Free web design tutorials

learn the basics of HTML coding to make web pages

NB! All these links work at the time of publishing the page – but these sites have a habit of moving. That’s the bad news. The good news is that more established sites have the equally good habit of adding to their tutorials. So what starts out as a simple HTML tutorial might well now include guidance on cascading style sheets, XML, and much else. Be prepared to click around and search. You’ve nothing to lose – because it’s all free.

Jo Barta’s tutorial
This is a very popular free downloadable guide for beginners. It’s strong point is that Jo Barta takes everything one step at a time – and shows what the results should look like. It also contains a useful guide to web-safe colours.
http://www.pagetutor.com/download.html

XML School
This is a very comprehensive site which covers every aspect of HTML and web page design – as well as style sheets, XML, and other refinements. It’s also a model of clarity in site design itself.
http://www.w3schools.com/

Yale Web Style Manual
This does not teach the details of coding – but it’s a wonderful guide to site structure, navigation, and page design. Use it in conjunction with Joe Barta’s tutorial, and you’ve got everything you need.
http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/

HTML 4.0 Reference
An authoritative guide to the HTML language by the Web Design Group, in easily searchable HTML format. You will find full explanations of elements, tags and attributes, and how they are used in an HTML 4.0 document.
http:/www.htmlhelp.com/distribution/

Web Design Group Web Authoring FAQ
Lots of how-to’s and information on overcoming common problems.
http://www.htmlhelp.com/faq/html/all.html

Scott Brady’s ‘Unofficial’ alt.html FAQ
More answers to problems that are often encountered.
http://www.sbrady.com/hotsource/toc.html

Introduction to HTML
A tutorial guide written in plain language with clear explanations of the HTML 4.0 specification from the University of Toronto.
http://www.utoronto.ca/webdocs/HTMLdocs/NewHTML/intro.html

Sizzling HTML Jalfrezi
This is an A to Z reference guide to HTML specification 4.0.
http://vzone.virgin.net/sizzling.jalfrezi/intro.htm

Web Techniques
This an online version of the magazine Web Techniques – with a browsable archive of tutorial articles.
http://www.webtechniques.com

World Wide Web Consortium
This is the official body which co-ordinates all the latest developments in HTML and other Web standards. Visit the site for exact descriptions of cascading style sheets (CCSS) XML, and XHTML – but don’t expect any user-friendly tips and tricks.
http://www.w3.org

MSDN Online Web Workshop
This is Microsoft’s huge collection of tutorial guides for Web developers. Fairly advanced stuff – but very thorough.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa155133.aspx

HTML Code Tutorial
http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/

HTML: An Interactive Tutorial for Beginners
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/

BigNoseBird.com
http://www.bignosebird.com/

© Roy Johnson 2009

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