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HTML - What is it?
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is used to define the structure of a
Web Page. Web Browsers then interpret the HTML pages for viewing.
HTML is based on SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language), a much
bigger document-processing system. Back in 1990 when getting information
thru the Internet was rather technical, one physicist named Tim Berners-Lee
created a way to easily cross-reference text on the Internet through
hypertext links. Not a new idea, but his HTML was considered simple
enough and thrived where others floundered.
HTML pages are in ASCII unformatted text. The pages all have a file extention of .HTM or .HTML and use TAGS to communicate with the Browsers. A Web Browser is a computer program that interprets HTML commands to collect, arrange, and display the parts of the Web page. Common browser are: Microsofts Internet Explorer and NetScape.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the current body where by HTML standards are regulated and recommended. This reference is basically going over HTML 3.2 standards. Until recently, HTML 4.0 was the standard. On December 18, 2000 the W3C released XHTML Basic as a W3C Recommendation. The W3C states: "XHTML Basic offers the simplicity and wide interoperability of early versions of HTML and reflects ten years of Web experience, including advances in XML and accessibility." To read more about the W3C recommendations and standards for all aspects of Web page development, you can visit the W3C for the most current information.
HTML Pages and Tags
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is used to define the structure of a
Web Page. Web Browsers then interpret the HTML pages for viewing.
HTML pages are in ASCII unformatted text. The pages all have a file
extention of .HTM or .HTML and use TAGS to communicate with the Browsers.
To view the source code (HTML) on any web page, just RIGHT-CLICK on your
mouse and then select VIEW SOURCE to see the HTML code for the webpage.
You will use this frequently to see other peoples code and it will help
you in coding your own pages and debugging any problems you have.
Tags are the code in brackets <> that indicate features or elements of a HTML page. Tags are made up of Three parts: Element, Attribute and Value. There are two types of Tags: CONTAINER (has an Opening and Closing element, considered two-sided) and EMPTY (stand alone with no closing element, considered one-sided.) Most Primary tags are two-sided with an opening and closing element. Closing container tags require a slash (/) preceeding the element.
Tag- Two-sided Container Example:
<HTML>
</HTML>
Tag- One-sided Empty Example:
<HR>
Tag- Element, Attribute and Value Example:
<BODY bgcolor="red">
HTML Basic Structure
These are the basic Structure TAGS within every HTML page. Each of
these must be present although they are not required by all browsers.
However if not present, then your page may not display correctly to the
browser so get used to coding them.
The "HTML" tag encloses the entire HTML document.
The "HEAD" tag encloses the Head of the document.
The "TITLE" tag describes the contents of the page and goes inside the "HEAD" tag.
This title appears on the title bar of your browser window.
The "BODY" tag encloses the rest of the HTML document.
Code as follows:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Page Title seen on Title Bar</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
All other Text and Tags to make up your document.
</BODY>
</HTML>
COMMENTS
You should put Comments within your HTML document to help yourself
remember why you coded certain things, or other special info you would like
to describe. Comments also make it easier for anyone following your coding,
to understand what it happening within the document.
These comments are not actually displayed on your Web page. They are only
visible within the HTML source.
Code Comments as follows:
<!-- Comment or Note about HTML page -->
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