HTML

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a markup language used to structure the content of web pages. It is not a conventional programming language: it has no computation or decision-making, but instead indicates the types of content elements—headings, paragraphs, lists, images, or links.

An HTML file is plain text that a browser reads and then converts into visible form. The markup system is based on tags enclosed in angle brackets < and >. Most tags come in pairs: an opening tag and a closing tag, for example in a paragraph element.

Document Structure

An HTML document has two major sections: a head and a body. The head contains metadata about the page—its title, language, and links to style sheets. The body holds the content that the user sees. The sections are nested within each other and form a tree; that structure created when a page is opened is called the DOM (Document Object Model).

Linking Content

The idea of hypertext is fundamental to HTML. Different pages on the internet, located in different places, are connected by links, making it possible for a reader to move directly from one page to another. HTML can also embed images, video, audio, and fillable forms.

Connection with CSS and JavaScript

HTML is typically used as part of a three-part system: HTML provides the structure, CSS defines the appearance (color, size, page layout), and JavaScript adds interaction and functionality. This separation makes it easier to change the appearance while keeping the content unchanged.

Evolution of the Standard

HTML began in the early 1990s and was later formalized into official standards. The most recent and widely used version is HTML5, which introduced native support for video and audio and semantic tags with clear meaning, such as elements for page headers, article sections, and navigation. Standards are now maintained in a continuous update model rather than as fixed versions.