HTML for Beginners: Understanding the Declaration

HTML Beginners Guide: The DOCTYPE Line
Micro Lesson 01

The <!DOCTYPE html> Line

Quick Definition

This is a document type declaration. It tells the web browser that your file is a modern HTML5 webpage. Without this line, browsers might enter "Quirks Mode," which can cause your website to look broken or behave inconsistently.

Code Example

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
Pro Tip: This must be the absolute first line in your HTML document—even before the <html> tag!

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