The Best HTML & CSS Books in 2022
You've probably heard of HTML even if you're not a coder. It's the oldest and most basic markup language, dating back to the 1990s. In a similar capacity, CSS is something you might also be familiar with. It's an equally significant aspect of programming, and CSS, together with HTML and JavaScript, is one of the three major pillars of modern web technology.
Related: The Best React Books: Beginner To Advanced
The Uptide
What is HTML?
Since the early days of the internet, HTML has been considered the foundation on which websites are built. In its essence, HTML or Hypertext Markup Language is the programming language that organizes a web page's structure and content. The content could be organized using several different semantic layout structures such as paragraphs, a list of bulleted points, or graphics and data tables.
HTML is a markup language that specifies how your material is organized. HTML is made up of a set of components that you may employ to enclose or wrap certain portions of your content to make it seem or perform in a specific manner.
What is CSS?
Cascading style sheets (CSS) is an acronym for cascading style sheets. In a nutshell, CSS is a design language that enhances the appearance of a website by making it more attractive than plain or uninteresting text. CSS governs visual structure, layout, and aesthetics, whereas HTML mostly determines textual content. CSS is a style sheet language, whereas HTML is a markup language. CSS is used to establish the look and feel of a webpage, whereas HTML specifies its structure.
The Best HTML & CSS Books
1. Full Front-End & Back-End Development (Bundle)
Best for: Learners looking for a complete guide to learning holistic web development with the fundamental technologies of the web
This three-book set combines the popular titles that Jon Ducket has proven his expertise in over the years. These are: HTML & CSS: Design and Build Web Sites, JavaScript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Development and HP & MySQL: Server-side Web Development.
Buy on Amazon2. Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS
Best for: Non-beginners looking for a detailed approach to HTML and CSS with best practices
Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS is a revised and expanded edition of one of the most complete and bestselling books on responsive web design using HTML5 and CSS.
It covers all the latest innovations and improvements in responsive web design, including enhanced user accessibility, variable fonts, and font loading, CSS Scroll Snap, and more, in the author's typical friendly and informal approach.
You'll also learn how to use SVG, write accessible HTML content, create gorgeous CSS effects, apply transitions, transformations, and animations, and integrate media queries, among other things.
You will not only have a thorough understanding of responsive web design by the end of this book, but you will also know how to best use each strategy.
Buy on Amazon3. HTML & CSS Quickstart Guide
Best for: Beginners looking for a complete and detailed guide to HTML & CSS
Author, educator, and 10-year Fortune 500 IT industry veteran David DuRocher breaks down HTML5 and CSS3 essentials into accessible, practical, and enjoyable chunks for first-time developers in HTML & CSS Quickstart Guide.
Because of David's unique and fascinating approach to teaching HTML and CSS principles, readers will be ready to start designing right away, without having to wade through a deluge of tedious jargon or dry technobabble.
Buy on Amazon4. Murach's HTML and CSS
Best for: Anyone looking to build web pages at a professional level
Divided into five sections, this book covers all the fundamentals of building and refining a complete and modern webpage. After covering the essential concepts and skills, the authors dive into building the page layout as well as the basics of responsive design.
Following this, you are taught how to refine your web pages with the features that users expect in websites today. The book also focuses on the design and deployment of web applications along with a focus on other ancillary skills that a professional web programmer might need to succeed in today's age of modern websites.
Buy on Amazon5. HTML, CSS & JavaScript in Easy Steps
Best for: Beginners looking for a gentle introduction to web programming
Anyone who wants to develop amazing functioning web pages will like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in Easy Steps, which features an easy-to-follow approach. It will appeal to programmers who want to quickly add web page coding to their skill set, as well as those studying website design in high school or college and those looking for a job in web development.
It includes examples and graphics that demonstrate each of the three coding languages' features. You'll learn how to use text, photos, lists, tables, hyperlinks, forms, audio, and video to show on web pages. Each chapter builds on the previous one, ensuring that by the conclusion of the book, you'll have a firm grasp of HTML syntax, CSS rules, and JavaScript functions.
Buy on AmazonRelated: The Best Software Engineering Apprenticeships
Jonah Livingswood
Besides reading a book, there are plenty of other free and interactive ways to learn how to program websites from scratch. Platforms such as FreeCodeCamp, Code Academy, and Treehouse have made learning more accessible and low cost for people around the world and are a great alternative for visual learners who learn by doing.