Why Is My HTML Code Showing Up as Text?

Max Musing

Founder

When HTML code is rendered as text on a webpage instead of forming the expected layout and structure, it's typically due to issues with how the browser interprets the HTML. This guide dives into how to fix it.

Incorrect Content-Type

If the server sends HTML files with the wrong Content-Type header, browsers might not interpret them as HTML. Ensure your server is configured to send HTML files with Content-Type: text/html.

GET /index.html HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
...
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8

Improper HTML Structure

HTML documents require a specific structure. Missing doctype, <html>, <head>, or <body> tags can cause browsers to misinterpret the content.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Page Title</title>
</head>
<body>
    <!-- Your content here -->
</body>
</html>

Embedded as Plain Text

Check if your HTML is mistakenly placed within elements that treat their content as plain text, like <pre> or <code> tags.

<!-- Incorrect -->
<pre>
    <div>Some content</div>
</pre>

<!-- Correct -->
<div>Some content</div>

Escape Characters

HTML entities like < for < and > for > should be used only when you intend to display these characters as text, not for writing HTML tags.

<!-- Incorrect -->
&lt;div&gt;Hello&lt;/div&gt;

<!-- Correct -->
<div>Hello</div>

File Extension Issues

Ensure the file has a .html or .htm extension. Servers and browsers use the file extension to determine how to process the file.

Script Tag Issues

If your HTML is dynamically generated or modified by JavaScript, ensure the script is error-free and properly manipulating the DOM.

// Ensure correct DOM manipulation
document.getElementById('content').innerHTML = '<p>New Content</p>';

External Resources

If your HTML relies on external resources like CSS or JavaScript files, confirm these are correctly linked and accessible.

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style.css">
<script src="script.js"></script>

Encoding Problems

Incorrect character encoding can lead to misinterpreted HTML. Specify the correct encoding in your HTML and server settings.

<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
</head>

Checking MIME Types in Server Configuration

Ensure your web server is correctly configured to serve HTML files with the appropriate MIME type. Misconfiguration here can lead to HTML being treated as plain text.

Framework or Library Specific Issues

If you're using a web framework or library, ensure you're following its conventions for rendering HTML. Incorrect usage can lead to HTML being output as text.

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