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1.Introduction to HTML

HTML
  • HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is the standard language used to create and structure web pages.
  • What HTML does: It defines the content structure of a webpage using elements like headings, paragraphs, links, images, lists, tables, and forms.
  • Markup, not programming: HTML is a markup language, meaning it describes layout/structure. It does not perform logic like programming languages.
  • History:
    • HTML was created by Tim Berners-Lee (CERN) around 1990–1991 to share and link documents on the World Wide Web.
    • Later, HTML standards were maintained by groups like the W3C and WHATWG, ensuring websites work consistently across browsers.
  • Versions of HTML (major milestones):
    • HTML 1.0 – Basic document structure (early web).
    • HTML 2.0 – First widely standardized version.
    • HTML 3.2 – Added more tags for formatting and layout support.
    • HTML 4.01 – Improved structure and support for scripting/stylesheets.
    • XHTML – HTML written with stricter XML rules.
    • HTML5 – Modern HTML with new semantic tags and multimedia support (audio/video), better forms, and APIs.
  • Uses of HTML:
    • Creating web pages (structure and content).
    • Building website layouts using sections like header, nav, article, footer.
    • Creating forms for login, registration, feedback, and data collection.
    • Embedding images, audio, video and other media.
    • Linking pages using hyperlinks to create complete websites.
    • Used with CSS (design) and JavaScript (interactivity) to build modern websites.
  • Advantages of HTML:
    • Easy to learn and beginner-friendly.
    • Platform independent (runs in any browser on any OS).
    • Free and supported by all modern browsers.
    • Works with CSS & JavaScript to create attractive and interactive pages.
    • Semantic elements in HTML5 improve readability and SEO.
  • Limitations of HTML:
    • HTML alone cannot create dynamic logic (needs JavaScript / backend).
    • It cannot connect directly to a database (requires server-side languages like PHP, Python, Node.js, etc.).
    • Design control is limited without CSS.
    • Large projects become harder to manage without proper structure and frameworks.
  • HTML File Extension:
    • .html – Most common and recommended extension.
    • .htm – Older version used in systems that supported only 3-letter extensions.
    • Both work the same in browsers; today .html is preferred.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>My First HTML Page</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Hello, HTML!</h1>
  <p>This is a simple HTML page.</p>
  <a href="https://example.com">Visit Example</a>
</body>
</html>
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