If you’re reading this, you’ve probably had a moment where you stared at code and thought, “What kind of alien language is this?”

Yeah, same.

My intro to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript wasn’t in a classroom or bootcamp. It was a chaotic blend of trial, error, reverse-engineering broken code, and the occasional internal scream… all while working as a digital marketer.

Sure, I could’ve just “plugged and played” pre-built code snippets and moved on with my life. But, I wanted to understand why things worked (or broke, “randomly”). So I took to YouTube rabbit holes, free courses, and a whole lot of Googling “why won’t my button work?”

And here’s what I’ve learned: the foundational languages of the web aren’t as scary as they seem. Once you understand the roles each one plays, things start to click… eventually and with sticky notes as significant reminders.

HTML: The Bones of the Web

Let’s start at the beginning… HyperText Markup Language. Sounds fancy, but all it does is structure your content.

HTML = Content & Structure (The house)
Think of it like the blueprint and frame of a house. It doesn’t do much on its own, but without it? You’ve got a mess. It tells the browser what’s a heading, what’s a paragraph, what’s a link, where the images go. It’s dry… but crucial. Like flour in a cake. You can’t skip it. You’ll usually see things like:

<h1>Welcome to my blog</h1>

<p>This is where I rant about the internet</p>

<a href=”www.tangiebodden.com”>visit my homepage</a>

Doesn’t exactly scream style or sparkle. But it’s the skeleton everything else dresses up.

CSS: Giving It a Glow Up

Once you’ve got your content in place, Cascading Style Sheets, the Bobby Berk (“Queer Eye” reference) of the trio, swoops in with the paint, furniture, and fancy throw pillows.

CSS = Styling (The paint, furniture, and decor)
Want to make your header Mocha Mousse with a glowing neon underline? CSS has your back. Want your button to look like it’s had a personality crisis every time you hover? CSS again.

h1 {
color: #A47864; /* Mocha Mousse */
text-decoration: underline;
}

Beautifully unnecessary. Totally essential.

JavaScript: Making It Do Stuff

Now, we get to The Wizard of Waterdeep (“Baldur’s Gate 3” reference) of the trio, JavaScript. Without it, your website just sits there… Menacingly!

JavaScript = Interactivity (The wiring and plumbing to make the house work)
Click a button and a popup appears? JS. Form validation so you don’t enter “asdfasdf” as an email? JS.

alert(‘Hello, world!’);

Simple, but this is where the magic lives. JS turns a boring website into something alive. And sometimes chaotic.

Learning the Foundations… Not Just Copy/Pasting

Now here’s the thing, I didn’t become fluent overnight… Heck, I’d be lying to you if I said I was even intermediate. I didn’t sit down and memorize every tag, property, and function. I learned and continue to learn, because I am forced to solve real problems while working with a digital team, as well as on very own website.

But even now, I find value in going back to the basics. Tools like:

• freeCodeCamp
• CS50 by Harvard
• Codédex
• Scratch (Yes, it’s for kids… No, I’m not above it)

These aren’t just beginner tools. They’re clarity tools. They remind you what HTML actually does. They make you question why you’re writing CSS the way you are. They help you debug that janky JavaScript function that’s haunting you at 3 a.m.

And let’s be real… “YouTube University” deserves an honorary degree. Half my knowledge came from creators with 1 million subs and an unhealthy obsession with web development tutorials. I’m planning an entire blog post dedicated to YouTube University soon, complete with awards for “Most Likely To Make Me Rewatch a 12-Minute Video 4 Times.”

Why Foundations Still Matter

You know what’s cute? A drag-and-drop builder. You know what’s cooler? Knowing how it works under the hood. Because whether you’re a marketer, a designer, a developer, or just someone who wants to build cool stuff on the web, understanding the why gives you so much more power than just knowing the how.

It’s like cooking. Anyone can microwave a frozen burrito. But learning to season, sauté, and balance flavors? That’s how you make magic.

So, whether you’re just starting out or you’re knee-deep in frameworks and build tools, don’t skip over the basics. The foundation is what everything else stands on.