HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is the foundational language of the web. It defines the structure and layout of web pages by using a system of tags and attributes.
The importance of HTML is often underestimated by beginners. However, it plays several critical roles such as serving as the foundation of the web, organizing content, SEO optimization, ensuring accessibility, integrating with other technologies, and ensuring browser compatibility.
When a user visits a website, the browser sends a request for an HTML file to the server. The server responds with the HTML document, which the browser then parses to create a DOM (Document Object Model). The browser renders the visual elements based on the DOM and applied styles.
HTML is the building block of web pages, allowing content to be structured and presented in a meaningful way. It is essential for creating websites and understanding its role is crucial for developers and web designers.