Topic 12 of 57 2. HTML Basics Interactive Tutorial
HTML Entities: Syntax, Common Codes, and Examples
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Topic Overview & Definition
Key Question
What are HTML entities, why are they required, and how do you write them?
Direct Answer & Overview
HTML entities are coded character sequences used to display reserved characters (like <, >, and &) and invisible characters without confusing the browser's HTML parser. They start with an ampersand (&) and conclude with a semicolon (;), written as either an entity name (<) or entity number (<).
Comprehensive Step-by-Step Concepts
1) Why Reserved Characters Break HTML: The characters '<', '>', '&', and '"' are reserved by the HTML grammar. Typing ') are treated as harmless literal text rather than executable browser code.