HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is the standard markup language used to structure and present content on the World Wide Web. An HTML file is a plain-text document made up of elements enclosed in tags — such as headings, paragraphs, links, images, tables and forms — that a web browser interprets and renders as a visible page. Combined with CSS for styling and JavaScript for interactivity, HTML forms the foundation of virtually every website, web application and browser-based dashboard in use today.
How HTML Works
An HTML document has a predictable structure: a <head> that carries metadata, styles and scripts, and a <body> that holds the visible content. Browsers parse this markup into a Document Object Model (DOM), then apply layout and paint the result on screen. Modern HTML — the living standard maintained by the WHATWG and documented across MDN Web Docs — supports semantic elements like <article>, <nav> and <section>, native media through <video> and <canvas>, and rich form controls, so it can serve as the front end for everything from a simple page to a full application.
| Layer | Role | Typical Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Content and semantics | HTML5 |
| Presentation | Layout and visual styling | CSS3 |
| Behaviour | Interactivity and logic | JavaScript |
| Rendering |
