+ HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the code that is used to structure + a web page and its content. For example, content could be structured + within a set of paragraphs, a list of bulleted points, or using images + and data tables. As the title suggests, this article will give you a + basic understanding of HTML and its functions. +
++ HTML is a markup language that defines the structure of your content. HTML consists of a series of elements, which you use to enclose, or wrap, different parts of the content to make it appear a certain way, or act a certain way. The enclosing tags can make a word or image hyperlink to somewhere else, can italicize words, can make the font bigger or smaller, and so on. For example, take the following line of content: + +My cat is very grumpy +If we wanted the line to stand by itself, we could specify that it is a paragraph by enclosing it in paragraph tags: + +
< p >My cat is very grumpy< /p >
+ + ++ + + +
+
+ -
+
- The opening tag: This consists of the name of the element (in this case, p), wrapped in opening and closing angle brackets. This states where the element begins or starts to take effect — in this case where the paragraph begins. +
- The closing tag: This is the same as the opening tag, except that it includes a forward slash before the element name. This states where the element ends — in this case where the paragraph ends. Failing to add a closing tag is one of the standard beginner errors and can lead to strange results. +
- The content: This is the content of the element, which in this case, is just text. +
- The element: The opening tag, the closing tag, and the content together comprise the element. +
+