Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create Your First Web Page with HTML and CSS

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create Your First Web Page with HTML and CSS

Building your first web page is an empowering milestone for anyone interested in technology, design, or digital communication. HTML and CSS are the foundational languages of the web, and learning them unlocks countless opportunities from launching a personal portfolio to starting a business or pursuing a career in web development.

This in-depth guide will walk you through how to create a web page from scratch, using best practices and resources trusted by millions of learners worldwide.

Why Learn HTML and CSS?

  • Universal Skills: Every website is built with HTML and CSS, making these languages essential for anyone interested in tech or online business.
  • Creative Freedom: Design and launch your own projects, portfolios, or blogs.
  • Career Opportunities: Web development is a rapidly growing field, and these are your entry-level skills.
  • Foundation for Advanced Learning: HTML and CSS are prerequisites for JavaScript, frameworks, and full-stack development.

Step 1: Set Up Your Tools

To get started, you’ll need:

  • A text editor: Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Atom are popular free choices.
  • A modern web browser: Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for previewing your site.
  • A folder on your computer: Organize your project files for easy access3.

Step 2: Create Your HTML File

Open your text editor and create a new file named index.html. This file will hold your web page’s structure. Here’s a basic HTML skeleton to get you started

Show HTML Code as Text 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>My First Web Page</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Welcome to My First Web Page!</h1>
  <p>This is where your web journey begins.</p>
</body>
</html>

Tips:

  • Save your file with the .html extension.
  • Avoid spaces or special characters in file names (use underscores or dashes instead).

Step 3: Add Content with HTML Tags

HTML uses tags to define elements like headings, paragraphs, images, and links. Here are some essentials:

  • Headings: <h1> to <h6> for titles and subtitles.
  • Paragraphs: <p> for blocks of text.
  • Images: <img src="image.jpg" alt="Description">
  • Links: <a href="https://example.com">Click here</a>
  • Lists: <ul>, <ol>, and <li> for bullet and numbered lists.
  • Tables: <table>, <tr>, <td> for tabular data.

For a comprehensive HTML tag reference, visit HTML.com or W3Schools.

Step 4: Save and View Your Web Page

After adding your content, save the file and open it in your browser. You’ll see your first web page come to life! If you make changes, save and refresh the browser to see updates.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) controls your page’s look and feel. Create a new file named style.css in the same folder as your HTML file. Link it in the <head> section of your HTML.


<head>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
</head>

Step 6: Style Your Web Page with CSS

Open style.css and add styles to make your page visually appealing:


body {
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
  background-color: #f9f9f9;
  margin: 40px;
}
h1 {
  color: #007bff;
  text-align: center;
}
p {
  font-size: 18px;
}

You can style any HTML element by referencing its tag, class, or ID.

Step 7: Expand with Advanced Features

  • Responsive Design: Use media queries or frameworks like Bootstrap for mobile-friendly layouts.
  • Forms & User Input: Add contact forms with <form>, <input>, and <button>.
  • Navigation: Create menus with <nav>, <ul>, and <li>.

Step 8: Organize and Launch

  • Structure: Organize your project with folders for images, styles, and scripts.
  • Test: Check your site in multiple browsers and devices.
  • Publish: When ready, you can upload your site to a hosting provider or use platforms like GitHub Pages.

Ready to Build Your Own Web Page?

If you want a guided, hands-on path from beginner to confident web creator, enroll in Build a Webpage with HTML and CSS Course by Board Infinity on Coursera

Enroll Now

Get a quick overview of what you'll achieve in this beginner-friendly course. Watch the introduction video below to meet your instructor and see how you’ll be guided step-by-step to create a web page.

Course Description

Build a Webpage with HTML and CSS is designed for beginners eager to master the fundamentals of web development. You’ll learn HTML, CSS, and the principles of effective web design, progressing from the basics to building and styling a complete, shareable web page. The course is structured to provide hands-on experience, practical examples, and clear explanations, ensuring you gain both confidence and real-world skills.  

What You Will Learn

By enrolling in Build a Webpage with HTML and CSS, you’ll gain practical, job-ready skills to confidently create, style, and launch your own web pages from scratch. This course is designed with beginners in mind, no prior coding experience required.

  • Structure and build web pages using essential HTML tags, elements, and attributes.
  • Style and format your website with CSS for layout, colors, fonts, and responsive design.
  • Create visually appealing, mobile-friendly sites using Bootstrap’s pre-built components and grid system.
  • Apply modern web design best practices for accessibility, usability, and cross-device compatibility.
  • Build and share a fully functional web page as your portfolio project.

Course Structure:

  • Module 1: Introduction to HTML (document structure, tags, nesting, and content)
  • Module 2: Introduction to CSS (syntax, selectors, layout, typography, colors, advanced features)
  • Module 3: Introduction to Bootstrap (responsive design, pre-built components, project building)

Who Should Enroll

This course is ideal for:

  • Complete beginners who want to learn how to create a web page from scratch
  • Students and professionals looking to build digital skills or transition into tech
  • Entrepreneurs, bloggers, and business owners who want to design and manage their own websites
  • Anyone interested in web development, design, or digital marketing

No prior coding or web development experience is required just a computer, a modern web browser, and a willingness to learn.

Ready to build your first web page?
Enroll now in Build a Webpage with HTML and CSS and start your journey into web development today!