Should You Learn HTML before Python?

If you are reading this article, I will assume that you currently don’t code and are thinking about learning to code. I am assuming this because if you are wondering if you “should learn HTML before Python” you have likely (like I have many times) gone down a YouTube wormhole and are left with more questions than answers. I know this because I have been where you are. But how do I know where you are? Let me explain.

HTML and Python are two vastly different languages, so asking if you should learn HTML before Python gave me all the information I needed to know, you are likely in a state of confusion and possibly panic not knowing where to start and where to go next – turning to old faithful Google for the answer. Not to worry, I am here to help you and answer if you should learn HTML before Python.

Here is the quick answer. HTML. In my opinion, without a doubt, HTML. If you want to know why continue reading.

Let us get the most technical part out of the way and briefly understand the difference between HTML and Python.

8 Differences between HTML and Python

1. HTML is a markup language that is used to create static websites. This means that HTML is not a programming language but rather a markup language.
2. Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language that you can use for web development, software development, scientific computing, data analysis, artificial intelligence, etc.
3. HTML is used to create the structure and layout of a website, while Python is generally used for backend logic, not the frontend design.
4. HTML is a static language, while Python is a dynamic language.
5. HTML is not as versatile as Python, which can be used for various tasks.
6. HTML is more limited in what it can do, while Python is more powerful.
7. HTML is easier to learn than Python.
8. HTML is not a compiled language, while Python is more complicated (Python is still far from the most complicated language you could learn).

Now that we have the basics let’s dive into each language’s difficulty level.

Is HTML or Python better for beginners?

Is HTML or Python better for beginners is a question that many people have asked, including me.

Some people may find HTML easier to learn without any coding experience. This is because HTML focuses more on tag structure and less on syntax. HTML also has many pre-made tags that can be used to create a website quickly and easily. However, HTML can be more difficult to use for more complex websites.

Python is a more versatile language that can be used for many different applications. It is also a more complex language, making it more difficult to learn for someone without any coding experience. Because Python is a more powerful language that can be used for more complex applications, it may be more useful to you, depending on your end goal for learning to code.

The answer to if you should start with HTML or Python depends on what you want to use the language for. HTML is easier to learn but less versatile, while Python is more difficult to learn but more versatile and powerful.

Should I learn HTML or Python?

Both HTML and Python are great languages to start with when learning to code. They are both relatively easy to learn and offer a lot of web development and general programming functionality. Starting your coding journey with HTML and not Python would be best if you have no coding experience.

You may have been able to tell from the intro to this article that I know what it feels like to be a newbie coder and fall into YouTube wormholes. That is because I am. I am only in month 2 of learning to code, well, month two this time around.

The reality is that I have tried (and failed) to teach myself to code many times before, but this time something was different.

In my previous attempts, I wanted to learn a language for an awfully specific reason, and the reality is that building what I wanted to build was always going to be too complex for someone with little to no coding skills.

I even once started my coding journey with Python (I can now code in Python), but it ended quickly. This time I started from the very beginning, a very good place to start, with HTML. Starting with HTML has made all the difference.

Not only am I still coding, but I have also since been able to teach myself CSS and Python, to the point that I have even built bots with Python using Selenium.

I strongly believe that I would never be where I am today if I started with anything other than HTML. By learning HTML, which only took a matter of hours, I was able to build my confidence, which has allowed me to progress on my coding journey. I have written a more detailed article on why I believe that HTML is the best programming language to learn first that you can read here, if you want some more detail.

Conclusion

There is no right or wrong place to start your coding journey, so ultimately, if you decide to start with Python before HTML, which is 100% fine, and you still have a great chance of success.

I recommend learning HTML before Python because of my personal experience and what I have found best for me, but we are all different. The important thing is that before deciding, you know as much information as possible to make an informed decision. But don’t get stuck in “research mode” (been there done that too😊)

I hope this helped you decide if you should learn HTML before Python.