Evolution of HTML

HTML has evolved significantly since its inception:

• HTML 1.0 (1991): The first version, created by Tim Berners-Lee, was very basic, focusing on the simple display of text.

• HTML 2.0 (1995): Introduced more tags and features, allowing for better formatting and structure.

• HTML 3.2 (1997): Standardized many features that were previously browser-specific, adding support for tables, applets, and more.

• HTML 4.01 (1999): Introduced major improvements in document structure and styling, along with better support for multimedia.

• XHTML (2000): A stricter version of HTML that follows XML standards.

• HTML5 (2014): The latest version, HTML5, brought new elements like , , and , improved support for modern web applications, and emphasized compatibility with mobile devices.

How HTML Works

HTML uses tags to define elements on a webpage. Tags are enclosed in angle brackets, like this: . Most HTML tags come in pairs, with an opening tag and a closing tag. For example, to create a paragraph, you use the

tag:

This is a paragraph.

Some tags, like (for images) and
(for line breaks), are self-closing and do not require a closing tag.

Running HTML Code

Running HTML code is simple and requires only a web browser. You can create an HTML file using any text editor, such as Notepad, Visual Studio Code, or Sublime Text. Save your file with the .html extension (e.g., index.html), and then open it in a web browser to see the rendered page.

Basic Structure of an HTML Document

An HTML document typically follows a basic structure:

Hello, World!

This is a basic HTML document.

• The declaration defines the document type and version.

• The

  tag represents the root of an HTML document.

• The

  tag contains meta-information about the document, such as its title and links to stylesheets.

• The

  tag contains the content of the webpage, such as headings, paragraphs, images, and more.

Conclusion

HTML is the cornerstone of web development. Whether you're looking to build a personal blog, a professional portfolio, or a complex web application, understanding HTML is your first step. In the following sections of this tutorial, we will explore HTML tags in detail, teaching you how to create, structure, and style web pages from the ground up.