HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

HTML is a markup language for hypertext which is understood by all WWW clients. Here we discuss the HTML language, i.e. its syntax and semantics, including information on the history of the language, status of the standard, and development issues.

If what you are looking for is not here, it may be in

www-html A discussion list, with a hypertext archive (now searchable! Thanks EIT guys!)

Edited Collections

• Web Developer's section of the WWW Virtual Library, maintained by Alan Richmond.
• HTML info in the Yahoo collection
• HyperNews page on HTML maintained by Daniel LaLiberte at NCSA.

Automated Search Services Indexes such as lycos might help you discover a number of resources related to HTML.

HTML 2.0: In Final Review

The specification is still being refined, mainly a question of defining its expression in terms of SGML, and accurately describing current accepted practice.

"Character Set" Considered Harmful

HTML WG Materials Roy Fielding maintains this excellent collection, including the latest HTML 2.0 draft available via

FTP in various formats.

html-wg The HTML Working Group mailing lists and its hypertext archive.

HTML 3 and up: In Development

Features such as tables, figures, mathematical equations, and stylesheets are in development:

• HTML 3.0 Draft by Dave Raggett.

HTML 1.0: Historical

This is the level mandatory for all WWW clients. Level-1 is basically the HTML of the initial WWW clients, plus images. The level 1 spec is relatively old, so a better specification is to take the level 1 features from level 2, above. About level-1 there is:

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)          Tim Berners-Lee, CERN
Internet Draft                          Daniel Connolly, Atrium
IIIR Working Group                                    June 1993

• hardcopy version in plain text and postscript
• 19 Nov 93 WWW-TEI,Cork