How to Learn HTML
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Published April 29, 2022
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This guide will give you tips on how to learn HTML, but first, what is HTML and what does HTML stand for? HTML stands for hypertext markup language, and it is the code that web browsers use to display websites. There are about 1.17 billion websites in existence, and all of them use HTML.
If you want to learn how to develop websites, HTML is the first language you'll need to learn. You'll probably also need to learn CSS, JavaScript, and SQL. There are many ways to learn HTML, including online courses and YouTube videos, but web development bootcamps teach you everything you need to know to pursue a career as a web developer.
Coding Bootcamps
Coding bootcamps usually last about 3-4 months and focus on particular technical disciplines, such as web development or data science. They typically cost more than an online course but less than a college degree. The average cost of a coding bootcamp was about $13,580 in 2020.
Coding bootcamps can be held in person or online, and students may be able to choose from full-time and part-time options, depending on the bootcamp provider. Most bootcamps hold live classes, even for their online sessions, which means that you have to log in at a specific time. However, a few bootcamp providers do offer self-paced, pre-recorded coding bootcamps.
Most software engineering and web development bootcamps teach HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They may also cover other technologies, such as SQL. The biggest benefit of taking a coding bootcamp to learn HTML is that you will gain experience with related languages, skills, and tools as well as HTML.
Online Courses
The cheapest way to learn HTML is to teach yourself through an online, self-guided course. Many online HTML courses are free or very inexpensive.
You don't need to buy a fancy HTML editor either. Although there are expensive WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") HTML editors such as Adobe Dreamweaver, they are not necessary. You can write HTML code in a simple text editor, such as Notepad, Atom, Sublime, or Visual Studio Code.
Online HTML courses are usually self-paced, allowing you to fit them into your schedule whenever it's convenient for you. Most course descriptions tell you upfront how many hours per day or per week you should strive to commit to completing the course.
Here are five online HTML courses that will teach you the basics of how to code a website.
- W3Schools HTML Tutorial: W3Schools' free HTML tutorial features a navigation panel on the left side of the screen that allows you to navigate easily through the course. Just start at the top and work your way down. If you click the "Try It Yourself" button underneath the sample code, a new window will pop up where you can modify the code yourself and see how your changes impact the design.
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for Web Developers: This course offered by Johns Hopkins University through Coursera takes about 40 hours to complete. The course covers HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can audit the course for free or buy it for $79. If you audit, you will not have access to the graded assignments.
- Intro to HTML and CSS: This free Udacity course takes about three weeks to complete and teaches both HTML and CSS. Students learn about CSS selectors, code editors, and developer tools.
- HTML Tutorials for Beginners: This playlist of free YouTube videos walks you through everything from HTML syntax to the
<div>tag. By the time you complete this playlist, you'll be able to code your own website in HTML. - Build Responsive Real-World Websites With HTML and CSS: This Udemy course teaches HTML5, CSS3, and web design. The course costs $109.99 but is often on sale for much less. The course includes 37.5 hours of on-demand video. Students learn CSS Grid and Flexbox. You'll get a certification of completion when you finish the course.
Online Courses vs. Bootcamps
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Coding Bootcamps to Learn HTML
Actualize
- Location: Remote, Chicago
- Program Cost: $14,900
- Learning Format: Hybrid, In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Part Time, Self-Paced
Actualize has an online coding bootcamp and a Chicago coding bootcamp. Both share the same curriculum. The coding bootcamp requires five weeks of pre-work, which is done remotely regardless of whether you take the bootcamp online or in person. This is followed by 12 weeks of classroom instruction, which includes a capstone project.
Online classes are held in real time so students can interact with each other and ask questions during the session. Students need both a laptop and a second monitor for the video conferencing platform.
Visit BootcampFlatiron School
- Location: Remote, Austin, Chicago, Denver, District of Columbia, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
- Program Cost: $16,900
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Self-Paced
Flatiron School offers a software engineering bootcamp that can be completed in 15 weeks. Students learn front-end web development, back-end development, and back-end web APIs. Each module includes a group project, and there is time for more individualized projects at the end of the program.
Full-time students attend classes for about eight hours per day, Monday through Friday. Self-paced students choose a 20, 40, or 60-week pace and work independently through the material.
Visit BootcampIronhack
- Location: Remote, Miami
- Program Cost: N/A
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Ironhack offers a web development bootcamp that can be completed in just nine weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time. Before you start the bootcamp, you'll need to complete approximately 50 hours of pre-work focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
The bootcamp itself is divided into three modules: responsive design with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; the back end; and the front end. Technologies covered include Flexbox, Bootstrap, MongoDB, Express.js, and React. By the end of the bootcamp, you'll have trained to work as a full-stack MERN developer.
Visit BootcampNucamp
- Location: Remote, Bellevue
- Program Cost: $1,940
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Part Time, Self-Paced
Nucamp offers a full-stack web and mobile app developer bootcamp for $1,940. The course teaches both front-end and back-end development and takes 22 weeks to complete. This is a part-time bootcamp with self-paced classes during the week and live online classes on Saturdays.
Nucamp recommends taking their web development fundamentals bootcamp first, followed by the back end, SQL, and DevOps with Python bootcamp. After completing those two programs, you should be ready for full-stack web and mobile development.
Visit BootcampSheCodes
- Location: Remote, Sheridan
- Program Cost: $99
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time
SheCodes offers four coding workshops that range in price from $99-$1,390. Each higher-level workshop also includes those workshops under it. For example, SheCodes Pro includes SheCodes Basics, SheCodes Plus, SheCodes React, and SheCodes Responsive. The workshops last anywhere from one week to six months, depending on which workshop you're taking and whether you're committing five hours of work per week or 20.
The highest-level workshop, SheCodes Pro, includes four real-life projects and covers 12 technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap, and React.
Visit BootcampGet the Qualities You Want in a Bootcamp
We use icons to make browsing bootcamps easy for you. Use this breakdown to quickly identify program qualities you are looking for.
Accepts GI Bill®
Accepts the GI Bill® as funding for tuition.
Also Available In Person
This online bootcamp also offers in-person options.
Career Services
Offers career services to help you land your dream job after graduation.
CIRR Member
This bootcamp is a current member of the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting. Learn more at cirr.org.
Evening & Weekend Options
Bootcamps are offered during convenient evening and weekend hours.
Job Guarantee
Employment is guaranteed as soon as you finish your bootcamp.
Money-Back Guarantee
Tuition is refunded if you don't land a job within a given time frame after graduation. Visit the bootcamp website for terms and conditions.
Start for Free
No deposit is required to get started. Begin your bootcamp for $0.
Methodology
Bootcamp Ranking Guidelines
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
Our Methodology
The Bootcamp Team at BestColleges has collected data for over 150 bootcamps to help you find the best bootcamp.
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
At this time, our recommendation round-ups feature only immersive bootcamps designed to prepare students for job placement upon graduation.
To be included on our lists, bootcamps must meet the following criteria:
- Must offer at least one bootcamp in the United States.
- Must offer at least one bootcamp that is a minimum of 4 weeks long.
- Must require at least 15 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is part time.
- Must encourage at least 10 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is self-paced.
Pricing disclosure: The prices listed were collected from product websites in 2022. However, given the dynamic, fast-paced nature of the tech space, prices are subject to change throughout the year. To get the most up-to-date information about pricing, contact providers directly.
Methodology for Recommending Cheap Bootcamps:
- The bootcamp must meet all of the general criteria listed above.
- The bootcamp must cost less than $8,000 if it is offered full time, and less than $5,000 if it is offered part time. These numbers were chosen based on data collected by BestColleges in 2020 that determined the average cost of a coding bootcamp is $13,580.
HTML Jobs
Front-End Web Developer
Front-end web developers work on the front end (or client side) of a website. The position requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Front-end web developers create new websites as well as analyzing and updating old website code to ensure that the site runs as smoothly as possible.
$76,890
Back End Web Developer
Back-end web developers work on the back end (or server side) of the website. Anything that runs in the background, such as storing data in a database, is considered back-end development. Back-end developers tend to use HTML less than front-end web developers, but still need a solid grasp of the language.
$87,010
Full-Stack Web Developer
Full-stack developers know how to work on both the front end and back end of a website. They must know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and often know other languages, such as Python or Java as well. Full-stack developers may make more money than front-end developers.
$79,580
What Are the Benefits of an HTML Certification?
Although you don't need an HTML certification to get a job as a web developer, having a certification can give potential employers a higher level of confidence in your abilities. There are many HTML certifications available, some of which also require knowledge of CSS and JavaScript.
Some popular HTML certifications include Exam 70-480 by Microsoft, HTML5 certification from CancanIT, and freeCodeCamp's responsive web design certification. Having one of these HTML certifications could help move your resume a little higher in the pile.
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning HTML
Is HTML easy to learn?
Yes, HTML is very easy to learn. Many people can pick up the basics in just a few hours to a day. The free W3Schools HTML tutorial has helped thousands of people learn the basics of HTML. That's a good place to start if you want to learn HTML quickly.
Once you've learned the basics of HTML, you can add on more advanced skills such as learning how to format tables. The logical next step after mastering HTML is learning how to format your text using CSS. This may be a little more complicated than learning HTML, but it is still not too difficult.
What is HTML used for?
HTML is used to tell browsers how to display webpages. For example, the title of a page is usually contained within an H1 tag. The H1 code tells the browser what font and size to display the title in. There are different sizes of headings that can be used within the same page. Other HTML tags include those used to format paragraphs, bulleted lists, and quotes.
HTML can also be used to insert links and images into a webpage. The code for a link tells the browser what text to display for the link as well as where to send the user when they click the link. The link code also tells the browser whether to open the link in the same window or in a new one.
How do I start HTML?
You can start learning HTML by taking an online course or signing up for a coding bootcamp. Either option will teach you how to use HTML code to create websites. If you just want to learn the basics of HTML, a free online course will work fine. However, if you'd like to get a job as a web developer, attending a coding bootcamp may give you a deeper understanding of how the code works.
In addition, if you attend a coding bootcamp, you'll learn other useful web technologies, such as CSS, JavaScript, and SQL. While all websites are coded in HTML, most use CSS and JavaScript as well.
Are all websites HTML?
Yes, all websites use HTML. However, they don't only use HTML. Most websites also use CSS, JavaScript, SQL, or other languages. You can learn HTML quickly and easily, but it's not the only language you need to know to become a web developer.
If you want to start a new career as a web developer, attending a web development or software development bootcamp is a good first step. These programs usually start with HTML, then move on to CSS and JavaScript. By the time you finish, you'll be building your own websites from start to finish.
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Feature Image: Rohane Hamilton / EyeEm / Getty Images
BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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