A: HTML is an acronym meaning HyperText Markup Language.
Q: What is an HTML program?
A: An HTML program is nothing more than information of some type surrounded by tags telling your Internet Browser what to do with that information. The HTML files are simple text files that are read in one lime at a time and "interpreted" by your browser similar to the way a DOS Batch file is read and executed.
Q: What is the simplest HTML program it is possible to write?
A: An HTML skeleton as shown below would be the simplest program. It wouldn't do much but it would run with no errors.
- Code: Select all
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
Notice that all the "tags" shown so far require an opening tag and a closing tag. The tags are enclosed inside the less than symbol "<" and the greater than symbol ">". The closing tag is the same as the opening tag except that it has a slash symbol "/" between the "<" and the start of the tag name.
The html tag lets your browser know it is working with an HTML program.
The head tag sets aside general information about the program that may not even be seen but either helps the program to run or gives information about the program for those who know how to look for it.
The body tags is where your main program resides.
Q: That's all very nice I'm sure but don't you have to be a genius to be a programmer?
A: Not really or I wouldn't be able to do it! All you need to know is the "Rules of Grammar" and a list of commands you are likely to need to use with their explanations. It would also help to have a reference handy in case something comes up where you need something you haven't used yet.
Think of it as going to the Deep South in the U.S. The natives all speak English, they must! Yet their speech is almost incomprehensible to someone who has not been there before. With just a little practice you will be sending out such invitations as, "Ya'll come on over fer a BBQ and bring yer old lady."
For those not conversant with Deep South American, that means, "You and your wife are invited to a party where the the main course will be various meats broiled over an open flame with flavoring added that is anywhere from mildly tasteful to so hot it may be confused with a 10 alarm fire."