What is HTML?

HTML (.html) files contain HyperText Markup Language code that structures web content. HTML is the backbone of every website, using tags to define elements like headings, paragraphs, links, images, and multimedia. Modern HTML5 includes semantic elements, multimedia support, and APIs for advanced web applications.

Along with CSS for styling and JavaScript for interactivity, HTML forms the foundation of web development. Every website you visit uses HTML to structure its content.

Did you know? The first website ever created is still online at info.cern.ch and contains only basic HTML!

History

HTML was invented by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN to share documents between researchers. It has evolved from simple text formatting to a powerful platform for web applications.

Key Milestones

  • 1991: HTML first described by Tim Berners-Lee
  • 1995: HTML 2.0 first standard
  • 1997: HTML 4.0 with CSS support
  • 2014: HTML5 becomes W3C recommendation
  • Present: Living Standard by WHATWG

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Semantic Markup: Meaningful elements (header, nav, article)
  • Forms: Input controls for user interaction
  • Multimedia: Native audio and video support
  • Canvas & SVG: Graphics and drawing
  • Storage APIs: LocalStorage, IndexedDB
  • Accessibility: ARIA attributes for screen readers

Common Use Cases

Websites

Structure and content of web pages

Web Applications

UI structure for web apps

Email Templates

HTML email formatting

Documentation

Online help and guides

Advantages

  • Universal browser support
  • Easy to learn
  • Free and open standard
  • Search engine friendly
  • Lightweight and fast
  • Works on all devices

Disadvantages

  • Static content only (needs JS for interactivity)
  • No styling (needs CSS)
  • Browser inconsistencies (legacy)
  • Limited security features
  • Verbose for complex layouts

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .html, .htm
MIME Type text/html
Format Type Markup Language
Encoding UTF-8 (recommended)
Current Version HTML5 (Living Standard)
Maintained by WHATWG

Common Tools

  • Editors: VS Code, Sublime, WebStorm
  • Validators: W3C Validator
  • Frameworks: Bootstrap, Tailwind