Jun 24, 2013
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The basics and why you need more of it in your life
Everybody’s heard about HTML or CSS, and most computer users have tried to use one at least once or twice. But you seem to be getting by without it just fine right? … Wrong. You need to understand the basics of HTML to not only run your own website(s), but to communicate at your best online.
HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the main markup language used to create website pages. HTML is used to instruct web browsers how to display the text and other content of your blog or website. HTML is comprised of tags which are encompassed in angle brackets (such as <img>) written into the web page content.
HTML Tags
Tags are elements that instruct the web browser how to organize the content of your web page. Most HTML tags are written with a starting and ending tag. For example, If I wanted to display the following sentence on my blog,
I absolutely love pizza!
To begin a new paragraph we would use the <p> tag and if we wanted to make some bold text we could use the <b> tag.
Both of these elements need a starting and ending tag. In the following example I have also instructed the browser to bold the word ‘love’ by surrounding it with the bold tags. Our HTML would look like this:
<p>I absolutely <b>love</b> pizza!</p>
If you’re catching on you’ve realized that the beginning tag is the same as the ending tag except for the additional slash on the ending tag to distinguish it from the starting tag.
CSS
CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) is a style sheet language that is used for describing the appearance and structure of a document or web page written in a markup language such as HTML. The main purpose of CSS is to provide a separation of content from appearance. This separation has many advantages such as enabling multiple pages in a website to share the same look and feel, presenting more control and flexibility in the website layout, reducing duplication and complexity of the web page structure, and increases the accessibility of your content.
Is It Needed?
So the question is, “Do I really need to learn HTML or CSS?” Well the answer truly depends on your goals and ambitions with your website(s). Without a basic knowledge of either HTML or CSS you will find that you are extremely limited to your online design. There are many website creation tools available online that include templates for beginners and simple website designs. As you progress and want more to add more apps, plug-ins, and add-ons to your site, you will either learn how to do it yourself or hire professionals to provide these services for you. Learning the basics of HTML and CSS will immediately help you stand out and represent your unique appeal.
The web today offers many options to learn HTML and CSS for free. Simple searches on your browser of choice and you’ll be on your way to better blogging and creating today!
What other skills have you developed to run your website?