HTML & CSS: First Web Page
Let's build our first web page that combines HTML structure with CSS styling.
Follow these steps and you will have a working homepage in minutes.
Step 1: Create index.html
Open your editor and paste the HTML skeleton below.
This structure matches what we cover in HTML Basic but also includes placeholders to style.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>My First Website</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/styles.css" type="text/css">
</head>
<body>
<header>
<h1>Hello, world!</h1>
<p>This site is built with HTML and CSS.</p>
</header>
<main>
<section>
<h2>About Me</h2>
<p>I am learning how to code websites from scratch.</p>
</section>
<section>
<h2>Projects</h2>
<ul>
<li>Portfolio landing page</li>
<li>Product showcase</li>
<li>Responsive blog layout</li>
</ul>
</section>
</main>
<footer>
<p>Built with â¤ï¸ using HTML & CSS.</p>
</footer>
</body>
</html>This skeleton includes the doctype, language attribute, essential meta tags, a page title, and a stylesheet link where you will connect your CSS.
Save this file as index.html in your project folder.
Step 2: Create css/styles.css
Place the file in a css folder.
* {
box-sizing: border-box;
}
body {
font-family: "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
margin: 0;
background: #f4f7fb;
color: #253238;
}
header {
background: linear-gradient(120deg, #04AA6D, #058457);
color: #fff;
padding: 60px 20px;
text-align: center;
}
main {
max-width: 960px;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 40px 20px;
}
section {
background: #fff;
border-radius: 12px;
padding: 24px;
margin-bottom: 24px;
box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.08);
}
section h2 {
margin-top: 0;
color: #04AA6D;
}
footer {
padding: 24px;
text-align: center;
background: #e8edf4;
font-size: 0.9rem;
}These rules set base typography and colors, style the header with a gradient, and give sections padding, rounded corners, and a soft shadow.
Note
The rule linear-gradient creates a smooth color blend, and box-shadow adds a soft shadow under each section.
Save the CSS file.
Your directory now looks like
htmlcss-course/
index.html
css/
styles.cssStep 3: Open in a browser
- Double-click index.html to open it in your default browser.
- If the layout looks plain, confirm the link tag points to css/styles.css and that the file path exists.
- Use Reload after every change; keep DevTools open to inspect styles.
Experiment
- Change the gradient colors in header and refresh.
- Add another section to practice working with HTML structure.
- Swap fonts by using a Google Fonts embed in the <head> .
Mini homepage demo
This demo combines the HTML skeleton with basic CSS to render a small one-section homepage.
Syntax highlights: an external stylesheet via <link> , semantic tags ( <header> , <main> , <section> ), and simple spacing utilities.
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>My First Website</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/styles.css" type="text/css">
</head>
<body>
<header>
<h1>Hello, world!</h1>
<p>This site is built with HTML and CSS.</p>
</header>
<main>
<section>
<h2>About Me</h2>
<p>I am learning how to code websites from scratch.</p>
</section>
<section>
<h2>Projects</h2>
<ul>
<li>Portfolio landing page</li>
<li>Product showcase</li>
<li>Responsive blog layout</li>
</ul>
</section>
</main>
<footer>
<p>Built with â¤ï¸ using HTML & CSS.</p>
</footer>
</body>
</html>Live preview
The CSS centers the main column, applies spacing and rounded corners to the section, and colors the header for a clear visual hierarchy.
Tip
After experimenting in the Try it editor, copy your favorite changes back to your local files.