How Hard is it to Learn HTML?

Among the many fundamental pillars of the digital world, HTML is one that has been around for a long time. It’s used to create web pages and apps, and to this day it remains one of the most widely used coding languages.  

If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re interested in learning HTML. Perhaps you’re even considering becoming a web developer or a UX designer. In this article, we’re going to explain the basics of HTML, why it’s useful, and how you can learn to master it. But before we move ahead, you’ll need to know the following terms.

Hypertext: “HyperText” can be described as "text within text." Any text which has a link within it is called hypertext. So, whenever you click on a link on a webpage which sends you to another webpage, it means that you have clicked on a hypertext. It is a link to connect two or more web pages or HTML documents with each other.

For example, learn more about software engineering through Thinkful’s useful resources.

Markup language: Markup language is a computer language used to apply layout and formatting changes to a text document. Markup language helps make your text more interactive as well as dynamic. It can also be used to convert text into images, tables, and links.

Why Should You Learn HTML?

There are a few reasons why it's valuable for you to learn HTML:

• It's one of the most commonly used programming languages.
• It's useful in a variety of web development settings.
• HTML is helpful for non-programmers as well as professional Software Engineers.
• It will teach you how to think like a coder.

There are literally hundreds of programming language. They all have their own capabilities and uses. So you may ask yourself whether HTML, specifically, is worth your time.

HTML is one of the most broadly used coding languages. So regardless of whether you eventually decide to specialize in front-end, back-end, video game programming or app development, you're likely to run into some lines of HTML somewhere along the way.

Because HTML is so common, this is a useful skill even for non-programmers. If you're in a role that has you adding content to a website or recommending design changes, knowing some HTML basics will allow you to make necessary changes on your own rather than relying on the development team.

Finally, learning HTML will help you build the foundation for becoming a Software Engineer. As you learn the language, you'll gradually start to think like a programmer. It sets the stage for learning other, more nuanced languages.

Now that you're convinced of its value, let's explore how hard it is to learn for beginner programmers.

How Hard Is It To Learn HTML? And How Do You Learn HTML?

Because the basics can be covered quite quickly, HTML is relatively easy to learn. And with what it allows you to create, it is a quite powerful tool as well. Under the direction of the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C, which is the organization charged with designing and maintaining the language, HTML is constantly undergoing enhancements. Their aim is to meet the demands of the rapidly growing internet audience.

How long it takes you to learn HTML depends on what you want to use it for. Simply knowing the principles of HTML should take a few days of reading and memorizing the codes. In fact, you can learn the basics in as little as an hour! And once you understand the tags, you can even start creating your own HTML pages!

However, using HTML and designing interactive websites is a different story altogether. We believe that designing a good website is about 50% skill and 50% talent. Learning HTML techniques and knowing the correct tag usage can strongly improve your work.

Also, having decent knowledge of design as well as the audience you’re focusing on will increase your website’s chances of success. Fortunately, all these requirements can be researched and fulfilled. You just need to be willing to put in the effort. This will ultimately lead you to create better websites.

Once you start running your website, you will be amazed to witness the wide range of skills you can learn from it on top of HTML. These skills can range from aspects of graphic design, and typography, to computer programming. You will notice that your general efficiency with computers will improve a lot.

The best part, however, about learning HTML is that you do not have to be online all the time! You can write the code for your entire website offline and save it on your computer. Then, all you have to do is transfer all the files onto the web. Whenever you have new content to add, you simply upload that to the existing online version of your website-- that’s it!

Although you don't need specific software to write HTML code and any text editor will do the job, a good HTML editor will offer more functionality and ease of use. While writing your HTML code, it's always a good idea to validate it using an HTML validator, like the one offered for free at World Wide Web Consortium.

Have fun with it and experiment! But remember to remove any unnecessary code once you're finished. The shorter the code, the easier it is for the browser to load.

Become a Professional Programmer

Hopefully this article has given you some insights and answers to questions regarding HTML. HTML is perhaps one of the easiest front-end programming languages to master. So if you want to learn HTML, then go for it! With patience and practice, you’ll learn to make the most of this popular language.

If you’re interested in learning more about starting a career in tech, Thinkful’s blog is full of useful resources that will steer you in the right direction.