HTML Tags Complete Reference - Part 1

By Candice Pardue

Learn About HTML Tags, What They Are, and How They Work in this
Beginner Guide

 

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In this "HTML Tags Complete Reference" you'll learn all about HTML tags, their definition, how they work, and more. HTML tags are the foundation of the Web language. In early Web days, HTML tags were used to build almost every website.

In recent years, however, more languages have come on the scene, giving Web users a variety of choices in how they design their website. These alternatives to using just raw HTML tags include PHP, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), XML, DHTML, Flash Macromedia, Javascript, etc.

With so many possibilities, HTML beginners can easily get confused when trying to learn web design. Learning about HTML tags will certainly help you understand the other languages because it is the foundation. Once you learn basic HTML and how the tags work, it will be easier to move on to other applications.

Markup Language HTML Tag Definition

What Are HTML Tags?

The Definition of HTML Tags: A string of text used in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) that identifies the format, type and appearance of a Web page.

These "text" tags are included in HTML to describe what the outcome of a Web page will be, how it will look and how it will work. You've probably heard this saying about computers - "what you put in is what you get out!" That's very true of computers as well as HTML tags. The HTML tags you put into a Web page's raw code determine what comes out when people view your Web page on the Internet.

Basic HTML Tags

All HTML tags have a particular function. For example, there are HTML tags that determine the size, color and font of text on a website. There are HTLM tags for determining the sizes of tables and cells within those tables. There are tags for bold print, breaks, paragraphs, creating forms, inserting images and logos, and more!

Basic HTML tags are used to develop a simple Web page layout. More complicated tags can be inserted throughout the page as you need to add more features such as order forms, navigation menus with links, etc.

Most web pages start with basic HTML tags and the designer tweaks and adds to the page as needed to get the look and feel wanted. So, don't panic! Start with basic HTML tags and work your way up to more complicated designs. Remember - learning design is a neverending process.

HTML Tag Brackets

The HTML tag brackets are usually what confuse people the most. The tags are contained in brackets to define where they begin and end. When you write an HTML tag, you'll include a left angle (or less than symbol) bracket ( < ), then the name of the HTML tag (e.g. B), then a right angle (or greater than symbol) bracket ( > ).

So, the written tag looks like this: "<B>" (without the quotes)

But that's not all, many basic HTML tags will also have an end tag. The end tag is identical to the starting tag except it has a slash ( / ) before the tag name, inside the brackets.

Like this: "</B>" (without the quotes)

The "B" stands for "bold print" and any text written in between these beginning and ending HTML tags will display in bold print on your Web page.  An alternative HTML tag for bold print is "strong," or <strong>  </strong>.

This concludes the HTML Tags Complete Reference Part 1. 

Continue Here to Part 2 >>>>

**NOTE: The good news is you don't have to know everything there is to know about HTML tags to design your website.You can actually get started with your own website by just knowing the basics! So, relax as you learn and don't worry about trying to absorb too much at once.

---  Article written by Candice Pardue, editor of Web Design Weekly. Learn web design from home with simple step-by-step instructions.  The Web Design Training Course for beginners will show you how.