While you can write HTML in any text editor, professional developers use a "code editor" to make their work faster, easier, and more organized. A good code editor provides features like syntax highlighting (coloring your code), autocompletion, and error checking.
For this series, we recommend Visual Studio Code (VS Code). It's free, incredibly powerful, and the most popular choice for web developers worldwide.
Why Not Just Use Notepad?
A code editor understands the language you're writing. It will color-code your tags and attributes, making your code much easier to read. It will also auto-complete tags for you, saving time and preventing typos.
Step-by-Step Installation and Setup
Step 1: Download VS Code
Go to the official Visual Studio Code website: https://code.visualstudio.com/. The site will automatically detect your operating system and show you the correct download button.
Step 2: Install the Application
Run the installer you just downloaded. The default options are fine, so you can simply click "Next" through the installation process.
Step 3: Create and Open Your Project Folder
On your computer, create a new folder where your tutorial work will live. Name it html-project. Then, launch VS Code and go to File > Open Folder... and select this folder.
Step 4: Create Your First File
In the left-hand sidebar (the "Explorer"), click the "New File" icon. Name your file index.html and press Enter.
The Magic of Emmet
VS Code comes with a built-in tool called Emmet that saves a huge amount of time. Try this:
In your new index.html file, type a single exclamation mark: !
Press the Tab key.
VS Code will instantly generate the entire HTML boilerplate for you, including the DOCTYPE, head, body, and even a meta tag for responsiveness! This is a massive time-saver and just one of the many reasons to use a proper code editor.
What's Next: Your foundation is now complete! In our final lesson for this chapter, we'll review what you've learned and tackle some common interview questions to solidify your knowledge.