HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the core language for creating and structuring web pages. It serves as the foundation of the World Wide Web, organizing text, images, and multimedia content into visually coherent and interactive pages. HTML documents are built using elements defined by tags, such as <h1> for headings, <p> for paragraphs, and <a> for hyperlinks. These tags provide a framework for browsers to render content in a way that users can easily understand and interact with.

Since its inception in 1991, HTML has undergone significant evolution. The latest version, HTML5, introduced several enhancements, including support for native multimedia elements like <video> and <audio> and new semantic tags such as <article>, <section>, and <header>. These additions improve readability for developers and accessibility for assistive technologies. HTML5 also brought improvements for web applications, enabling features such as offline storage, geolocation, and the <canvas> element for 2D graphics and animations.

One of HTML’s primary advantages is its simplicity and compatibility. It is easy to learn for beginners while remaining powerful enough for advanced applications. Combined with CSS (for styling) and JavaScript (for interactivity), HTML forms the “front-end” trifecta of web development.

In addition to its use in traditional web pages, HTML plays a key role in mobile applications and email templates, ensuring responsive and consistent design across platforms. As a universally recognized language, HTML underpins the accessibility, adaptability, and evolution of the modern web.