Difference Between HTML and CSS

Updated on 19/08/2024469 Views

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HTML and CSS are the core languages for building web pages. Markup language defines the content and structure of a web page, whereas Style Sheets design the web page. In this article,

Here, I will discuss the major differences between HTML and CSS so that you have a clear understanding of what each one does, along with the features, advantages, and disadvantages of both.

By the end of this tutorial, you will have a clear idea of the basics of cascaded style sheets and hypertext markup language to the advantages and features of each one of them.

Let's begin!

What is HTML?

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a fundamental component of the web. It's not technically a programming language in the traditional sense because it doesn't have the ability to perform complex logic or computations. Instead, HTML is a markup language used to structure content on web pages by using various tags and elements to define the layout, text formatting, images, links, and other elements of a webpage.

Hypertext is the text used to link various web pages. Markup means highlighting text either by underlining or displaying it using different colors.

HTML has its own syntax and rules and uses different tags and elements to identify what you see on screen. For a clearer and better understanding of the HTML fundamentals, consider going through an HTML tutorial.

Features of HTML

In HTML vs CSS, some of the features of HTML are as follows:

HTML is a very easy and simple language.
It provides flexibility in designing the web page.
HTML is platform-independent, meaning it functions seamlessly regardless of the operating system you're using. Whether you're on Windows, macOS, or any other operating system, HTML operates consistently across platforms, ensuring a uniform experience for users regardless of their device or system.
Tags can be used either in lower-case or upper-case as it is a case-insensitive language.
Web pages can be enhanced with multimedia and links, making them more attractive and interactive.

Advantages of HTML

As the building blocks of the web, HTML comes with great benefits. Let’s look at a few:

In HTML, no special software is required; you only need a text editor. E.g., Notepad
Finding any error is easy in HTML.
It has independent hardware.
Learning HTML is simpler than any other language.

Disadvantages of HTML

HTML, although used extensively by developers in backend development, comes with its own set of disadvantages as well. They are:

HTML, while essential for structuring web content, lacks the capabilities of a traditional programming language.
It cannot perform calculations or enable the creation of interactive web pages without additional scripting languages like JavaScript.
HTML alone cannot create web applications that behave dynamically or offer complex user interactions commonly found in fully-fledged applications.

What is CSS?

CSS, short for Cascading Style Sheets, is used to control the style of web development. It is added to HTML pages to format the document according to the information in the style sheet.

CSS can be implemented in three main ways: Inline CSS, Internal CSS, and External CSS.

Inline CSS: This method applies CSS styling directly to individual HTML elements within their respective tags. It's suitable for making quick styling adjustments to specific elements.
Internal CSS: With internal CSS, styles are defined within the <style> tags in the <head> section of a single HTML document. This approach is useful for applying styles to a single webpage.
External CSS: External CSS involves linking an external CSS file to an HTML document using the <link> tag. This allows for the application of consistent styles across multiple web pages, enhancing maintainability and ease of updating.

Features of CSS

Let's look at the features of CSS:

CSS can define many typographic characteristics, including layout, sizes, spacing, font, color, borders, text alignment, and more.
It defines non-visual styles, such as reading speed and emphasis for aural text readers.
CSS follows a cascading order of precedence, where styles are applied based on their order of importance, specificity, and source.
CSS uses selectors to target HTML elements, classes, or IDs.
It provides powerful layout tools, such as Flexbox and Grid, that allow for flexible and responsive layouts that adapt to different screen sizes.

Advantages of CSS

CSS is an essential part of web development as it helps style websites. It comes with the following perks:

● CSS compliments well with HTML.

● It makes it easy for you to customize the web page.

● It provides an attractive look to your web pages.

Disadvantages of CSS

Although CSS is widely used, it is no stranger to disadvantages. Look out for the following downsides to using CSS:

CSS support varies across web browsers, leading to inconsistencies in styling and rendering. Developers often spend extra effort addressing these disparities, either by writing browser-specific code or using workarounds to ensure consistent presentation across different platforms.

While CSS enhances visual appeal, it can also slow down page loading, especially with large or complex style sheets. This impacts user experience, particularly on slower internet connections or mobile devices.

What is the Difference Between HTML and CSS?

HTML is like the skeleton of the website. It defines the content and layout, like headings, paragraphs, and images. At the same time, CSS is the style of a web page. It controls the visual presentation, like colors, fonts, and spacing. CSS makes the website more beautiful.

Although quite obvious and simple, I have highlighted the key difference between HTML and CSS in the table below:

HTML	CSS
HTML is a standup markup language for describing the structure of a web page.	CSS is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation and design of online pages.
HTML is clear to understand and has a clear syntax.	CSS can be complicated at times and cause coding difficulties.
HTML cannot be used with any XML-based markup language.	CSS is not dependent on HTML. It may be used with an XML-based markup language.
HTML codes can never be found in CSS files.	CSS codes can be found in HTML files.
HTML provides tags that encapsulate the content of various elements on a web page.	CSS consists of selectors that are surrounded by a declaration block.
HTML does not have this issue.	CSS has fragmentation.
HTML controls the layout of the content.	CSS applies style to web page elements.
It stands for Hyper-Text Markup Language	It stands for Cascading Style Sheets.
HTML files are saved with the extension .html.	CSS files are saved with the .CSS extension.

Wrapping Up

Knowing the difference between HTML and CSS is the first step in learning web development. To summarize, HTML builds web pages, while CSS adds style. Although the differences between HTML and CSS are significant, they have one thing in common: developing complete websites. Both HTML and CSS are key to making a web page functional and dynamic.

If you’re looking to take your development career a step further, why not take up a course from upGrad? This platform caters to both beginners and professionals looking to upskill themselves to succeed in their respective fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HTML?

HTML is the standard language for the web, used to create web pages and websites. It consists of a series of elements that tell the browser how to display the content.

What is CSS?

CSS is a style sheet language that describes how HTML elements are to be displayed on the screen. It covers multiple layouts at once.

Can HTML and CSS work independently?

Yes, HTML and CSS can work separately. You can use HTML without CSS and CSS without HTML.

How do HTML and CSS interact?

HTML is used to structure the webpage; it defines the content and layout, while CSS styles the webpage with buttons, links, fonts, and colors and makes it more interactive.

Can HTML and CSS be used interchangeably?

No, HTML and CSS are not interchangeable. They need each other as they are the powers of web pages.

What is better to learn HTML or CSS?

HTML and CSS are both important to learn if you want to become a front-end developer. HTML and CSS work together to design the webpage and make it interactive.

How is HTML and CSS different from programming languages?

HTML and CSS are different from programming languages because a programming language uses logic in it, but in HTML and CSS, no logic is used.

Which is more difficult: HTML or CSS?

HTML is an easy and simple language that can be easily modified, whereas CSS can be complicated at times and cause coding difficulties. So, in the debate between HTML and CSS, the latter is more difficult.