html tutorial

Creating a Simple HTML Document

In this lesson, you create your first HTML document.

You will create your HTML document using the text editor SimpleText. In addition, make sure you still have two Netscape windows open. The Netscape window displaying the tutorial should take up half of the screen and the experimental window should be resized to take up only a half of the other part of the screen ( that is one quarter of the whole screen). The tutorial is very easy to follow if your windows are positioned this way.

Find and open SimpleText. Position the SimpleText window in the remaining quarter of open screen. You should now have three windows displayed on your screen.

Before you start you need to know what HTML tags are required in every HTML document.

The HTML Tags Required in all HTML Documents

There are some basic HTML tags that must appear in all HTML documents. They are:

The <html> and </html> Tags.

Every HTML document must begin with the tag. This tag is declaring the document an HTML document. The <html> tag must be paired with it's closing tag- </html>, which will be the last tag in the document.
The <head> and </head> Tags.

An HTML document is divided into two parts, the head and body. Web browsers need to distinguish the different parts of the document and these tags will inform the browser. Generally, the <head> and its closing tag </head> will contain the title of your HTML document.
The <body> and </body> Tags.

The <body> tag and it's closing tag </body> will contain the majority of your HTML document.
The <title> and </title> Tags.

The Web browser always diplays a title for each document it encounters. The title displayed is taken from the content of the <title> tag and its closing tag </title>. The <title> and </title>. always appears within the <head> and </head> tags.

Recall the following source:

It contains all the required tags.

Now it is your turn.

Click on the SimpleText window.
Using the HTML document source above as a template, create your own HTML document. Change the title of the document to "My Creation" and the body of the document to "This HTML document is a work of art".
When you are done typing your document, save it.

You are now ready to view your creation through Netscape.

Click on the experimental window.
Choose Open File from the File menu.
Find your HTML file, highlight it, and click on Open.

Your HTML document should be displayed in the Netscape window.

Congratulations! You have just created your first HTML document.

Next Topic: Creating Headlines, Typeface, and Paragraphs

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