When learning HTML, or even just when you're curious, be sure to view source code and study the way designers use tags. Keep in mind that you will frequently see poor HTML and rule breaking HTML, so don't necessarily trust everything your read or see.

To view source, choose "View" on your menu bar above and then select "Page Source", "Document Source" or a variation on the word "Source".

1. HTML tags may be in upper, lower, or mixed case. I personally recommend lower case. The more common use is all upper case.

2. All HTML tags are enclosed in less than < and greater than > signs.

3. HTML tags, in general, come in sets such as the bold tag <b></b>.

For example: This word is bold.
Code: This <b>word</b> is bold.

4. Tags that come in sets like the bold tag always follow this format:

<tag>What you want to be affected by the tag</tag>

Note that the tag name repeats itself and is preceded by a slash / when you want to turn it off.

5. Tags need to be symmetrical, which means that the last tag on must be the first tag off.

For example: This sentence is bold and italic
Code: <b><i>This sentence is bold and italic</i></b>

The following would be incorrect:
<b><i>This sentence is bold and italic</b></i>

Note how this is not symmetrical. The last tag on is not the first tag off.

6. White space doesn't matter. This means you can develop your own style within the code because the extra spaces will all get thrown away.

7. Follow the rules! Just because it works in your browser doesn't mean it will work in everyone else's browser. Learn the rules to coding HTML and then follow them. They are quite straight forward and they are all on this page.