How to Use HTML Code Tags

The Internet is based on the HTML command language. HTML uses code tags to identify how the language will operate on a particular object. The tags identify things like fonts, colors, attributes, links, style and size. There is specific syntax associated with each tag just as there is in any other programming language.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Define what characteristics you desire for the text in your page. The best way to learn a language is to define a problem and find the solution. To make text bold, italics, small, large, different color, underlined. Just define what you want to do.

2. Begin by starting the tag with the "<"(less than) character. This character signifies to HTML that what follows is an instruction. End the instruction or code by closing the brackets with the ">"(greater than) character. What follows this character is related to what you desire to take place, for example, (less than)i(greater than) will make any text following the code tag appear in italics.

3. End the tag with the characters (less than) followed by a slash"/" then followed by the same instruction you used in step 2 and then close the bracket in the same way with the (greater than) character. An example would be (less than)i(greater than)This will be in italics(less than)/i(greater than).

Tips & Warnings

• When writing a web page in HTML always back up your work before trying a new tag. Tags can have very unexpected results and you don't want to lose any of your work.
• There are a small subset of tags that are used a great deal. It will save you time in the beginning to create a type of cheat sheet to refer to for the correct tag. You will get the hang of a number of these tags very quickly.

Resources

• HTML tags and how to use them
• Basic HTML 4.01 Markup Language and how to use it