So you want to learn web development, and you’re looking to start with HTML5 markup?
Great choice! The HyperText Markup Language, or HTML, is the standard markup language for websites. And HTML5 is the latest and greatest specification for it.
Learn how to write HTML, and you will be able to structure any document for any web browser. (If you’re looking for ideas on what to learn next, CSS3 is the logical skill to continue with.)
Finding the best books to learn HTML5 can be tricky, though.
The Best Books on HTML5
There are just too many of them out there. And while every author has something to teach you, some do it better than others. To help you make the most of your time and get up to speed quickly, we’ve rounded up the best books on HTML5 for you.
Read on to start your HTML journey!
HTML And CSS QuickStart Guide
This book’s full title is a mouthful: HTML and CSS QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginners Guide to Developing a Strong Coding Foundation, Building Responsive Websites, and Mastering The Fundamentals of Modern Web Design.
The long title aside, David DuRocher’s book is a bestseller and a great resource for web design newbies with no prior experience in HTML, CSS, and coding as a whole.
It teaches you the foundations of HTML and CSS—the markup language and the styling language—which many would say go hand-in-hand these days.
Pros
- Informative: Previous buyers express their delight in how informative the book is, and that it’s written in a way that makes it easy to follow.
- Practical learning: Throughout the book, you will be able to do projects, which allows you to truly learn as you go. You will have to go to a third-party portal for the projects.
- Accessibility: The book includes constant reminders and resources for online learning, giving you the chance to find lots of information you will need to fully grasp the concept.
Cons
- The third-party portal. Some buyers are frustrated with the poor user experience of the third-party portal with the exercises.
Learning Web Design
Another popular choice, Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics, is currently in its 5th edition.
This book teaches you the fundamentals of not only HTML markup and CSS stylesheets, but also the JavaScript scripting language, and the basics of web graphics.
If you’re interested in becoming a full-stack developer and you’re looking for an informative read to get you up to speed on the foundations, this book is probably the best one for you.
Pros
- Easy to follow: True to all O’Reilly books, buyers say this one is well structured and easy to follow, making learning enjoyable.
- Many examples: For visual learners, there are many examples with screenshots and source code, which will help you to understand the subject matter faster and in more depth.
- Interactive: There are many exercises scattered throughout the book, giving you a hands-on experience when learning how to code.
Cons
- Just the basics: This book is heavily targeted toward beginners and it addresses HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and web graphics. If you want to deep-dive into any, you will eventually outgrow it.
- Paper quality: Some buyers find that the paper in the paperback version of this book is too thin, which can cause distractions whilst reading because you can see the writing on the next page.
Learn HTML5, CSS, JavaScript (Volume 1)
Similar to the two previous books, Learn HTML5, CSS, JavaScript: Launch Your Dev Career gives you an introduction to HTML5 markup, CSS3 stylesheets, and the JavaScript programming language.
It does so differently than the rest, though. It’s divided into 36 daily reads, each with “just the right amount” of information you need to dive deeper into the subject matter without losing the big picture.
It also gives you the mindset you need to start a career in IT. This is a topic that few authors address, and yet many readers of these books wonder how exactly these skills translate into the job postings they see with many of their potential future employers.
Pros
- Extra information: This book is Volume 1 of a two-volume series. So if you want to learn more from the author, Roger Deutsch, you can buy Volume 2 and continue.
- Great introduction: Lots of readers express their enthusiasm in this book. It is a great introduction to HTML and the field of web development as a whole for beginners.
Cons
- Editing improvements to be desired: Some buyers have expressed that the editing in the book isn’t always up to par, which may put off the linguistically-pedantic learner while reading.
HTML5 & CSS3 For Beginners
HTML5 & CSS3 For Beginners is designed with the intent of teaching beginners how to code HTML5 and CSS3 in the shortest amount of time possible.
It advertises itself as a “visual-aid instruction manual”l and a “step-by-step guide” to the world of HTML5.
It offers you the basics of both languages, which makes it perfect for beginner programmers with no prior knowledge of HTML5.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly: As it just covers the basics, this is a great book for those with absolutely no prior HTML5 experience or knowledge.
- To-the-point: Lots of buyers say that although some explanations are brief, they provide the basic knowledge you need to learn HTML5 & CSS3 and are to the point, without fluffing up the explanations.
- Helpful examples: The examples provided in the book have been described as helpful, easy to follow, and great for beginners.
Cons
- Basic: If you are a beginner but you’re looking for more informative writing on HTML5, this book just covers the very foundations and may be too simplified for your level.
Buyer’s Guide
When looking for the best HTML5 books to read, there are a few things to take into consideration before you buy.
In this section of the article, we’ll be going over what you need to know when you’re looking for the right book.
Up To Date
Because HTML markup, CSS style sheets, and the JavaScript scripting language are always adapting and evolving, it’s important to make sure that you’re always buying the most up-to-date edition of whatever book you need.
(Even when the specification for a given language hasn’t changed, best practices and web browser support do.)
Web development books are not like wine! Unfortunately, they don’t get better with time.
Make sure you always check when the book was written—and try to keep the date as close to the present day as possible.
That said, it’s important to check reviews as well. Sometimes, older books are still being bought in the present day, and that can be a good indicator of just how good the learning resource is.
On Topic
It is important to remember that, in this case, you want books that focus on HTML markup.
If HTML markup is what you’re looking to master, anything else is a plus. But it takes away from your ability to dive deep into the subject matter and learn the ropes.
Still, an HTML document without CSS styling is like a book without headings and proper paragraph formatting. And, these days, JavaScript is almost a necessity for web design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HTML5 Beginner-Friendly?
Most web designers and web developers agree that HTML5 is a great starting point for anyone who’s interested to get into the field.
Contrary to what some people think, HTML5 isn’t a programming language; it’s a markup language. It’s there for encoding documents and structuring the information contained in them.
By that definition, HTML5 is the most beginner-friendly language of them all to learn. And learning it gives you the foundation you need to proceed to styling languages and scripting languages should you wish to.
What’s The Best Way To Learn HTML5?
Read.
Once you’ve found the courage, create an HTML document on your computer, open a text editor, and write markup.
Then open your browser and check out the results. You will make a ton of mistakes along the way, and you’ll be doing a lot of googling to figure out exactly what went wrong.
Then buy some more advanced books—and read again.
Start a project.
A website, a landing page, a fun and interactive experience you’ve always wanted to build.
The best way to learn HTML5 is by doing. But you won’t be able to do much unless you have your basic level of knowledge right. And the books we just rounded up for you will help you!
Psst! Check out other great HTML, CSS, and JavaScript tools you should be using.
How Long Does It Take To Learn HTML5?
Many people agree that if you practice and learn HTML5 consistently, you should have a really good grasp of the language within 1-2 weeks.
About a month into learning HTML5, you should feel pretty confident and comfortable with it. By then, you should know the basics of HTML elements, their attributes, and how to put them together in a properly-formatted document for a web page.
Just remember to keep practicing and learning it every day, and it’ll slowly but surely sync up.
Can I Get A Job Just Knowing HTML And CSS?
You can get a job just knowing HTML and CSS without the need to learn other coding languages.
With just these two coding skills on your CV, you can build simple web pages and new websites are constantly being produced online, with the website owners always looking to hire people to make them.
The main downside in terms of getting hired with just the knowledge of HTML and CSS is that there is a large number of people out there who also know them, so it makes the market a bit saturated.
Once you’ve mastered HTML5 and CSS3, it doesn’t take much to start learning JavaScript. And while JavaScript—and other scripting languages for the web, like Python—is a world of its own, it’s a great entry into what is known as full-stack development.
The more languages you know and the more versatile your skillset, the more valuable your time on the labor market. And the more interesting and challenging projects you’ll be able to work on!