The HTML FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About HTML

Presenting the most frequently asked questions about HTML.

I cannot view my HTML file in a browser. Why?

Make sure that you have saved the file with a proper name and extension like "c:\myfile.htm" or "c:\myfile.html". Next, check the file name and path and make sure that matches the file you're trying to open in your browser. An easy way to troubleshoot this problem is to open your Windows file explorer, right click on the file and select "Open with Internet Exporer" (or select "Open" and choose your browser application from a list).

I edited an HTML file but the changes don't show up in the Web browser. Why?

Web browsers cache your pages so that it doesn't have to read the same page or other resources twice. Use the browser's refresh/reload button to force the browser to read the edited page.

What Web browser should I use?

We recommend that you use either Internet Exporer, Mozilla, FireFox or Opera. All of the Web development tutorials on WebHeadstart.org work with these popular Web browsers.

Does my computer have to run Windows? What about a Mac?

No, the great thing about HTML is that it can be read by browsers on any operating system - Mac, Unix, Windows, Linux - it doesn't matter, provided that you have a Web browser that works for your particular operating system.

What does HTML stand for?

HTML is the Hypertext Markup Language, its an internet standard developed by the World Wide Web consortium (W3C) originally developed by Tim Berners Lee at CERN.

Do I need an editing tool to write an HTML page?

It's not required - a tool like Notepad or SimpleText will work, but other tools like Microsoft Frontpage or Macromedia Dreamweaver are helpful Web development tools