HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language , is one of the most common forms of code in the world. It is used on pretty much every website and enables web designers to present texts, images, videos and other content clearly and concisely. Of course, many beginners choose this language first, but they struggle to understand how best to learn HTML.
Our following 5 minute video should answer the question “What is HTML5?” finally answer.
If you want to become a front-end web developer, you have to learn HTML. Fortunately for you, there are literally hundreds of websites out there teaching you the HTML basics that will enable you to create a simple HTML page. However, these websites don’t always give you the best or most efficient way to learn HTML. They don’t always teach the most current version of the language, and they don’t always teach you everything you need to know.
So the purpose of this simple HTML tutorial is to give you an inside look at HTML, what it is, how to learn it, and how to use it. We’re going to talk about why you should take HTML seriously, and we’re going to look at both the best way to learn HTML and some of the other resources you can fall back on.
First, let’s look at what HTML is and why you should learn it.
What is HTML & why should I learn it?
As mentioned earlier, HTML is incredibly widespread. It is primarily used by front-end web developers to make web content legible and present.
Basically, HTML is an XML-based language. This means that you have tags (or elements) in angle brackets (<>). There are attributes within the brackets. These tags or elements are nested within one another. If these angle brackets sound strange to you, take a look at our article on XML.
HTML uses tags
One of the main characteristics of the HTML language is the use of tags to design text and other visual elements. Some examples of these tags are:
- <p> </p>, these are paragraph tags. They tell your web browser that everything between the tags is in one paragraph.
- <title> </title>, tells your web browser what the title of the page is.
- <video>, with this tag you can insert a video directly on your page.
As you may notice, HTML tags have some characteristics that are clear and universal:
- Most HTML tags start with an opening tag, <> and end with a closing tag, </>. However, only a few have an opening day.
- In most cases, the content that we want to define by the tags is between the opening and closing tags. Sometimes things are included in the opening day.
Here is a good picture to explain elements, attributes, and tags:
What is HTML used for?
So, as you have seen, HTML is used to create structure and content. You can do the look with it too, but there are better tools for that these days. A website consists of various components, such as: headings, images, text, icons and menus.
You can also interact with the website using links, buttons and forms. In HTML there are defined elements for all of this, which are used when creating a website. It’s not magic!
Free HTML5 Cheatsheet (PDF)
Get an overview of the most important HTML5 commands
Cheatsheet download
You write these elements into a file in the correct syntax. As soon as you open this file in the browser, your browser recognizes these elements and displays them appropriately. This is how you create static websites.
In addition to websites, you can also create a whole lot of other things, because wherever you find HTML, you can also find CSS and Javascript. This also enables you to create web applications, mobile apps for every common mobile device, video games and many other things with these 3 languages, more details can be found in the video on Javascript.
How are these languages connected at all? If you see HTML as the structure and content of a website, you can see CSS as the design of a website. Javascript can be used to program the behavior of the website. Thus, the basic structure of a modern website consists of at least 3 files. There are also videos for the individual languages that you should watch. The basic principles are easy to learn.
Who actually determines which tags, elements and attributes are available?
The current HTML 5 standard defines which elements are available and how they should look. This standard is like a contract between website builders and browser manufacturers. These discuss and at some point agree on the elements and attributes that are now included in the HTML standard. The standard is important for browser manufacturers so that they know how to handle certain HTML elements.
The website creator can then use these elements and can be sure that the elements are displayed correctly.
Browser manufacturers do not always agree on this and so there can be isolated differences between browsers.
HTML & CSS
While it can be used on its own, it is very rare for anyone to use HTML themselves. In most cases, HTML is used to define the general layout and appearance of a web page, while another language, CSS, is used to design the content.
The main reason for this is that HTML is limited in what it can do. With HTML, you have limited options for designing text and image properties. You can define what kind of text you want to include, you can create tables and lists, and you can embed things like pictures and videos. However, it’s difficult to change things like the font, text color, and the exact positioning of elements within a webpage.
It is therefore recommended that you learn HTML and CSS together.
Reasons to learn HTML
We said that HTML is an essential language for anyone interested in becoming a front-end web developer. This is because it’s used on pretty much every website in existence because it’s easy to create engaging content in a way that web browsers can understand, and because it’s easy to learn and easy to use.
Some of the other reasons you should seriously consider learning HTML include:
- It’s easy. If you don’t have any programming skills but want to become some kind of programmer, HTML is a good place to start. It’s easy to learn and use, it will provide a good introduction to programming, and it will help you understand basic programming concepts faster.
- It can help you find a job. Programming and coding are generally in-demand skills that businesses around the world seek. Simply having a little knowledge of HTML basics to design your resume can make you more knowledgeable and help you find a job.
- It could lead to a promotion or a raise. As mentioned earlier, programming skills are in great demand in the modern world. Even the simplest of programmers charge $ 100-150 an hour, which means coding skills could help you get your next promotion or raise.
As you can see, there are many reasons why HTML is a great language. Let’s keep this in mind and talk about the people who are thinking of learning HTML.
Who should know HTML?
In the previous section we said that HTML can provide a basic introduction to programming, that it could help you find work, and that it could provide the basis for a raise. In keeping with this, here are three groups that should seriously think about how to learn HTML:
Aspiring front-end developer
HTML, CSS and JavaScript form the basis for developing front-end websites. This means that if you are serious about becoming a front-end developer, you need to learn HTML. The fact that it is simple and easy to learn means that it is often the first language budding developers try.
People who work in content management or other internet-related areas.
Anyone who works in content management, writing, or anything else related to digital content could benefit from in-depth knowledge of HTML. For example, let’s say you need to write articles for a client’s website, but you need to publish them directly to the website. Sure, you could probably do it without HTML – content management systems like WordPress and Wix have made sure of that – but it’ll be a lot easier if you understand how to format a simple HTML page.
Website / blog owner
If you own and run your own website or blog, you may find it very useful to learn the basics of HTML. This gives you more flexibility when it comes to formatting both your website and your content, which can potentially save you money. After all, web developers are expensive and it could cost you a small fortune to hire a developer for even a few hours. You would be much better off if you could make small HTML changes yourself.
What’s the best way to learn HTML?
Now, before we get into too much detail, there is one very important thing to be aware of:
There is no single “best way” to learn HTML .
Some people will be better suited to different teaching methods, and the best way to learn HTML for one person may not be the best way for another person. Keep this in mind as you read the following sections.
Well, for most people, we believe that the best way to start learning HTML is with an online interactive course. As a language designed for use on the Internet, it makes sense to use the Internet to learn the basics of HTML. Some of the features of online HTML courses that we believe are the best way to learn include:
- They are fun and engaging. That means they make it easier to stay motivated, which reduces the risk of you giving up before your course ends.
- They cover the basics first, which means you won’t waste your time learning irrelevant information from the start.
- Many online HTML courses allow you to write code right in your browser as you study – and get you started right away.
What other resources should I use?
If you search the internet for the answer to how to learn HTML, you will discover many different resources. Some of them are free, others cost money (more on that in the next section), but the only common theme is that they all claim to be the best.
However, many of these resources are out of date. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any good ones out there, but you should be careful. Keep the following points in mind to help you discover the basics of HTML alongside your main course:
YouTube videos
Watching videos that cover difficult or confusing concepts are a great way to learn things that are difficult for you personally. If you’re having trouble with a particular concept – or if you just want a deeper explanation than what is in your course – then look for the answers on YouTube.
Mozilla Developer Reference
Language reference guides are a great resource for discovering new syntax, refreshing your memory of older syntax, or learning pretty much anything else about a programming language. One of the best HTML reference guides out there is the Mozilla Developers’ HTML Reference Guide .
Online forums
If you can’t find the answers to your questions anywhere else, you can always ask other people who have a better understanding than you of how to learn HTML. Online forums and chat forums are a great resource for people trying to learn a programming language like HTML. Use them to ask questions, participate in discussions, and find the solutions to even your toughest problems.
Free resources vs. paid resources
Now that we’ve covered the types of resources available to HTML learners, it’s time to take a quick look at a debate that has grown in size over the past few years – free resources vs. paid resources . It’s easy to find free programming courses and other resources on the Internet, but are they worth taking? Or should you pay for your courses to make sure you learn all sorts of things?
Below we’ll take a quick look at the pros and cons of free and paid resources:
Paid resources
In the past, people had to pay for access to quality learning materials. There are a variety of such resources on the Internet, ranging from paid tutorials to paid tutors and code tools.
Benefits of paid resources:
- You will learn from industry experts who know about the things they teach. This can help reduce your risk of learning wrong information or bad habits.
- When you pay for something, you are more likely to use it. This will help you stay motivated and can lead to better results in the learning process.
- You will likely find that paid courses are very well organized and that they contain all of the relevant information.
disadvantage
- Paid courses are, well … they are paid. They cost money. Not everyone can afford it.
- Some people want to dig into programming without getting committed. Paying for a course can feel like an obligation.
- Paid courses don’t always provide quick and efficient answers to simple questions. If you want to learn how to do a certain thing, look for free resources.
Free resources
The rise of alternative sources of income such as internet advertising and “freemium” courses has resulted in a large number of free courses and other free resources finding their way onto the internet in recent years. In fact, this article is a great example of a high quality free resource!
Advantages:
- Free resources are free. They don’t require financial commitment, which is good for people with little money.
- If you don’t like one free resource, you can just choose another one without losing anything from a financial standpoint.
- Free resources are available to anyone with an internet connection and a little time. This means that people can explore the basics of writing a simple HTML page without getting tied to a course.
Disadvantage:
- Free resources can be of a lower quality than paid resources. This is because they are sometimes created by people who know less than the professionals themselves. They can contain incorrect information and overlook important details.
- There are so many free resources out there that it can be super hard to find the ones that are right for you.
- Sometimes it pays to pay someone for a simple answer instead of scrolling through forum reply pages or Google search results.
As you can see, both free and paid resources have their positive and negative aspects. If you are serious about becoming an HTML pro, we recommend paying for a course. However, if you want to discover the language without committing yourself, free resources can help you with that.
How can I practice coding in HTML code?
Free HTML5 Cheatsheet (PDF)
Get an overview of the most important HTML5 commands
Cheatsheet download
Once you’ve decided to learn HTML and master the basics, it really comes down to practicing. As the old saying goes:
“Practice creates masters”
This has never been more true than with programming. But how do you practice it?
Well the best way I’ve found to practice programming in HTML is by creating your own website. Use a drag-and-drop website builder that eliminates the need for more complicated languages like JavaScript or PHP and focus on HTML syntax.
Alternatively, you can practice things like writing HTML files in a code editor, become a freelancer, or improve your HTML by learning CSS. Whichever method you choose, remember the following – if you don’t practice a skill you will unlearn it.
Conclusion
HTML is the language of the internet. The best way to learn HTML is something that has been discussed for years and there really isn’t a straight answer. Everyone is different, and the best way for one person to learn may not be the best way for another.
However, we believe that online courses such as those offered on Learn to Programming are a wonderful resource that can help people around the world start their HTML journey. When done well, online courses can provide a concise, accurate overview of the HTML language and are a perfect place to get started.
Many people choose to use paid resources when they first learn a programming language, but it is not strictly necessary. Free courses can also come in handy, especially if you’re not sure whether you want to become a web developer or a programmer.
Hopefully this tutorial has given you enough information about learning HTML to get you started. Remember that a language is difficult to learn so you have to practice, practice and practice a lot. Good luck, have fun, and welcome to the world of HTML!
