feat(curriculum): Add interactive examples to HTML entities lesson (#62646)

Co-authored-by: Huyen Nguyen <25715018+huyenltnguyen@users.noreply.github.com>
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2025-10-09 22:57:38 +01:00
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commit d584d64929
@@ -5,41 +5,65 @@ challengeType: 19
dashedName: what-are-html-entities
---
# --description--
# --interactive--
An HTML entity, or character reference, is a set of characters used to represent a reserved character in HTML. In this example, there is a paragraph element with an image element nested inside:
An HTML entity, or character reference, is a set of characters used to represent a reserved character in HTML.
Let's say you wanted to display the text `This is an <img/> element` on the screen. If you use the code currently in the editor, it won't display the desired result. Even if you added `src` and `alt` attributes to the example, it would show an image in the middle of the paragraph. Not the desired result.
:::interactive_editor
```html
<p>This is an <img /> element</p>
```
The text on the screen should say `This is an <img/> element`. However, the text currently says `This is an element.` This is happening because when the HTML parser sees the less than (`<`) symbol followed by an HTML tag name, it interprets that as an HTML element.
:::
To fix this issue, you can use HTML entities. Here is an updated example using the correct HTML entities for the less than and greater than (`>`) symbols.
When the HTML parser sees the less than (`<`) symbol followed by an HTML tag name, it interprets that as an HTML element. That is why you are not getting the desired result of `This is an <img/> element` on the screen.
To fix this issue, you can use HTML entities. Here is an updated example using the correct HTML entities for the less (`<`) than and greater than (`>`) symbols. Now you should see `This is an <img/> element` on the screen.
Try adding a `&lt;p&gt;learning is fun&lt;/p&gt;` below the paragraph element. You should see `<p>learning is fun</p>` on the screen.
:::interactive_editor
```html
<p>This is an &lt;img /&gt; element</p>
```
These types of character references are known as named character references. Named references start with an ampersand sign (`&`) and end with a semicolon (`;`). By using a named character reference, the HTML parser will not confuse this with an actual HTML element. Here is what the updated paragraph element looks like on the page: `This is an <img/> element`. Now, users will be able to see the entire image element syntax as you intended it.
:::
Another type of character reference would be the decimal numeric reference. Here is an example of using the decimal numeric reference for the less than symbol:
These types of character references are known as named character references. Named references start with an ampersand sign (`&`) and end with a semicolon (`;`). By using a named character reference, the HTML parser will not confuse this with an actual HTML element.
Another type of character reference would be the decimal numeric reference. This character reference starts with an ampersand sign and hash symbol (`#`), followed by one or more decimal digits, followed by a semicolon.
Here is an example of using the decimal numeric reference for the less than symbol.
Change the code in the editor to see different symbols. You can use `&#169;` for the copyright symbol and `&#174;` for the trademark symbol.
:::interactive_editor
```html
&#60;
```
This character reference starts with an ampersand sign and hash symbol (`#`), followed by one or more decimal digits, followed by a semicolon.
:::
The last type of character reference would be the hexadecimal numeric reference. Here is an example of using the hexadecimal numeric reference for the less than symbol:
The last type of character reference would be the hexadecimal numeric reference. This character reference starts with an ampersand sign, hash symbol, and the letter `x`. Then it is followed by one or more ASCII hex digits and ends with a semicolon.
Here is an example of using the hexadecimal numeric reference for the less than symbol.
Change the code in the editor to see different symbols. You can use `&#x20AC;` for the euro symbol and `&#x03A9;` for the Greek capital letter Omega symbol.
:::interactive_editor
```html
&#x3C;
```
This character reference starts with an ampersand sign, hash symbol, and the letter `x`. Then it is followed by one or more ASCII hex digits and ends with a semicolon.
:::
So what are some other examples of using HTML entities? Well, you often see them used for symbols like the copyright symbol (`©`), quotes (`"`), trademark symbol (`™`), and the ampersand sign.
# --questions--