What is an html source file

What Is an HTM or HTML File?

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years’ of professional technology experience. He’s been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design.

In This Article

What to Know

• HTM and HTML files are Hypertext Markup Language files.
• Open one with any web browser or a text editor.
• Convert to PDF, DOCX, or PNG with FileZigZag.

This article explains what HTML/HTM files are, how to view one or edit the source code, and how to convert one to various formats like DOCX, PDF, JPG, etc.

What Is an HTM or HTML File?

An HTM or HTML file is a Hypertext Markup Language file and is the standard web page file type on the internet.

Since HTM files are text-only files, they just contain text (like what you’re reading now), as well as text references to other external files (like the image in this article).

HTM and HTML files can also reference other files like video, CSS, or JS files.

How to Open an HTM or HTML File

Any web browser, such as Edge, Firefox, Chrome or Opera, will open and properly display HTM and HTML files. In other words, opening one of these files in a browser will «decode» what the HTM or HTML file is describing and display the content correctly.

Many programs exist that are designed to make editing and creating HTM/HTML files easy. Some notable free HTML editors include Eclipse, Komodo Edit, and Bluefish. Another popular HTM/HTML editor with lots of advanced features is Adobe Dreamweaver, although it’s not free to use.

While they’re not nearly as rich in features as a dedicated HTM editor, you could just use a simple notepad program to make changes to an HTM or HTML file, like Windows Notepad. However, we recommend using a text editor with more features that are built for a task like this.

How to Convert HTML & HTM Files

HTM files are structured a certain way and have very specific syntax (rules) in order for the code and text within it to display properly when opened in a browser. Because of that, converting an HTM or HTML file to another format probably isn’t something you want to do because you’d likely lose any functionality on the page.

On the other hand, if all you want to do is convert an HTM or HTML file to another format for easy viewings, like to an image or a PDF, this could be smart and is very doable. This is sometimes a good option over printing it.

In Chrome, you can choose Save as PDF from the print options to convert the page in the window to PDF. Also for Chrome is an extension called Full Page Screen Capture that converts any open HTM or HTML file in the Chrome browser to a PNG file.

Other browsers have similar features like Firefox’s Save as PDF add-on.

You could also use a website dedicated to HTM/HTML to image file conversions, like iWeb2Shot or Web-capture.

A free file converter can be used to convert an HTM or HTML file that you have saved to your computer. FileZigZag is one free document converter website that converts HTM to RTF, EPS, CSV, PDF, and lots of other formats.

It’s important to realize that you can’t convert an HTM/HTML file to anything other than a text file format. For example, an HTML file can never be converted to an MP3 audio file. It may seem like it’s possible if you’re trying to download an MP3 from a web page, but that’s not the correct route to go.

HTM vs. HTML

Aside from the letter ‘L’ of course.

The short answer: there is none.

The long answer: there is none. but be careful to only use one or the other.

Back in the MS-DOS days, file extensions were restricted to three characters. In the relatively short period of time when web pages were being created as well as MS-DOS dominion of the universe, HTM ruled since HTML wasn’t an option.

Today, pages that end in either HTM or HTML are completely acceptable. Just make sure for consistency sake you use one or the other, not both, throughout your website.

Additionally, the server that hosts your web pages may require your index page ends in one or the other file extension. In other words, you may need to use index.html or index.htm. Check with your hosting provider or web server software maker if you’re not sure.

Still Can’t Open Your File?

HTML and HTM files should be fairly easy to open since they are just text files that any web browser can view. If your file isn’t opening with any of the suggested programs from above, there’s a good chance that you’re not really dealing with a Hypertext Markup Language file.

Some file formats use file extensions that closely resemble HTML/HTM but aren’t actually in the same format. One prime example is the HTMLZ file extension used for Zipped HTML eBook files. There are HTML files inside the HTMLZ file but the format of the whole package is ZIP, which won’t open in a web browser or with a text editor.

In this example, you’d need a specific HTMLZ file viewer like Calibre. Or, since this file format is actually an archive, you could open it with a file decompressor like 7-Zip, after which you could open any individual HTML files with a web browser or any of the other HTML viewers/editors mentioned above.

TMLANGUAGE is another file extension that could be confused for an HTML/HTM file. These are actually TextMate Language Grammar files used by TextMate for macOS.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you open HTM files on Android? You can open an HTM file on an Android device using any browser, such as Chrome or Firefox.
• Are HTM files safe? HTM files are generally safe to open. However, scammers can use the files in phishing scams and other email scams. It is always a good idea to avoid opening any attachments from an unknown source.

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How to View the HTML Source in Google Chrome

Jennifer Kyrnin is a professional web developer who assists others in learning web design, HTML, CSS, and XML.

Chris Selph is a CompTIA-certified technology and vocational IT teacher. He also serves as network & server administrator and performs computer maintenance and repair for numerous clients.

What to Know

• Right-click on the web page and choose View Page Source.
• Shortcut: Press Ctrl+U (Windows PC) or Command+Option+U (Mac).
• To use Chrome’s developer tools, select Menu (three dots) >More tools >Developer tools.

This article explains how to access a website’s HTML source code in the Google Chrome web browser, as well as access and use Chrome’s developer tools. Viewing a site’s source code is an excellent way for beginners to learn HTML.

View Source Code in Chrome

So how do you view the source code of a website? Here are the step-by-step instructions to do so using the Google Chrome browser.

1. Open the Google Chrome web browser (if you do not have Google Chrome installed, this is a free download).

Right-click the page and look at the menu that appears. From that menu, click View page source.

Is Viewing Source Code Legal?

Over the years, we have had many new web designers question whether it is acceptable to view a site’s source code and use it for their education and ultimately for the work that they do. While copying a site’s code wholesale and passing it off as your own on a website is certainly not acceptable, using that code as a springboard to learn from is actually how many advancements are made in this industry.

As we mentioned at the start of this article, you would be hard-pressed to find a working web professional today who has not learned something by viewing a site’s source! Yes, seeing a site’s source code is legal. Using that code as a resource to build something similar is also safe. Taking code as-is and passing it off as your work is where you start to encounter problems.

In the end, web professionals learn from each other and often improve upon the work that they see and are inspired by, so do not hesitate to view a site’s source code and use it as a learning tool.

More Than Just HTML

One thing to remember is that source files can be very complicated (and the more complex the website you are viewing is, the more complex that site’s code is likely to be). In addition to the HTML structure that makes up the page, there will also be CSS (cascading style sheets) that dictate the visual appearance of that site. Additionally, many websites today will include script files included along with the HTML.

There are likely to be multiple script files included; in fact, each one powering different aspects of the site. Frankly, a site’s source code can seem overwhelming, especially if you are new to doing this. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t figure out what’s going on with that site immediately. Viewing the HTML source is just the first step in this process. With a little experience, you will begin to understand better how all these pieces fit together to create the website that you see in your browser. As you get more familiar with the code, you will be able to learn more from it, and it will not seem so daunting to you.

Open Developer Tools in Chrome by pressing Ctrl (or Command on a Mac) + Shift + I. From there, press Ctrl (Command on Mac) + O and select the saved source file you want to edit to open it.

If a website has disabled the View Source option, you might still be able to take a look under the hood. From the top of the browser window select View > Developer > View Source, which should pull up the webpage’s source code.

Navigate to the website you want to view using your device’s Chrome app, then select the browser’s address bar. Move the text cursor to the far left—in front of the URL—and type view-source, then press Enter or select Go.

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