HTML Essentials: A Comprehensive Guide from Mozilla Developer Network
HTML, short for Hypertext Markup Language, is the backbone of every website on the internet. It is the standard markup language used to structure content on the web. Understanding HTML is essential for anyone looking to build and maintain a website. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the essentials of HTML as documented by Mozilla Developer Network (MDN), a trusted resource for web developers.
1. Introduction to HTML
HTML is not a programming language but a markup language. It uses tags to define the structure and layout of web content. The basic building blocks of HTML are elements, which consist of a start tag, content, and an end tag. These elements are nested to create a hierarchical structure.
2. HTML Document Structure
An HTML document starts with a doctype declaration, which informs the browser about the version of HTML being used. It is followed by the tag, which contains the entire document. The
3. Text Formatting and Structure
HTML provides various tags to format and structure text. Headings are defined using the
to tags, with being the highest level heading. Paragraphs are created with the
being the highest level heading. Paragraphs are created with the
tag. Other tags like , , , and are used for bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough effects respectively.
4. Links and Navigation
Links are an integral part of the web. HTML offers the tag to create hyperlinks. The href attribute specifies the URL to which the link points. Additionally, the target attribute can be used to control how the link opens, such as in a new tab or window. Navigation menus can be created using unordered lists (
- ) and list items (
- ).
5. Images and Multimedia
HTML allows the inclusion of images and multimedia content. The tag is used to embed images, with the src attribute specifying the image URL. Alt text should be provided to describe the image for accessibility purposes. HTML5 introduced the6. Tables and Forms
Tables are useful for organizing tabular data. HTML provides thetag to create tables, with rows defined by the
tag and cells within rows created using the tag. Forms are essential for gathering user input. HTML offers various form elements like ,