HTML: HyperText Markup Language | MDN

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the most basic building block of the Web. It defines the meaning and structure of web content. Other technologies besides HTML are generally used to describe a web page's appearance/presentation (CSS) or functionality/behavior (JavaScript).

Overview

Added

March 18, 2026

Subject & domain

coding · web-development

Grade range

Grade 6–Grade 12 (Senior)

Page kind

Article

Introduction

Overview of HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

  • Definition: HTML is the fundamental building block of the Web, used to define the meaning and structure of web content.
  • Core Technologies: While HTML handles structure, CSS is used for presentation (appearance) and JavaScript for functionality (behavior).
  • Hypertext: Refers to the links that connect web pages, enabling navigation within and between websites.
  • Markup Syntax:
    • Uses "elements" (e.g., <p>, <div>, <img>) to annotate content.
    • Elements are defined by "tags" enclosed in < and >.
    • Tags are case-insensitive, though lowercase is the recommended industry convention.
  • Key Concepts:
    • Attributes: Additional values used to configure elements or adjust their behavior.
    • Global Attributes: Attributes that can be applied to any HTML element.
    • Content Categories: Rules defining which elements are allowed within specific contexts.
    • Comments: Use <!-- … --> to add notes or disable parts of the markup.
  • Advanced Features:
    • Forms: Essential for user interaction (login, feedback, e-commerce) with built-in client-side validation.
    • Media: Native support for audio and video via <audio> and <video> elements.
    • Extensibility: data-* attributes allow for storing custom information on elements.
    • Metadata: Includes microdata and microformats to provide structured data for search engines and crawlers.
    • Responsive Design: Techniques for optimizing images and content across different screen sizes and resolutions.
  • Learning Resources: MDN provides comprehensive documentation, including tutorials for beginners, a syntax cheatsheet, and full references for all elements, attributes, and input types.

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