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A markup language is a computer language used to clarify the content of a document. It is designed to process, define and present computerised text in a human-readable form. It defines the code used to format the text, including the style and layout that the programmer wishes to apply to the document’s display. It uses tags to define these elements.
You can think of the use of a marking language in the same way as a teacher marking pupils’ exams. The teacher ‘marks’ the mistakes so that the pupils know why they have been given a particular mark.
What are the most popular markup languages in use today?
Below, we have compiled a list of the most commonly used markup languages.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is perhaps the most widely used markup language today. It is primarily used to develop web pages visible on the World Wide Web. Essentially, every web page can be written using a variant of HTML. This makes the code crucial in ensuring that the text and images on a web page are formatted correctly. Without it, browsers would have no idea how to display the content.
HTML is also responsible for defining the basic structure of web pages. It is often used in conjunction with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to improve the appearance of a page.
XML
eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is very similar to HTML. It enables browsers to display and interpret information correctly. But as its name suggests, XML is extensible. It allows a tag to define itself based on a specific description of the content, rather than simply displaying it.
BBC
Bulletin Board Code (BBC or BBCode) is generally used to format posts on message boards. Tags are usually enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) before being parsed by the message board system or split into parts, after which they are broken down into the components necessary to describe their function. The code is then translated into a markup language that most web browsers can interpret, usually HTML. Some message boards prefer to use BBC, as this allows for the application of formatting without triggering security alerts when forum users employ HTML code in their posts.
SGML
SGML (Standard Generalised Markup Language) is an ISO standard that provides a general structure for all markup languages. It outlines the rules used to validate and analyse markup. It should be noted, however, that not all markup languages, such as HTML5, adhere to the SGML standard.
Markup language versus programming language: What’s the difference?
Markup languages are sometimes confused with programming languages, even though they are completely different. Markup languages consist of a series of tags interspersed with plain text. If the plain text is removed, the markup can be interpreted in a completely different way, for example as a list or a numbered list. Markup languages tell browsers which rules to follow, ensuring that the text remains human-readable.
In contrast, programming languages provide instructions for writing programs or applications that any computer can understand.
For example, you are able to read this post because we have coded it using a markup language on our website. Even if you remove the CSS or JavaScript (JS) code, people will still be able to read most of the content, but they won’t be able to view the embedded videos. For all the website’s features to work – such as the search box – our developer needs to use a programming language on it, such as Perl, PHP or JS.