Differences between HTML and CSS site architecture

HTML and CSS are both scripting languages that are used to build websites. It is important to understand the differences between the two languages and how they work together to complete the design of your website, as both can affect the speed of your website as well as SEO.

What is HTML?

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is responsible for the core construction of your website. It is the standard markup language for creating websites. The main purpose of HTML is to define web document structure. HTML is then assisted by other scripting languages such as CSS and Javascript to complete the design of your website. HTML is often thought of as the “skeleton” or foundation of a website design.

What is CSS?

Once the core of your website is built out using HTML, CSS or Cascading Style Sheets is used to tweak the design and style. From changing colors, boundaries, margins, visual effects, CSS allows you to modify the page to achieve the client’s desired look. In a nutshell, the primary difference between the two languages is that HTML is used to create the website and CSS is then used to control the styling and layout of webpages.

Effects on SEO and site speed

Both languages can have major effects on SEO and site speed. Web developers need to be careful with how they utilize CSS, as some code can make the webpage “bulky” and difficult for Google to read, leading to the webpage loading slowly. Incorrectly placing header tags, or not utilizing them at all, can be a major hindrance to ranking your website in Google search results.