Why Learn HTML & CSS?

HTML & CSS are the programming languages that tell web browsers how to display content. These two languages are vital to modern web page development, using marking tags to distinguish web elements from one another. Have you ever explored all of the things HTML & CSS can do? HTML & CSS are rather basic programming languages by modern standards, but learning them is almost required for anyone hoping to work in the web development field. In addition, learning HTML & CSS will give students hands-on experience as coders and teach them the fundamental transferable skills they will need to learn more complex languages, such as how to compile code or how coding syntax works. Here, you’ll learn more about the careers that benefit from HTML & CSS and how they can enhance your professional life. Regardless of your goals, learning HTML & CSS is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume. 

What is HTML & CSS?

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are the two primary programming languages upon which all modern web infrastructure is built. These two programming languages tell your computer how to display a web page and distinguish one web element from another. HTML uses a system of tags and breaks to communicate to web browsers how a given web page should be displayed for users. It is what tells the web page you are looking at right now what the difference between a header and a paragraph is so that the web page knows when to separate the two blocks of text. CSS informs the web browser how it should display some aspects of content, assigning fonts, sizes, colors, and other visual data to web page elements. It tells the web page to display these words in a specific font, size, and color. Together, these two languages help build simple web pages composed of text, images, and hyperlinks.

Since their adoption in the mid-90s, HTML & CSS have become the most commonly used programming languages for web development, as virtually all web pages run on a skeleton built using these two languages. While the output of HTML & CSS is rather unimpressive by modern standards since it only deals with the production of visual elements, text, images, and links. However, modern web pages would be impossible to design for all their complexity without HTML & CSS. This means that anyone aspiring to work in web development must learn how to code in HTML & CSS before they can begin to learn more complex languages. 

Read more about what HTML & CSS is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with HTML & CSS?

Using HTML & CSS, you can design rudimentary web pages and begin the process of learning how to create dynamic and evocative web pages. While most modern web page design programs like WordPress allow novice users to construct more elaborate web pages than with HTML & CSS training alone, learning how to work with HTML & CSS prepares students for complex coding processes using programming languages such as JavaScript, React, or Python.

Learning HTML & CSS is also an essential first step in learning how to code web pages professionally. As more and more businesses, companies, organizations, and groups seek to establish an online presence, skilled Web Developers are in high demand. While any professional Web Developer will also need additional training, learning the fundamentals of front end web development will ensure that students have the foundation to build into a profitable future career.

Common Professional Uses for HTML & CSS

Since HTML & CSS are the backbones of modern web pages, any web development role that codes from front end (client-facing) aspects of a web page will use HTML & CSS in some capacity. This includes anyone who designs web pages, elements of web pages or works to develop additional programming languages built off of HTML & CSS, like JavaScript. A few typical jobs that utilize HTML & CSS include:

Web Developers: Web Developers create and launch web pages for clients and firms. These developers will be given a web design document by a client or a team of designers. Then, they use coding languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to turn that design into a functioning web page. Developers will be either front end or back-end developers, with Front End Developers working on a web page's user-facing side. These are the Web Developers who will most frequently use HTML & CSS. Web Developers may also be in charge of testing, debugging, maintaining, and updating web pages.

Visual Designers: Visual Designers will focus more on the kinds of projects they work on. While Web Developers will work closely with designers on a web page project, Visual Designers will work on individual digital elements, such as banners, buttons, menus, or art assets to be included in a web page. Visual Designers will be responsible for the creative side of the design of an asset. While not all Visual Designers will develop their digital assets, many will be responsible for designing a web page asset in a program like Adobe Illustrator and coding it with a language like HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.

Front-End Web Developers: Front End Web Developers overlap considerably with Web Developers regarding skills and responsibilities. For the most part, the difference is that Web Developers will specialize in the client side of web development and likely work on larger projects with teams of other developers. Sometimes, the two titles are used interchangeably in job descriptions, but Front End Web Developers will use many of the same skills as Web Developers. They will be more attentive to one side of the process and must have a greater proficiency with that side of web development.

Lay the Groundwork for Additional Coding Training

Learning how to code in HTML & CSS is necessary if you want to learn how to code in most front end development languages, and even Back End Developers will benefit from HTML & CSS training. Learning HTML & CSS lets you design rudimentary web pages and also gives you the basic tools necessary to learn how to build more complex web assets with languages like JavaScript, React, Python and SQL.

While amateur coders can build simple web pages using only HTML & CSS, the most valuable aspect of learning these languages is the groundwork they lay for later training. You can think of them as learning the basic grammar of a foreign language when you are first studying. While there will be a lot more studying and preparation necessary to become fluent, without learning the basics, you won’t ever be able to learn more complex aspects of programming.

Get Practical Experience

One of the most challenging aspects of learning web development is simply learning the process of how to write and read code. Learning simple languages like HTML & CSS is a good place to start learning because it will give students practical experience in aspects of programming, like learning how a language’s syntax works, how to use a code editing application, and how to run and debug code. These are all skills that students will pick up when they start programming web pages using HTML & CSS, but they are all highly relevant to all levels of one’s programming career.

How to Start Learning HTML & CSS

Students who want to learn how to code with HTML & CSS have a few options for how they want to learn these languages. They can learn in person or online. They can learn through live instruction or asynchronously. Each course will have different affordances and limitations, so students should consider what option is best for them. Prospective students can compare their HTML & CSS classes using Noble’s Classes Near Me tool.

The most immersive and hands-on way to learn HTML & CSS is through live instruction, which is available both in-person and online. These classes offer students the chance to work directly with an experienced instructor who can guide them through learning HTML & CSS. This can be especially helpful for novice students who are learning HTML & CSS as their first programming language because the idea of coding can be intimidating for new students. In addition, the in-person classes will give students valuable networking opportunities, while the online courses will let students learn critical technical skills from anywhere in the country.

For students seeking more flexibility in their HTML & CSS training, on-demand HTML & CSS courses may be an ideal answer. These courses let students learn at their own pace since they aren’t tied to a specific live instructor’s classroom schedule. These are also the most varied training courses, allowing students to more freely customize their training to fit their learning style better. However, without a live instructor, students can quickly become lost, especially those without any computer science or coding background.

For students who are looking to understand the basics of HTML & CSS without committing to a professional training course, Noble offers free online seminars and tutorials to help ease students into programming. The Web Design and Development playlist on Noble’s official YouTube channel provides students with video instructions on how to get started with web development skills like HTML & CSS. Noble also provides a free Intro to Front End Web Development course on their free seminars page. Finally, students looking to learn more about the process of learning HTML & CSS can consult Noble’s Learn HTML & CSS page to look over the free articles and resources they have available to them.

Read the full guide on how to learn HTML & CSS.

Learn HTML & CSS with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Students looking to learn HTML & CSS can find several specialized training courses through Noble Desktop. These courses, available both in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus and through live online instruction, will provide students with in-depth training in HTML & CSS and many programming languages built off of HTML & CSS. Regardless of the course they enroll in, students will benefit from being able to work directly with Noble’s experienced instructors. Even online, class sizes remain small to ensure that students aren’t competing for their instructor’s attention. As a bonus, all of Noble’s courses have an option to retake the class for free within a year of enrolling, giving students extra opportunities to get hands-on HTML & CSS instruction and experience.

Noble offers an introduction to web development bootcamp through their Web Development with HTML & CSS and Advanced HTML & CSS courses. These courses are designed to give students a taste of front end web development by teaching them the essential practices of coding web pages using HTML & CSS. These courses are ideal for students with no coding experience who are interested in learning the fundamental processes of learning the syntax of a programming language and translating that knowledge into the construction of a practical project. Students will learn the basic principles of using HTML tags to differentiate between elements of a web page and how to use CSS tags to apply fonts and styles to text. In the more advanced courses, students will learn how to build multi-page websites that link to one another.

Most students with aspirations of learning web development aren’t going to be content learning how to design web pages that look like they were last updated in 1997. These students may wish to enroll in Noble’s Front End Web Development Certificate program. This course will teach students the vital HTML & CSS skills they need to know to build web pages. After mastering those skills, students will learn how to use programs and languages built on top of HTML & CSS to design more complex, interactive web pages. This course will teach students how to use JavaScript, one of the most popular front end programming languages, to add interactive elements and seamless animations to their web designs. Students will also receive training on how to utilize and build WordPress templates. Nearly 40% of all modern web pages use WordPress in some capacity, so learning these skills is an ideal way to start down the path of a career in web development.

Students interested in learning more about the HTML & CSS classes and bootcamps available should consult the web development section of Noble’s website (which they can easily view and navigate thanks to developers with HTML & CSS training).

Key Insights

• HTML & CSS are the programming languages used to tell a web browser how it should display web pages. HTML allows users to mark program elements using tags, allowing a web browser to distinguish between features, such as separating the title of this section and the bulleted text. CSS gives stylistic information to a web browser, indicating, for example, what size and font this text should be displayed.
• Learning HTML & CSS is essential for anyone hoping to work as a Web Developer or a Front End Developer.
• Most people who learn HTML learn it as a foundation for learning more complex coding languages such as JavaScript or React. However, learning HTML & CSS is still useful for students who want hands-on, practical experience as programmers.
• No matter why you want to learn HTML & CSS, Noble Desktop offers comprehensive in-person and live online training courses.