HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is the foundation of the modern web. It allows us to create and structure content on the internet, giving meaning and structure to text, images, and other elements on a webpage. In this blog, we'll be taking a deep dive into HTML, exploring its history, its role in the web, and its various elements and features. We'll also look at how HTML has evolved over the years and how it continues to shape the way we use the internet.

History of HTML

HTML was first developed in the late 1980s by Tim Berners-Lee, a computer scientist working at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research). He wanted to create a way for researchers to share information and collaborate online, and he saw the potential for a system of interconnected documents that could be accessed via hyperlinks.

In 1990, Berners-Lee published the first version of HTML, which was a simple markup language for creating and formatting text documents. Over the years, HTML has evolved and grown to include a wide range of elements and features, and it is now used to create all kinds of web content, from simple text documents to complex interactive applications.

Evolution of HTML

HTML is an important part of the web because it provides a standardized way to create and structure content. It allows web developers to create consistent and structured layouts for web pages, and it makes it easier for web browsers to interpret and display the content.

There are many different versions of HTML, and the language is constantly evolving to keep up with the changing needs of the web. The latest version of HTML is HTML5, which was released in 2014 and includes a number of new elements and features designed to support the creation of more interactive and dynamic web content.

Overview of HTML5

Here is a simple example of an HTML document:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>My webpage title</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Here comes the heading</h1>
  <p>I love HTML</p>
</body>
</html>

<!DOCTYPE html> : declaration at the top tells the browser that this is an HTML document. Note that Doctype declaration changes depending on which version of html you're using.
<html> element is the root element of the HTML document, and it contains all the other content on the page.
<head> element contains meta information about the webpage, which is used by the browser ( for example, page title which appears in the browser's tab).
<body> element contains the actual content of the webpage.
<h1> element is used to mark up a heading
 element is used to mark up a paragraph.

Why HTML is called a "markup language" ?

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is called a markup language because it uses tags to "mark up" text with formatting instructions. The tags are used to define the structure and content of the web page, and they tell the web browser how to interpret and display the text.

When you add tags to text in HTML, you are enclosing the text in a set of angle brackets (< and >). The brackets contain a tag name, which defines the meaning and purpose of the text.

For example, the  tag is used to mark up a paragraph of text. To use the  tag, you would enclose the text in the opening  tag and the closing  tag, like this:

<p>This is a paragraph of text.</p>

The opening  tag tells the web browser that the text that follows is a paragraph, and the closing  tag indicates that the paragraph has ended.

There are many different HTML tags that you can use to mark up text in different ways. Some tags, like the  tag, are used to define the structure and content of the webpage. Other tags, like the  and  tags, are used to apply formatting to text (e.g., making it bold or italic).

By adding tags to text in this way, you can create a structured and formatted layout for a webpage. The tags provide information about the meaning and purpose of the text, and they help the web browser to interpret and display the content correctly.

Conclusion

HTML is an essential part of the modern web, and it plays a critical role in the way we create, structure, and interpret content online. In this blog, we've taken a deep dive into HTML, exploring its history, its role in the web, and its various elements and features. We've also looked at how HTML has evolved over the years and how it continues to shape the way we use the internet. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced web developer, understanding HTML is an important step in creating and maintaining a successful online presence.

Resources

Here are few resources from where you can learn more about HTML :

Deep Dive into HTML ( for beginners )

Table of contents