What is HTML?
HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is the standard markup language used to structure and display content on the internet. But before diving deep into HTML, let’s understand how the internet and browsers work.
How Does the Internet Work?
Have you ever wondered how someone in the United States can instantly communicate with someone in another country? Let’s break it down in a simple way.
Many people think of the Internet as a mysterious cloud floating in the sky. In reality, it’s much more tangible. The Internet is essentially a vast network of wires connecting computers around the world. Imagine a computer in London connected to another in Canada via this gigantic network. These wires carry data that allow computers to communicate.
Some of these computers serve a special role - they’re called servers. Servers stay online 24/7 and deliver data when requested. When you access a website, your device - called a client in this context - sends a request to the server, and the server responds with the data required to load that website. Think of a server as a massive digital library open at all hours. You walk in and say, "Show me Google’s home page," and it hands you the necessary files to view that page.
But in such a huge library of information, how do you find the exact website you want? This is where DNS (Domain Name System) comes in. When you type a URL like google.com into your browser, it sends a request to your ISP (Internet Service Provider). The ISP forwards your request to a DNS server, which acts like an internet phone book. It looks up the domain and returns the corresponding IP address of the website’s server. Once your browser gets the IP address, it can directly contact the server to fetch the files and data needed to display the site.
Try it yourself: Visit nslookup.io, type in google.com or any website link, and you’ll see the IP address of Google’s servers or corresponding website link you input. You can even paste that IP into your browser to reach the site.
The Role of Undersea Cables
To connect continents, the Internet relies on massive undersea cables made up of hundreds of fiber optic strands. These cables transmit data using lasers at speeds up to 400 gigabits per second. You can explore this at submarinecablemap.com. It’s a technological marvel that allows a signal from your home to travel halfway across the globe in milliseconds.
Screenshot from the submarinecablemap website
How Does the Browser Work?
Your browser is the tool that retrieves and displays websites. Once the browser receives the server’s response, it processes three main file types:
HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The structure/content of the site.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): The styling, including layout, colors, and fonts.
JavaScript: The functionality and interactivity of the page.
Let’s use the analogy of building a house:
HTML is the bricks and foundation.
CSS is the paint and decorations.
JavaScript is the electricity and appliances that bring the house to life.
For example, on the Google homepage:
HTML creates the structure: logo, text box, and buttons.
CSS defines how those elements look: button shape, spacing, and fonts.
JavaScript enables interactivity: typing in a search term and receiving results.
Try this: Visit google.com, right-click the "Google Search" button, and choose Inspect. This opens Chrome Developer Tools where you can view the underlying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
💡 Tip: Use Chrome for the best developer experience. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, consider doing so before continuing.
Getting Started with HTML
HTML defines the structure of web content. It uses tags such as <h1>, <p>, <a>, and <img> to add headings, paragraphs, links, and images.
Example:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Hello World</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>This is a heading tag</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph</p>
</body>
</html>What HTML Does Not Do
HTML does not:
Style the page (that’s CSS)
Add interactivity (that’s JavaScript)
To make a webpage engaging and functional, HTML is combined with:
CSS to control appearance.
JavaScript to handle logic and interaction.
How HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Work Together
A webpage is like a house:
HTML – structure and foundation
CSS – style and design
JavaScript – behavior and interactivity
These three technologies form the core of front-end web development.
In Summary
HTML is the backbone of any website. It structures the content you see and is the foundation upon which everything else is built. While HTML alone can create static pages, it truly shines when paired with CSS for styling and JavaScript for interactivity.
Whether you're building a simple landing page or a complex web application, HTML is where it all begins.