Question

Write an HTML code segment that shows the minimal HTML document structure for a Web page.

Short answer

Hello, World!

Step-by-step solution

Define the document type

The minimal HTML document structure begins with the declaration. This tells the browser which version of HTML is used.

Open the HTML tag

The next step is to open the tag, which contains all the content of the webpage.

Create the head section

Inside the tag, create the section, which contains meta-information about the HTML document, like its title.

Add the title

Inside the section, create a .

Close the head section

After the title tag, close the head section with .

Create the body section

Next, open the tag right after the tag. This tag contains the content of the web page.

Add content to body

Inside the tag, you can add content such as headings, paragraphs, images, etc. In this minimal structure, this step can be left empty or contain simple text like

Hello, World!

.

Close the body and HTML tags

Finally, close the and tags with and , respectively.

Key concepts

DOCTYPE declaration

Every HTML document starts with the declaration. This tag is vital as it informs the browser about the HTML version being used. Specifically, it indicates that HTML5 is the version in use. The doctype declaration must be the very first thing in your HTML document, before the tag.
Although it's not technically an HTML element, it ensures proper rendering and functionality across modern web browsers, making it a crucial component of any HTML document structure.

HTML tag

Following the declaration, we open the tag. This tag acts as a container for all other HTML elements on the webpage. Inside the tag, you will find two main sections: the and the .

Without the tag, your webpage content will not be well-structured, which could lead to improper display or other issues. So, always remember to start your HTML document with the tag.

head section

The section is located at the beginning of the HTML document, right after the opening tag. This section contains meta-information, or metadata, about the document. Examples of metadata are the document's title and keyword descriptions which help search engines.
Important elements that typically go inside the section are:

• tags - Define character sets, viewport settings, and other metadata.
• tags - Connect external resources like CSS stylesheets.