Making a Web Page

Your browser is just as dumb as your computer. You have to tell it everything--what to do with what and when to start and when to stop.

These commands are written into your material as tags (HTML) and always enclosed in angle brackets < >. Most commands have to have a closing tag as well and these are always written as the same tag with a forward slash inserted </tag>. Think of it as a special kind of punctuation that tells the browser what to do with each part of your page.

Open a new file in a simple word processor (such as Windows' NotePad). Start your page with tags that tells the browser what is coming and other information it needs:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>title of window</TITLE>
</HEAD>

Note the opening and closing tags. It isn't necessary to type all the tags in capitals, but it does help keep track of things.

Next comes the content you want to see in your browser. This information is enclosed in BODY tags.

<BODY>

Your information goes here.

</BODY>

Then the final tag is a closing </HTML> tag.

Save the file (or copy and paste the complete set of tags below. (A centered heading has been added.) Then save it as a .htm (or .txt if necessary) file and open it in your browser.

And that's it--you have a very simple web page.

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>title of window</TITLE>
</Head>

</BODY>

<CENTER> <H1> MAIN HEADING </H1> </CENTER>

Your page information goes here. <P>

Second paragraph. <P>

</BODY>
</HTML>

Sneak preview! (Use the back button on your browser to return)

Another simple template

A template that makes lists

A template using tables  (and a bunch of other stuff)


Planning a Web Page

Links and Resources