HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the foundational language used to create web pages. It structures the content on a webpage by defining elements such as headings, paragraphs, links, images, and lists. HTML tags enclose different types of content, helping browsers display text and multimedia correctly. As the backbone of web development, HTML works in tandem with CSS and JavaScript to create functional and interactive web pages.

HTML consists of a series of elements and attributes that work together to create the layout and structure of a webpage. Over the years, HTML has evolved with new versions (HTML5 being the latest), which added new features such as multimedia support, enhanced form controls, and better semantic tags. Mastering HTML is the first step in web development, providing the foundation for creating structured, well-formed websites.