HTML & CSS Prerequisites

HTML & CSS are programming languages responsible for telling a web browser how it should display a web page. HTML uses a system of tags to distinguish web assets from one another, and CSS is used to control stylistic elements of a web page, such as things like text font and size. You might worry that HTML & CSS will be too hard to learn. This guide will help you understand the best methods for learning HTML & CSS and what you should study to make learning easier. This way, you’ll be successful however you choose to apply your new skills. 

What is HTML & CSS?

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are the two primary programming languages upon which all modern web infrastructure is built. These two programming languages tell your computer how to display a web page and distinguish one web element from another. HTML uses a system of tags and breaks to communicate to web browsers how a given web page should be displayed for users. It is what tells the web page you are looking at right now what the difference between a header and a paragraph is so that the web page knows when to separate the two blocks of text. CSS informs the web browser how it should display some aspects of content, assigning fonts, sizes, colors, and other visual data to web page elements. It tells the web page to display these words in a specific font, size, and color. Together, these two languages help build simple web pages composed of text, images, and hyperlinks.

Since their adoption in the mid-90s, HTML & CSS have become the most commonly used programming languages for web development, as virtually all web pages run on a skeleton built using these two languages. While the output of HTML & CSS is rather unimpressive by modern standards since it only deals with the production of visual elements, text, images, and links. However, modern web pages would be impossible to design for all their complexity without HTML & CSS. This means that anyone aspiring to work in web development must learn how to code in HTML & CSS before they can begin to learn more complex languages. 

Read more about what HTML & CSS is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with HTML & CSS?

Using HTML & CSS, you can design rudimentary web pages and begin the process of learning how to create dynamic and evocative web pages. While most modern web page design programs like WordPress allow novice users to construct more elaborate web pages than with HTML & CSS training alone, learning how to work with HTML & CSS prepares students for complex coding processes using programming languages such as JavaScript, React, or Python.

Learning HTML & CSS is also an essential first step in learning how to code web pages professionally. As more and more businesses, companies, organizations, and groups seek to establish an online presence, skilled Web Developers are in high demand. While any professional Web Developer will also need additional training, learning the fundamentals of front-end web development will ensure that students have the foundation to build into a profitable future career.

Is HTML & CSS Easy to Learn?

HTML & CSS are relatively easy to learn among the most common programming languages. They are both simple languages with approachable syntax and a wide array of free libraries and resources for new coders. They are still coding languages, so the learning curve for novice programmers can be somewhat challenging, as students will need to learn fundamental coding elements, like how to read syntax, check and debug code, and manually construct programs.

What to Know Before Learning HTML & CSS

Learning HTML & CSS doesn’t come with many formal prerequisites, aside from a basic knowledge of computers. Since HTML & CSS is often the first programming language that novice coders learn, it is crucial to understand what goes into coding web pages. In addition, users should consider their goals as programmers to make informed decisions about their next steps.

Knowledge of Computers

Students hoping to learn HTML & CSS should have a basic understanding of how to use a computer to navigate applications, files, folders, and other elements of a desktop computer. It is also useful to understand how web pages function and navigate them since HTML & CSS are primarily concerned with building web applications.

Fundamentals of Programming

Assuming that HTML & CSS is the first programming language a student will learn, they need to understand what goes into the programming process. Learning to code can be a slow process of making minute changes to code, repeatedly checking to ensure that all the code’s tags are appropriately placed, and searching through documents to find mistakes that lead to bugs and errors.

Additionally, programming languages gained the title because they have their own grammar, vocabulary, and syntax, as real-world languages do. Learning to code in HTML & CSS will be in some ways akin to trying to learn French or Spanish, particularly at the start, when students are memorizing governing rules of how HTML & CSS programs communicate with web browsers.

Long-term Goals

Few modern programmers will only use HTML & CSS when coding web pages or other applications. The standards for web design and development have increased dramatically, and the potential offered by computer software has led to the development of hundreds of new programming languages, each with its own syntax and semantics. Students who are looking to learn how to code for professional purposes should consider their long-term goals to create a plan for what to learn after HTML & CSS. For instance, students who want to work in the field of Web Development may want to learn JavaScript, while students who are interested in machine learning will want to learn Python.

Key Insights

• HTML & CSS are the programming languages responsible for telling a web browser how to display content on a web page. While somewhat basic, these are the programming languages that build most modern web pages.
• There are no formal prerequisites for learning HTML & CSS, but students should be comfortable using computers and navigating files and applications before learning coding skills.
• Since HTML & CSS is often a student’s first coding language, they should be familiar with how much of a technical process coding is and should familiarize themselves with the day-to-day work of a programmer.
• Most students who learn HTML & CSS will do so because they want to learn more advanced, specialized programming languages in the future. Students new to HTML & CSS should research more advanced coding languages to understand the various paths they can take in their coding careers.
• Once students are comfortable with their background knowledge, they should consider enrolling in one of Noble’s comprehensive in-person or live online HTML & CSS courses.

Learn HTML & CSS with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Students looking to learn HTML & CSS can find several specialized training courses through Noble Desktop. These courses, available both in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus and through live online instruction, will provide students with in-depth training in HTML & CSS and many programming languages built off of HTML & CSS. Regardless of the course they enroll in, students will benefit from being able to work directly with Noble’s experienced instructors. Even online, class sizes remain small to ensure that students aren’t competing for their instructor’s attention. As a bonus, all of Noble’s courses have an option to retake the class for free within a year of enrolling, giving students extra opportunities to get hands-on HTML & CSS instruction and experience.

Noble offers an introduction to web development bootcamp through their Web Development with HTML & CSS and Advanced HTML & CSS courses. These courses are designed to give students a taste of front end web development by teaching them the essential practices of coding web pages using HTML & CSS. These courses are ideal for students with no coding experience who are interested in learning the fundamental processes of learning the syntax of a programming language and translating that knowledge into the construction of a practical project. Students will learn the basic principles of using HTML tags to differentiate between elements of a web page and how to use CSS tags to apply fonts and styles to text. In the more advanced courses, students will learn how to build multi-page websites that link to one another.

Most students with aspirations of learning web development aren’t going to be content learning how to design web pages that look like they were last updated in 1997. These students may wish to enroll in Noble’s Front End Web Development Certificate program. This course will teach students the vital HTML & CSS skills they need to know to build web pages. After mastering those skills, students will learn how to use programs and languages built on top of HTML & CSS to design more complex, interactive web pages. This course will teach students how to use JavaScript, one of the most popular front end programming languages, to add interactive elements and seamless animations to their web designs. Students will also receive training on how to utilize and build WordPress templates. Nearly 40% of all modern web pages use WordPress in some capacity, so learning these skills is an ideal way to start down the path of a career in web development.

Students interested in learning more about the HTML & CSS classes and bootcamps available should consult the web development section of Noble’s website (which they can easily view and navigate thanks to developers with HTML & CSS training).