

HTML provides structure, CSS controls presentation, and JavaScript adds behavior. Keeping these roles separate makes pages easier to understand and maintain.

Common points to remember

Use headings in a logical order.
Use meaningful elements instead of using div for everything.
Give informative images suitable alt text.
Associate form controls with visible labels.

Back to the HTML learning path