A markup language is a combination of words and symbols that provide instructions on how a document should appear. For example, a label might indicate that words are written in italics or bold. Although the most common and widely used markup languages are written for computers, the concept of a markup language is not limited to computer programming.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is one of the most widely used markup languages.
One of the oldest, and at the same time most widely used, markup languages is the one used by editors to instruct writers on how something should be written or how it should appear in the final draft of a piece. When done by hand, the editor often uses symbols and instructions written in a different color of ink than the author; usually blue or red. This practice has been superseded in many areas by the widespread use of computers, but teachers and sometimes journalists still need to know the proper editing marks.
The most well-known markup language today is probably Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). This is the language used by web browsers to display websites. The coding can be handwritten and uploaded to a word processor or created in one of several web design programs. There are newer variations of this language that have updated codes and rules. Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language is an example. Multiple codes can be grouped together and used to create a style sheet to ensure a website has a unified look and feel.
Many word processors also use some kind of markup language to change the appearance of the text in the document. This is usually not seen by users of the program, but it happens behind the scenes. These kinds of languages are created by computer programmers and are usually only used by the computer.
The main thing that most markup languages have in common is that they dictate the appearance of text or entire pages, and are often not seen by the end user in the final product. In HTML, only the web browser reads and deciphers the meaning of certain codes. For example, the tag tells a browser to display all text that follows it in bold. To end the bold text, the following tag is inserted: . While many people will never use a markup language, they will probably use a product or read a web page that implements its use.
