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If you’re wondering what HTML is, we have the answer for you. The term is often used in connection with website design.
What HTML is: Markup language for structure on your website
The term “HTML” stands for “Hypertext Markup Language.” This is the format in which web pages are written.
- The creator of the website writes the text of a website in an HTML file. The HTML file can be used to structure and format text (e.g., font size and font type). You can also use HTML to embed links to other websites or add images, videos, or background sounds to your text.
- Browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer read the HTML file in a fraction of a second and then display it graphically.
- As a rule, HTML files are no longer written by hand. Website operators are relieved of this work by a graphical user interface—this is done, for example, via content management systems such as WordPress or Typo3.
- Tip: Right-click in a free area on this website and select the option “Save as” or “Save page as.” You can then download the HTML file for this website and view the raw code in the editor. In addition to individual words, you will also find commands for links or images.
Interaction with CSS and JavaScript
In the past, websites were programmed entirely in HTML. Due to the increasing dynamism of many websites, CSS, which differs from HTML, has also become established in modern web design.
- Therefore, HTML is now only used to structure a website. For example, you can specify whether a text should appear as a heading or body text.
- In a linked CSS file, you then define the format that such a text section should have. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is responsible for the design: colors, spacing, layouts, and fonts.
- JavaScript brings interactivity into play: animations, form entries, or dynamic content.
- Together, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript form the “magic triangle” of modern web design. HTML is always the foundation on which everything else is built.
Structure of an HTML document, tags and attributes
An HTML document follows a clear structure. It consists of two central areas: the head section (
) and the body section ().- The head section contains information that is not directly visible on the website, such as the title, meta data, or references to external CSS and JavaScript files.
- The body section contains the actual content: text, images, headings, lists, or links.
- HTML works with so-called tags (also called “elements”). Tags are written in angle brackets, for example
for a paragraph or for a link. They usually appear as start and end tags that enclose the respective content.
- Tags can also contain attributes that provide additional information. For example, the href attribute specifies where a link leads to.
