how-to: HTML

Step-by-Step Introduction for Beginners, Bloggers and the Code-Curious

The Basic Language of all Websites

HTML is easy to learn. Follow the simple steps below and in a few minutes you will have made your first HTML file. No special software is required, just the plain text editor already on your computer.

<Hello World!>

To make a HTML file:

Open the plain text editor on your computer:

On a PC this is called Notepad.
Click Start >Programs >Accessories >Notepad

On a Mac it is called TextEdit.
Find in Applications folder, or search in Spotlight - (click magnifying glass in top RH corner of desktop)

In a new window, type:

<html>
<p>P is for paragraph.</p>
</html>

Save the file:

Save as 'myfirstwebpage.html'.
The .html ending is important.

Open the file:

It should open in your web browser:
My first web page

If it doesn't, check:

• File must be saved with .html extension, not .txt
• It should be written in plain, unformatted text, unicode (UTF-8)
• Make sure <brackets> and </slashes> all in place

Well done!! This is your first page and the starting point of all websites.

Now, go back to text editor and add the following:

<html>
<h1>h is for heading. h1 is the main heading.</h1>
<h2>h2 is a secondary heading.</h2>
<p>p is for paragraph,<q>q is for quote</q> she said with <em>emphasis</em></p>
</html>

This time, simply save the changes and refresh your browser:

Hopefully you are beginning to see how HTML is written, and your inner geek is starting to awaken..

From here, you can go to: