HTML is Hypertext Markup Language, a format that makes a text file a web document. Files that end with .html or .htm are HTML files. These files contain two major parts, the heading and the body. The HTML coding helps the web browser to determine what to display and where to display information that is written in the file. HTML code is made up of tags that define how the web browser will read a document. The tags are enclosed by <>. For each beginning tag, there is an ending tag with a slash to denote the end. Example: <HEAD> and </HEAD>. HTML code may be written in upper or lower case. To promote good programming skills, choose one and follow your method throughout your web file.
Some HTML tags include:
Function |
Beginning Tag |
Ending Tag |
| Begin file | <HTML> | </HTML> used at the end of your file |
| Begin body of file | <BODY> | </BODY> |
| Begin heading of file | <HEAD> | </HEAD> |
| Begin title displayed in web browser | <TITLE> | </TITLE> |
| Heading Font | <H1> through <H6> | </H1> - </H6> |
| Horizontal Rule | <HR> | </HR> |
| Image | <IMG SRC> | does not require closure |
| Line Break | <BR> | </BR> |
| Link | < A HREF> | </A> |
| Lists (ordered) | <OL>; bullet <LI> | </OL>; </LI> |
| Lists (unordered) | <UL>; bullet <LI> | </UL>; </LI> |
| Paragraph | <P> | </P> |
| Table | <TABLE> | </TABLE> |
| Table Definition (cell) | <TD> | </TD> |
| Table Rows | <TR> | </TR> |
To view an example of HTML, see Web Page Facts or view the source of any web page in the browser of your choice.
For more HTML tags, check your local bookstore for references such as:
QUE HTML Quick Reference (ISBN 0-7897-0897-1)