HTML Tutorial/Basic HTML Document Structure

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The <html> Tag

Although various versions have been released over the years, HTML basics remain the same.

The structure of an HTML document has been compared with that of a sandwich. As a sandwich has two slices of bread, the HTML document has opening and closing HTML tags.

These tags, like the bread in a sandwich, surround everything else:

<html>
...
</html>

Everything in an HTML document is surrounded by the <html>1 tag.

The <head> Tag

Immediately following the opening HTML tag, you'll find the head of the document, which is identified by opening and closing head tags.

The head of an HTML file contains all of the non-visual elements that help make the page work.

<html>
   <head>...</head>
</html>

The head section elements will be discussed later.

The <body> Tag

The body tag follows the head tag.
All visual-structural elements are contained within the body tag.

Headings, paragraphs, lists, quotes, images, and links are just a few of the elements that can be contained within the body tag.

Basic HTML Structure:

<html>
   <head>
   </head>
   <body>
   </body>
</html>

The <body>2 tag defines the main content of the HTML document.

1. <html>
Defines the root of an HTML document.
2. <body>
Defines the document's body.