Introduction to HTML

HyperText Markup Language is the languge used to write web pages. HTML is written in plain text and it can be created by a human typing normal characters using a text editor (like SimpleText or BBEdit) or a word processor (like ClarisWorks or Word).

The best way to learn HTML is to look at HTML. If you have a web page open in your web browser you can usually see the HTML which generated that page using a menu command. (In Microsoft Internet Explorer select Source from the View menu.) If you like an effect on that web page you can see how that effect was created by looking at the source.

This web page doesn't intend to give you an explanation of how to write HTML: there are many fine tutorials on the Web already, and some links to those tutorials are provided here.

Tutorials on the Web

One of the best starting points for learning HTML is the Web Design Groups home page. WDG was founded to "promote the creation of non-browser specific, non-resolution specific, creative and informative sites that are accessible to all users worldwide." They have a well designed extremely informative web site. They also have Wilbur, a definitive reference for HTML 3.2.

In particular have a look at WDG's Tutorials page, most of the links on this page come from there.

NCSA's Beginner's Guide to HTML is probably most mature and well developed Guides to HTML on the web.

You may be interested in the Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing which is a useful reference work, particularly for looking up acronyms and abreviations. Or, if you don't like that, have a look through Yahoo's List of Reference works.