Robert Cohen
2 min readJan 30, 2023

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HTML = The Building Blocks of the Web

Have you ever stumbled upon a website and thought to yourself, “Wow, this looks amazing! How did they make it so interactive and visually appealing?” Well, chances are that HTML (HyperText Markup Language) was involved in the creation of that website.

HTML is the foundation of the web and is what gives a website its structure. It’s like building a house — HTML provides the framework, and other technologies like CSS and JavaScript are used to add the finishing touches.

Think of HTML as a way to communicate with a website. When you type in a URL and hit enter, your browser sends a request to the server, asking for the HTML code of the website you want to visit. The server then sends the HTML code back to your browser, which then displays the website as a structured document.

Now, let’s dive into the basics of HTML.

HTML is made up of tags, which are used to define the different elements on a web page. A tag is represented by the less than and greater than symbols: < >.

For example, the paragraph tag is represented as <p>. You would use this tag to define a paragraph of text on a web page. To create a paragraph, you would write:

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

It’s that simple!

Another important tag is the header tag, represented as <h1> to <h6>, depending on the size of the header you want to create. The <h1> tag is used for the main header, while <h2> is used for subheadings, and so on.

Here’s an example:

<h1>This is a main header</h1> <h2>This is a subheader</h2>

In addition to tags, HTML also uses attributes to provide additional information about an element. For example, you can use the “src” attribute to specify the source of an image:

<img src=”image.jpg” alt=”An example image”>

The “alt” attribute is used to provide a description of the image for people who use screen readers or for when the image can’t be loaded.

These are just a few examples of the basic building blocks of HTML. With these simple elements, you can create anything from a simple personal website to a complex e-commerce platform.

HTML is a language that is constantly evolving and improving, and there is always more to learn. But don’t let that intimidate you! Start by exploring and experimenting with the basics, and you’ll be well on your way to creating your own amazing websites.

In conclusion, HTML is the backbone of the web and a fundamental building block for any aspiring web developer. It’s a fun and rewarding language to learn, so grab a cup of coffee or water and dive in!

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