Is It Hard to Learn HTML?

HTML can be easy to learn with practice and patience.
Using tags, a programmer can manipulate the text to do many different things.
One of the best and easiest methods to get started learning HMTL is to look at the code for favorite websites, especially small, personal sites.
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  • Written By: N. Madison
  • Edited By: Niki Foster
  • Last Modified Date: 14 August 2015
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Like most things, learning HyperText Markup Language (HTML) may seem difficult at first, but it is really not hard to understand. With a little time, patience, and effort, most people can learn the basics in no time. In fact, there are many resources on the Internet that make learning this language simple and fast, and some are even free.

HTML is a markup language used for creating web pages that utilize hypertext. It may also be used for the creation of other types of information intended for display using a web browser. A markup language basically combines text with information about that text, such as how it should be displayed. Hypertext is basically text that is linked to other text or data. Essentially, therefore, this is a language for telling a web browser what to show on a web page.

It is best for individuals to start learning HTML with the basics and move on when they feel comfortable. For example, to make the word start show up in a web browser in bold print, a programmer would simply type the following: <b> start </b>. Once the person has typed this, he has just written a word using HTML tags. Tags begin with . The same effect can also be produced by typing <strong> start </strong>. Using tags, a programmer can manipulate the text to do many different things.


It is important to note that the information between the signs is the actual tag. If a person types <em> learn </em>, he will instruct the web browser to italicize the word learn. Tags can use either capital or lower case letters.

A simple HTML tutorial can give a student a good start towards learning the language. To make things easy, people should choose a tutorial that breaks information down into bite-sized chunks. Students may also want to look for a tutorial that uses more everyday language and less technical terminology. That way, they can ensure that they get through each section without feeling as if their head is spinning. People can always learn the really technical details later, if they wish.

Some individuals create web pages without ever learning this programming language. Instead, they choose to use HTML editing programs or what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) editors for web page creation. There are many situations in which knowing the coding can come in handy, however, and site creators can be more creative with a little knowledge.


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Discuss this Article

Post 9

I tried to teach myself HTML, and I simply can't grasp the concepts of it, or any language. I feel really stupid.

Post 8

HTML bold has two common codes that I know of -- strong and b. But my question is does it matter which you use? Is one more "traditional" and safer to be applied as intended? Or are they really the same?

Post 7

I will also vouch for the HTML language being pretty simple. When I was in college, one of the groups I was in was very interested in developing a website for our club. Even though none of us knew anything about website design, I had take a couple of programming classes using Visual Basic, so I decided to take on the task.

Like the article suggests, I just found a couple of tutorials online and went to work. Like a lot of things, the hardest part of the process was just figuring out the basics. Once you know that, you can build everything else off of the foundation.

In the end, I thought the website turned out pretty good. It gave us a place to post some of our activities and pictures, which is all we really wanted.

Post 6

I remember when I was a lot younger that there was a trend of people making their own web pages, because it was fairly easy and a neat thing to do after the internet got more common.

My parents made a little website with some of our family pictures and our pets and everything. I believe they just used one of the programs that lets you type things into text boxes and it converts everything else into HTML code.

Still, though, looking at the code later, I was able to pick up some of the basics like how to make words bold and whatnot. I have found that knowing some of these things has been very helpful down the line. There have been quite a few occasions where I wanted to make bold words in posts and things.

Post 5

@cardsfan27 - I agree with you. I learned how to do some basic HTML to make the website for my company, but I don't think I have the talent to be a website designer who does those types of things for a living.

My website is not as elaborate as some professionally made websites, but it isn't cheap looking, either. That being said, I still spent several weeks flipping through HTML reference books trying to figure out exactly how to do everything. I feel like the language is kind of like a lot of computer programs. You know what it is capable of, it is just a matter of exhausting resources until you figure out how to do it. If you wanted to learn everything that HTML could do, it would take years of practice.

Post 4

@schrodinger - You are right. I actually took an HTML class when I was in high school. It was a very popular class among the students, because it was something that was relatively easy to learn and you had some sort of practical knowledge after taking the class.

Like all programming languages, though, HTML can start to get very detailed and complicated when you want to do some of the more advanced actions.

If you ever look at the HTML code of a large website, it can be several dozens of pages of code. Once you start to use HTML links and other things, the code can get unruly. That being said, I still believe HTML is the best language for most people to use.

Post 1

HTML is widely known as an easy language to grasp, and as a consequence many high schools and community colleges have HTML classes offered to students.

Those who don't have the time to take a class still have many resources available to them. There are a slew of quality HTML manuals available at your local library and bookstore.

Not only is HTML easy to learn, it is quickly becoming an essential computer skill. As the internet plays an increasingly vital role in our lives, the demand for people with the skills to create effective web content will only increase.

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