HTML Tutorials

Chapter 1: Getting Started with HTML5

1.1 What is HTML

Updated On: 2024-11-21

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard language used to create and design the structure of web pages. It consists of a series of elements that define the content and layout of a webpage.


1. Early Days of HTML (1991-1995)

1991: HTML was created by Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist.


Initially designed to share and link research documents on the World Wide Web (WWW).

The first version, HTML 1.0, had only basic elements like headings, paragraphs, links, lists, and images.

1993: The first proposal for HTML standards was introduced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).


This marked the formalization of HTML.

1995: HTML 2.0 was released by the IETF.


Added features for forms, tables, and basic interactivity.

2. Growth and Standardization (1997-1999)

1997: HTML 3.2 was standardized by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).


Introduced new elements like <font> for styling and tables for layout.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) was introduced around the same time to separate content from design.

1999: HTML 4.01 became the official standard.


Introduced support for internationalization, scripting (JavaScript), and accessibility.

It emphasized structure over presentation, encouraging developers to use CSS for styling.

3. XHTML Era (2000-2008)

2000: W3C introduced XHTML (Extensible HyperText Markup Language), a stricter version of HTML.

It required developers to write well-formed code, adhering to XML rules.

XHTML was not widely adopted due to its complexity and stricter syntax requirements.

4. HTML5 Revolution (2008-Present)

2008: Work began on HTML5, aiming to modernize HTML for the needs of the evolving web (e.g., multimedia, interactivity).


2014: HTML5 was officially released as a W3C Recommendation.


Key Features:

HTML is now a "living standard" maintained by the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group).

Significance of HTML Over the Years

HTML has played a pivotal role in shaping the internet as we know it today, transitioning from simple text-based web pages to interactive, multimedia-rich web applications.


Related Resources

For more information, you can use the following resources: