Intro

HTML is one of the most important standards of the Web. It’s the backbone of the Web, as the first edition of this book explained. HTML is important.

Therefore, HTML is one of those standards everyone puts on their CV. Everyone can write HTML. But, as the first edition of this book suggested, too, that’s questionable. HTML is more complex than even experienced developers admit, and has not nearly been exhausted. The craft of HTML is lacking. Not surprisingly, we even teach HTML the wrong way (to be demonstrated elsewhere).

Clearly, there’s always something to nitpick in people’s HTML code. That’s what this book does. That’s what this whole book series does. But it tries to do so constructively; fairly; and playfully. You can always upgrade your HTML, and we’re not here to point fingers, but to have a look at the HTML landscape around us and take away a thing or two. It’s not about explaining the world—even if that rests on HTML. Let’s go.

—Jens Oliver Meiert