Beginner Guide to HTML & CSS (With Examples)

Introduction

HTML and CSS are the foundation of the web, Every website you see uses HTML to structure content and CSS to style it.

If you are new to web development, this beginner guide to HTML and CSS will help you understand the basics with simple explanations and examples, No prior coding experience is required.

What Is HTML?

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language.

It is used to structure content on a web page.

HTML tells the browser:

What is a heading
What is a paragraph
What is an image or a link

Basic HTML Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>My First Website</title>
  <style>
    body {
      background-color: whitesmoke;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Hello World</h1>
  <p>This is my first web page.</p>
</body>
</html>

Explanation:

<h1> is a heading
<p> is a paragraph
HTML uses tags to define content

Common HTML Elements

Element	Purpose
<h1> – <h6>	Headings
<p>	Paragraph
<a>	Link
<img>	Image
<div>	Container

What Is CSS?

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets.

It is used to style and design HTML elements.

CSS controls:

Colors
Fonts
Layout
Spacing

Basic CSS Example

body {
background-color: whitesmoke;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
h1 {
color: green;
}
p {
font-size: 16px;
}

What This Does:

Changes background color
Makes text green
Adjusts font size

How HTML and CSS Work Together

HTML creates the structure.

CSS makes it look good.

Example:

<h1>Developer Hint</h1>
<p>Simple coding tips for beginners.</p>
h1 {
  color: green;
}
p {
  color: #333;
}

Adding CSS to HTML (3 Ways)

1️⃣ Inline CSS

<p style="color: green;">Hello</p>

2️⃣ Internal CSS

<style>
  p { color: green; }
</style>

3️⃣ External CSS (Best Practice)

<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">

Why Beginners Should Learn HTML & CSS First

Easy to learn
No tools required
Builds strong web foundation
Required for JavaScript and frameworks

HTML and CSS are the first step toward becoming a web developer.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Forgetting to close tags
Mixing HTML and CSS logic
Using inline styles too much
Not practicing enough

Mistakes are normal — practice is key.

Final Thoughts

Learning HTML and CSS gives you the power to create and style your own websites from scratch, With regular practice, you’ll quickly gain confidence and move on to more advanced web technologies.

At DeveloperHint, we help beginners understand web development basics clearly so they can build strong foundations and grow with confidence.

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  Content Disclosure This content was created with the assistance of AI tools and thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked, and refined by a human editor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and usefulness for readers.