- Absolute Path
- The complete web address of an Internet resource including the protocol, domain name, and possible directory/filename. An absolute path always points to the same resource regardless of its relationship to the originating link.
- Attribute
- A word or abbreviation placed after the element in an HTML tag, which modifies the default properties of that element. An attribute should always be followed by an equal sign, and then the value of the property being changed; enclosed in quotation marks. Attributes are added only to the first tag of a pair, and more than one set of attribute/values may be added to a tag, if separated by a space.
The examples below demonstrate proper formatting.
Tag w/ single attribute: <element attribute="value">
Tag w/ multiple attributes: <element attribute1="value" attribute2="value" attribute3="value">
- Alignment
- How elements of a web page, like text and images, line up with respect to each other and the page. Most elements can align horizontally to the left, right, or center of the page. Text can also be fully justified so that it lines up even on both the left and right side. Elements can also be aligned vertically to the top, middle, or bottom.
- Anchor
- A specific place on a web page that is either the source or the destination of a hyperlink. When serving as the source of a link, the anchor tag set contains text or some other type of content that can be clicked on to retrieve the destination of the link. An anchor can also be used to mark a specific destination point on the same or different web page.
- Block-level
- In HTML, elements are said to be either block-level, or inline (text-level). Imagine that a block-level element is like a box that can contain inline elements or other block-level elements (boxes). A block-level element usually starts on a new line. A paragraph is a block-level element (box) that usually holds text (inline data). When a new paragraph is started, a new box is created on a new line.
- Cellpadding
- The amount of space, in pixels, between the contents and inside edges of a table cell.
- Cellspacing
- The amount of space, in pixels, between the edges of adjacent table cells.
- Class
- An attribute used to assign a class name to an element. A class name can be assigned certain properties, and any element assigned that class name will have those particular properties.
- Comments
- Special tag used to place text inside of an HTML document that will not show on the resultant web page. Comments are often used as a way for an author to leave notes inside of his work for future reference. Comments can also be used to prevent an older web browser from showing code it does not recognize. A comment tag must start with:
<!--
...and it must end with:-->
Here's an example:<!-- This note will not show on my web page -->
- Colorblind
- A condition marked by the difficulty or inability to distinguish certain colors; i.e. red, green or blue, the most common being green. It is estimated that 8% of men, and 0.4% of women have some degree of colorblindness.
When selecting contrasting colors for a web page, the designer should avoid combinations that would be difficult for a colorblind person to distinguish. For example, don't use green text on an orange or red background, or red text on black. For more information, go to http://google.com and do a search for the word colorblind.
- Content
- That which appears on a web page for the purpose of information and/or entertainment. Content can be in the form of text, images, video, audio, animations, charts, forms, menus, databases, etc. It's the meat of the web page, what visitors come for.
- Declaration
- The part of a style rule that consists of its property and value. When used with the style attribute (inline style), the declaration is placed inside quotation marks like this:
style="property: value"
When used with an internal or external style sheet, a declaration is placed inside curly braces like this:selector {property: value}
- Default
- A particular setting or value that is assigned automatically, and remains in effect unless overridden.
When a web browser displays a web page, it assigns certain default values, like black for the color of text. In order to override the default, an author will use styles and/or attributes.
- Division (div element)
- Creates a generic block-level container that does not apply any preset presentational effects to its contents.
- Domain Name
- A unique name used to identify a specific website. When a web surfer enters a domain name into a web browser, that name is matched to the actual IP address of the web server the site is located on. Domain names make finding websites much easier than trying to remember the long string of numbers used in an IP address.
An example of a domain name might be:
www.some-website.com
For more information, see our web page on how to get a Domain Name.
- Element
- A word or abbreviation placed inside a less-than and greater-than symbol, which governs the structure, presentation, or interactivity of a web page. An element may be used by itself maintaining its default properties, or have those properties modified by adding attribute/value pairs.
- Empty Tag
- Most tags come in pairs, having both an opening and closing tag. However, there are some tags that do not need a closing tag. These solitary tags are called empty, because unlike the other tags, they do not contain any content.
Examples of empty tags are: - <br>
- <hr>
- <img>
- <input>
- <link>
- Exception to index.html
- This depends on the web server you are using to host your website on. Most servers are configured to recognize both index.html and index.htm as your website's home page.
However, some servers use a different name, like default.html for instance. If your web host does use a different name, they will probably tell you so. Of course, you could always ask them. For now, just name your home page index.html; you can always rename it later.
- Extension
- A suffix added to the end of a filename, and set off by a period. The extension indicates what type of file it is, often in the form of an acronym. For example, the extension .html stands for HyperText Markup Language, and indicates the file is an HTML document.
- Filename
- The name given to a computer file. Each file in a particular location must have a unique filename. A filename is case sensitive, meaning that:
filename
is different than:
FILENAME
is different than:
FiLeNaMe
- Font
- A complete set of type (letters, numbers, punctuation, symbols and accents) of one particular family, size, and style.
- Font Family
- A group of type made from the same glyph set so as to have a similar appearance. Examples include:
Arial
Comic Sans MS
Courier New
Georgia
Impact
Times New Roman
Verdana
- Font Size
- The height of the font based on the distance between baselines.
- Font not available
- In order for a web visitor to see the particular font you have specified, they must have that same font installed on the computer they’re using to view your page. If they do not have that font installed, their web browser will choose a different font to display. For this reason, it’s best to choose fonts that are common to most computers. Some common fonts are:
Arial
Comic Sans MS
Courier New
Georgia
Impact
Times New Roman
Verdana
- GIF
- GIF, pronounced as either gif (hard 'g') or jif (soft 'g'), stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It was originally developed by Compuserve as a method for archiving and exchanging computer images. GIF images soon became the most popular format for the Web due to their small file size achieved through loss-less compression techniques.
GIF images support 8-bit color depth, and are limited to 256 colors. Because of this, they are best suited for high contrast images or those containing large blocks of color.
The newer 89a version of GIF supports single color transparency. So, non-rectangular images can allow the page background to show through the unused areas of the image block. 89a GIFs also support animation, which is often used in banner advertisements.
- Hard Drive
- The device on your computer that stores information for future use. When a file is saved on a computer, it is written to one or more hard drive disks contained in, or attached to the computer. When you save your web files to your computer's hard drive, they can only be viewed by someone with access to that computer.
- Headline
- A short attention grabbing sentence usually placed at the top of a web page in larger type. Similar to a newspaper headline, the purpose of a web page headline is to provide quick and concise information about the web page, to someone who may be briefly scanning several web pages looking for something of interest. A good headline will stop readers in their tracks, and compel them to stay at your site.
- Home Page
- The initial or default web page that appears when someone arrives at your website, without specifying a particular page. The home page is usually used as an introduction, overview, and/or index for the entire website. Your home page should tell visitors what they can expect to find and/or experience while at your website.
If someone enters just your base web address (domain name) into their web browser, they should wind up at your home page. The web server that your site resides on will automatically direct visitors to that designated home page web file.
- href
- The attribute href is short for hypertext reference, and denotes the location and filename of a web resource.
- HTML
- HTML is HyperText Markup Language. Tim Berners-Lee originally developed it as a simple method for marking up text documents, that could be linked to other text documents over a wide variety of computers. It later became the standard method of constructing pages for the World Wide Web.
HTML files are simple text files that can be written by people, and read by machines. Some web designers use special HTML authoring programs (i.e. FrontPage®, Dreamweaver®) that can write the HTML for them. However, most anyone can learn how to write their own HTML, and many find it easier than learning how to use those authoring programs.
- HTML document
- A plain text (ASCII) file written in HyperText Markup Language, which is read by a web browser, and then displayed as a web page. It's essentially the raw source information of a web page.
- http://
- Stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, and is the primary method for transmitting pages over the World Wide Web. It's the command that actually tells the web server to transmit the requested web page. When you type an address into your web browser, it will usually include the http:// part for you, so you don't have to bother typing it out yourself. However, when you're creating a web page link to a source on a different web server, you must include the http:// part in your source document.
Sometimes you'll see an 's' on the end of the protocol that looks like this:https://
This means that the transmission is taking place over a secure connection. When using a secure connection, information is encrypted before being sent. Secure connections are often used for credit card purchases, online banking, account administration, etc.
- Hyperlink
- Usually just referred to as a "Link", a hyperlink connects an anchor in one hypertext document, to another anchor or file. Hyperlinks are most commonly used for navigation between web pages.
- Inherit
- To receive the style(css) properties of a parent element. If a particular property of an element is not defined, that element should inherit any defined properties of its ancestors.
- Inline
- In HTML, elements are said to be either block-level, or inline (text-level). Inline elements can hold data (text) or other inline elements (i.e. images). Unless formatted differently, inline elements follow each other, and do not start on new lines unless they run out of page, and are then forced to wrap.
- JPEG
- JPEG, a.k.a. JPG, pronounced 'jay-peg' stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It's a lossy compression format that's best suited for photographs and other continuous tone images. JPG images are widely supported by most graphical web browsers, making it the best choice for web images that contain lots of colors, shades, and gradations; like photographs for instance. JPG images do not however work well with high contrast images or those containing large blocks of color; often producing a smudging effect.
- Margin
- A blank space bordering the written or printed area on a page. The margin that borders a text container, like the paragraph container for example, helps to set off the text from other content on the page.
- Navigation
- Finding one's way around the Internet, or a particular website. Most websites will include a navigation section that contains links to the other pages on that site. This allows the visitor to easily find what they're looking for, without having to know the filename of that web page.
- Nesting
- Placing tags in a proper order so that they do not overlap. When using more than one set of tags in combination, the tag most recently opened, should be the next tag closed. See example below:
<i><b>text</b></i> Correct
<i><b>text</i></b> Wrong
- Numeric Code Position
- Every document has a set of characters that it can use. The characters are listed numerically, with each number representing a particular character. The numeric code position simply refers to the position of a character in that numbered list.
- Pixel
- Pixel is short for picture element. It is the smallest discrete element of a digital image, usually consisting of just one color. Web graphics are measured in pixels. The physical size of a pixel varies depending on the resolution of the display screen.
- Plain Text Editor
- A program for writing text, which unlike a word processor, does not include any special formatting with the text. These programs create plain text (ASCII) files. Most computer operating systems are supplied with a default plain text editor, like Notepad for Windows®. Other programs you could use are listed in our resources section under the title Text Editors.
- PNG
- Another popular web image format is PNG (Potable Network Graphics). The PNG format has been available for years, but is not completely supported by all web browsers as of yet. The major hang-up has been support for alpha-transparency. If you have a PNG image to use on your site, you’ll probably want to test its appearance in many different web browsers before using it. For a list of browsers with PNG support, go to the PNG Home Site.
- Presentation
- The manner in which web page content is displayed in a web browser. Presentation includes such things as the font, size, and color of text; background color or images; spacing, margins, padding, and alignment of content; etc. Web authors should first structure their pages with HTML, and then affect its presentation using style.
- Properties
- A particular parameter of an HTML element relating to its appearance or function. Properties are matched with values in a style rule, when wanting to modify the default parameters of an element.
- Published
- A web page becomes published, when it is placed on a web server that is accessible via the Internet. Similar to publishing a book or newspaper, it simply means to make the work public to people in general.
- Relative Path
- A relative path is used to specify the location of another web page, image, style sheet, etc., that exists on the same website (domain), as the file which is linking to it. How the relative path is written, depends on where the destination file is located in reference to the source file. To see how to do this, check out our info on directory structure.
- RGB Functional Notation
- A method for declaring the color properties of an HTML element, which uses a decimal number from 0 to 255 to represent the amount each of red, green & blue contained in the desired color. The notation is entered as the value of a color declaration, as demonstrated below:
color: rgb(0,153,255)
The first number represents red, the second green, and the third blue. The higher the number, the greater the intensity of that color. For more examples, see our color conversion chart.
- RGB Hexadecimal Notation
- A method for declaring the color properties of an HTML element, which uses a hexadecimal number from 00 to FF to represent the amount each of red, green & blue contained in the desired color. The notation is entered as the value of a color declaration, as demonstrated below:
color: #0099FF
The first two characters represent red, the second two green, and the third pair is blue. The value of a two character hexadecimal number is derived by multiplying the first character by 16, then adding it to the second character. The letters A-F represent the numbers 10-15.00: 0x16=0 then 0+0=0
99: 9x16=144 then 144+9=153
FF: Fx16 or 15x16=240 then 240+F or 240+15=255
The higher the value, the greater the intensity of that color. For more examples, see our color conversion chart.
- Search Engine
- A website that utilizes a search tool to return a list of Internet web pages containing a specified keyword or string. Search engines contain a vast index of web pages that are available on the Internet. Using a search engine can help one find specific information, by narrowing the amount of web pages available to only those containing the information desired.
Some common search engines/directories are:
- Selector
- Used to identify which element/s will be affected by a style rule. A selector can apply to all of a particular type of element, or can refer to a predefined class or identifier.
- Serif/Sans-Serif
- A serif is a small line or hook that finishes off the main strokes of a character. Some fonts have serifs, and some don’t. The fonts that don’t have serifs are called sans-serif; meaning without serifs. Serif fonts are generally preferred for reading printed pages, while sans-serif is preferred for reading from a monitor. Below are some examples of each:
| Serif | Sans-Serif |
|---|
| Times New Roman | Arial |
| Georgia | Verdana |
- Source Document
- Behind every web page exists a source document. It is a plain text (ASCII) file, which contains the mark-up (tags) and content of the web page. When a web page is requested from a web server, it is the source document that is sent to the requesting web browser. The web browser processes the info from the source document, and then displays it as a web page.
- Span
- Creates a generic inline container that does not apply any preset presentational effects to its contents.
- Structure
- The manner in which web page content is arranged and organized for interpretation by a web browser. Web authors should structure (arrange) their content first using a markup language, and then affect the way it looks (presentation), using a style language.
- Style
- The current recommendation for controlling the presentation of web pages. Before style, web page presentation was somewhat controlled through HTML elements and attributes. However, the newer standards recommend that style be controlled separately using common desktop publishing terminology.
Style can be applied to a particular element using the style attribute; a particular page using the style element; or linked to several pages using an external style sheet.
- Style Attribute
- Used for adding style inline to a particular tag contained within the HTML document's body.
- Style Element
- Used for adding an internal style sheet into the head section of an HTML document, for the purpose of affecting style throughout the entire document.
- Style Rule
- The proper syntax for defining style in an internal or external style sheet. A style rule consists of one or more selectors followed by a declaration. The declaration is enclosed in curly braces, and consists of one or more property/value combinations. See formatting examples below:
- selector {property: value}
- selector {property1: value; property2: value; property3: value}
- selector1, selector2, selector3 {property1: value; property2: value; property3: value}
- Table
- A method of arranging data by displaying content in rows and columns. A table is kind of like a spreadsheet for web pages.
- Table Cell
- A rectangular area created at the intersection of any given table row and table column.
- Tag
- A marker that contains an element used in constructing a web page. Tags begin with a less-than symbol, and end with a greater-than symbol. Placed inside of the two symbols is one HTML element, which sends instructions to the web browser. Tags may be singular, or used in pairs depending upon their element. Some examples of common tags are:
- Text Documents
- A document made up of only recognized ASCII text characters. Unlike other types of documents that contain text, a Text Document does not use any formatting other than spaces and line breaks.
If a text document is saved with an extension other than .txt, it may still act like a text document, but its type changes to match its new extension.
- Upload
- To transfer data/files from the computer being used to another computer (opposite of download). In order for a web server to make a website available, it needs to have the website files uploaded to it.
- Value
- A distinguishing characteristic of an attribute or property. A value may refer to a specific color, font, size, alignment, position, image, function, destination, etc. When used with an attribute, a value should be enclosed in single or double quotes. When used with a property, a value should be placed after it, and separated from it by a colon.
- Web Address
- Used to specify the unique location of a website or web resource. A web address consists of a protocol (i.e. http://), a domain name (i.e. www.some-website.com), and any necessary directory/filename (i.e. /products/computers.html). When entered into the address bar of a web browser, a web address will take you to that particular web page.
- Web Browser
- A user agent device (software) for interpreting and displaying HTML documents as web pages. It's what you use to surf the web. Examples are: Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, Mozilla, etc.
Download Web Browsers
- White Space
- White space characters are those that create visual spacing effects. Spaces, tabs, and carriage returns all create white space. When white space exists in an HTML source document, it is reproduced as only one space on the resultant web page. It doesn't matter how many spaces, tabs, line feeds, or carriage returns you have in a row; only one space will appear on the web page.
