How to Create a Web Page with HTML5 and CSS
Then Make it Responsive
This 9 Step tutorial will teach you to create Responsive HTML5 web pages using a simple hands on approach.
You will copy and paste HTML5 code into NotePad or Linux based text editor, then enhance its appearance using CSS (cascading style sheets).
You'll actually see how HTML and CSS work together and the importance of Responsive Web Design.
Responsive Web Design?
This web page when finished won't just be liquid. It will be mobile ready.
Responsive Web Design means if some one pulls the page up on any size device will display like one of the two pictures shown here.
On a Tablet
Viewed at 912 pixels
On a SmartPhone
Viewed at 412 pixels
FIRST TIMERS!!
Things you'll need to know:
How to create new folders
How to Copy and Paste
How to find and use your Text Editor
How to use a browser offline
If you don't know how to do any of these things, start with How to Use This Tutorial.
All GOOD? You should be able to complete the tutorial in about an hour.
Get Organized!!!
Important!!!! Create a special folder to store your HTML and CSS pages in.
Name it htdocs.
Make it easy to find.
Windows Users: Learn to use File Explorer. Find your personal folder. In Windows 11 it's Name-Personal. Create htdocs there. See: Create New Folder
Linux Users: Create it right on your Parent drive on home/parent/htdocs See: Create New Folder
Create another folder INSIDE the /htdocs/ folder.
Name it images.
This will help you to start out in an organized fashion and find the page with your browser when previewing.
You will save pictures that we provide in Exercise 6 in the /htdocs/images/ folder.
Getting Ready
Tutorial Set Up
Open your text editor and place it on the right.
Open the tutor in your browser and place the tutor on the left. Open 2 tabs in the browser one for the tutor and one to view the saved changes to myfirstpage.html. Or you can use a second browser for viewing your web pages.
Paste your HTML code and CSS in the Text editor on the right. We'll use an embedded stylesheet to simplify the process.(That just means it's all one page)
Ready to work? Start the first Exercise!
First Exercise
You're going to create an html file in this exercise.
Save it in your \htdocs folder
Copy and Paste the entire block of code into your Text Editor
This is the HTML code:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>I Love Responsive Web Design</title>
<meta name="description" content="">
<meta name="keywords" content="">
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
<style>
* {
margin:0 0 0 0;
padding:0 0 0 0}
body{
max-width:768px;
margin:0 auto;
font-family: Arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;
font-size:20px;
font-style:normal;
font-weight:100;
color: #444444;
background-color: #ffffff
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
Windows Users: When saving HTML files using Notepad it's a good practice to turn on the All files filter. Notepad may throw you a curve and save your page with a .html.txt extension if you don't.
Save the web page as myfirstpage.html
The .html extension is crucial.
Once you save the HTML page you can look at the page with a browser. Right now you'll get a blank white page.
Style Sheet Design
We'll use an embedded stylesheet (located in head section of document) to simplify the process for now.
The 6 page #402 Kit uses a linked style sheet.
Explanation
The first block closes all gaps in your displayed code. It removes any default values for margins and padding for elements that you add to the code of the page.
The second block of CSS defines the body section of the web page.
Max-width: - sets the maximum width that the page will spread out.
I've set it to 768 pixels to make it easier for those not working on desk tops.
If you are working on a smaller device than an Ipad mini(768 pixels) you can experiment with setting it narrower.
margin: 0 auto - centers the body within the viewing browser window.
The line, color: #444444 defines the default color of text elements like paragraphs and header tags.
The background color is defined in hexidecimal code #ffffff and produces the white color you'll see when you preview the page.
We also
define the default font settings for the web page.
font-family: arial, tahoma, verdana, serif;
If we define the default font-family at the top of the style sheet we can experiment with the different font faces by simply changing their order.
Place your preferred choice first in the list.
We set font-size to 20 pixels, font style and weight to 100.
The Result
Future Web page builders will see an empty white colored browser window.
Were you successful? If you were, congratulations!!
If you see code in your browser you may have errors or you saved your page with a txt extension.
Check the extension of your saved file. It should be .html
Go back and read the information again. Don't skip any steps.
If you are using an HTML editor that doesn't support HTML5, get rid of it. It will probably trash your code.
For best results copy and paste the HTML code and CSS for now.
The HTML code and CSS must be exactly as shown.
Tips
Windows Users: I ran through the tutorial twice once using Notepad and then again using NoteTab Light. I really think Notepad was easier with the exception of having to use File Explorer to navigate to the htdocs folder to right click on the HTML documents you will create and choosing Open with to bring them up in Microsoft Edge. You'll also need to use File Explorer to open the images folder when you add the image to the page in Lesson 6.
I also advise making sure you set the cursor in the Notepad window by tapping twice on the left mouse button until you see the cursor placed at the proper position in the code for pasting.
Toggling back and forth in Edge between tabs was no problem when the tutor and myfirstpage.html were loaded in separate tabs. Just remember to Refresh when viewing myfirstpage after saved changes.
Be sure to use the All files filter when saving your html documents.
Notepad may save your page as myfirstpage.html.txt. You can avoid this by setting the All files filter.
W3C Validator
Using W3C Validator: It isn't that hard to create error free code if you start out right. Get into the habit of using the W3C Validator to check your web pages before uploading them. We prefer the Direct Input option. If you need a quick tutorial get it here.
Test Your Comprehension
Take a quiz on the information presented so far.
Ready to Proceed
Are you comfortable with your tutor set up? Make adjustments now.
Want to speed things up with a free HTML editor? Get NoteTab Light for Windows users. I wish I could still use it on Linux. But Alas, we must pay for our sins. I'm stuck with BlueFish on Linux.
When you're comfortable and get everything working with the desired result in your browser, you are ready to proceed to the next exercise.
Don't go on unless you have a basic understanding of the copy, paste, save and preview procedures presented so far.
Top
Helps
Need help? Send us your question
If you missed the tutor on previewing HTML pages with a browser and are having problems, Visit that tutor now.
Free Tools and Resources
Need something more advanced. Check out our Web Development Resources page for some more advanced tutorials and reference guides for HTML5, CSS3, Responsive Design and SEO.