Introduction To HTML and URLs

Last Update: 15 March 1996

Home Site And Mirrors

29 March 1996

The home URL for this documentation is: http://www.utoronto.ca/webdocs/HTMLdocs/NewHTML/intro.html Please check the list of mirrors to find the location closest to you.

About:

The Author || The HTML Sourcebook - 2Ed

1. Introduction

This HTML document collection explains how to use the different HTML document description elements, or tags and how to use these elements to write good, well designed HTML documents. This page describes the overall content and organization of the collection, related resources that may be of interest, and the meanings of the navigational "button" used in navigation from page to page.

Finally, feedback, comments, etc. are encouraged, and should be sent to: ian.graham@utoronto.ca.

1.1 My Book on HTML, HTTP and CGI

If you find these documents useful, please have a look at my book, The HTML Sourcebook. This is a much expanded description of HTML, URLs, HTTP and CGI programming, which has been very highly reviewed by Byte, Dr. Dobbs, PC Magazine and others. So -- if you like this online material, why not have a look at my book?

1.2 Features Of This Collection

Guidelines for writing good HTML

Descriptions of all the elements in HTML and guides to their use, with examples.

Changes for HTML3.0

Information on changes expected in the migration to the new markup language definition, HTML 3.0.

Server (CGI) Scripts and Programs

Discussion of the important server-side aspects, such as executing CGI scripts/programs, using forms, etc.

Bibliography

A list of URLs pointing to other information resources related to HTML, URLs, and the World Wide Web.

1.3 Other Resources

I also have a large collection of resources on other issues related to web authoring. This includes lists of tools useful for creating and viewing HTML documents (editors & translators), and also tools useful in maintaining and managing HTTP servers. There are also notes on the HTTP protocol, and on CGI programming. Links to these resources can be found at menu lists at the top and bottom of this page.

1.4 How to Navigate these Documents

1.5 Organizational Outline

Section 1 Introduction

The Introduction -- What you are reading right now: a brief introduction to the layout of these documents.

Section 2

An introduction to HTML -- describing the naming scheme for HTML document formatting instructions (`elements'), the basic structure of an HTML document and standard naming schemes for files accessed as (or by) HTML documents.

Section 3

HEAD of a Document -- A description of the HEAD part of an HTML document, and of the HTML `elements' valid in the HEAD.

Section 4

BODY of a Document -- A description of the BODY part of an HTML document - the BODY contains the part of the document actually displayed by the `browser' - and of the HTML `elements' valid in the BODY.

Section 5

Miscellaneous HTML -- A description of miscellaneous things, such as how you put comments in HTML documents.

Section 6

HTML 3 -- Thinking of stepping up to HTML 3? This section describes what is really meant by HTML 3 (an experimental project) and what can be expected to come out of it in the near future.

Section 7

Netscape/Microsoft HTML Extensions -- Netscape and Microsoft have implemented several extensions to HTML. This section describes these extensions, and how they can be used safely with regular HTML.

Section 8

Uniform Resource Locators -- This section explains what URLs are, and how you create them.

Section 9

Interaction with the Server -- It is possible for a browser to send information back to a hypertext document server for interpretation by special server-side programs or scripts. This section describes how this mechanism works, and gives several examples.

Section 10

Bibliography A list of important reference documents on HTML and related issues. This list also references information about HTML editors and document translators, as well as information regarding different HTML servers.