Is HTML considered a programming language?

I guess the question is self-explanatory, but I'm wondering whether HTML qualifies as a programming language (obviously the "L" stands for language).

The reason for asking is more pragmatic—I'm putting together a resume and don't want to look like a fool for listing things like HTML and XML under languages, but can't figure out how to classify them.

No, HTML is not a programming language. The "M" stands for "Markup". Generally, a programming language allows you to describe some sort of process of doing something, whereas HTML is a way of adding context and structure to text.

If you're looking to add more alphabet soup to your CV, don't classify them at all. Just put them in a big pile called "Technologies" or whatever you like. Remember, however, that anything you list is fair game for a question.

HTML is so common that I'd expect almost any technology person to already know it (although not stuff like CSS and so on), so you might consider not listing every initialism you've ever come across. I tend to regard CVs listing too many things as suspicious, so I ask more questions to weed out the stuff that shouldn't be listed. :)

However, if your HTML experience includes serious web design stuff including Ajax, JavaScript, and so on, you might talk about those in your "Experience" section.

YES, a declarative programming language.

You really want to list the most important things you know that are relative to the job you're applying for on your resume. If you list ASP.NET but don't list HTML, even though it's somewhat obvious, there are a lot of managers and/or HR types that will assume you don't know HTML since it's not listed. I've had it happen to me before.

Update - Some say no it isn't a programming language, and you may not agree with me on this, but regardless on a resume it IS a programming language. You get HR types looking at your resume before the hiring manager even sees it. If the manager says you need to know HTML, and it's not listed in the 'programming languages' section then the HR person may disregard you resume thinking you don't know it because it's not listed.

Update 6-8-2012: Any instruction that tells the computer to do something is a programming language. So even after all these years, I still stand by my answer. HTML is a programming language. Something that isn't a programming language would be XML.

No, the clue is in the M - it's a Markup Language.

On some level Chris Pietschmann is correct. SQL isn't Turing complete (at least without stored procedures) yet people will list that as a language, TeX is Turing complete but most people regard it as a markup language.

Having said that: if you are just applying for jobs, not arguing formal logic, I would just list them all as technologies. Things like .NET aren't languages but would probably be listed as well.

The 'M' stands for a 'Markup'. It's a 'Markup Language' not a programming language. Some people will disagree with this, but my opinion is that if it lacks logical constructs (conditional branching, iteration, etc) its not really a programming language.

As for the resume, I would suggest putting HTML and XML under a section like 'Technologies'. I usually have a section like this where I list things like version control software, OS's I've developed for, build systems, etc.

No, HTML is a not a programming language. It is called "markup" for that reason.

If you're going to say that HTML is a programming language, then you might as well include things such as word documents, as they too are based on ML, or 'Markup Language'.

Simply put--HTML defines content!

I think not exactly a programming language, but exactly what its name says: a markup language. We cannot program using just pure, HTML. But just annotate how to present content.

But if you consider programming the act of tell the computer how to present contents, it is a programming language.

In the advanced programming languages class I took in college, we had what I think is a pretty good definition of "programming language": a programming language is any (formal) language capable of expressing all computable functions, which the Church-Turing thesis implies is the set of all Turing-computable functions.

By that definition, no, HTML is not a programming language, even a declarative one. It is, as others have explained, a markup language.

But the people reviewing your resume may very well not care about such a formal distinction. I'd follow the good advice given by others and list it under a "Technologies" type of section.

I think that it definitely has its place on a resume. Knowledge of HTML is valuable, and there really is a lot to know, what with cross-browser compatibility issues and standards which should be followed.

I wouldn't list HTML under "programming languages" alongside C# or something, but it's worth noting your experience.

No - there's a big prejudice in IT against web design; but in this case the "real" programmers are on pretty firm ground.

If you've done a lot of web design work you've probably done some JavaScript, so you can put that down under 'programming languages'; if you want to list HTML as well, then I agree with the answer that suggests "Technologies".

But unless you're targeting agents who're trying to tick boxes rather than find you a good job, a bare list of things you've used doesn't really look all that good. You're better off listing the projects you've worked on and detailing the technologies you used on each; that demonstrates that you've got real experience of using them rather than just that you know some buzzwords.

I get around this problem by not having a "programming languages" section on my resume. Instead I label it simply as "languages", and I stick HTML and CSS at the end. I'd rather make life easier for the reviewer so that they can see whether mine checks-off all their requirements.

Only fools would disregard an applicant because he or she listed HTML under "languages" instead of some other label, especially since there is no industry standard. And who wants to work for fools?

Well, L is for language, but it doesn't imply programming language. After all, English or French are (natural) languages too! ;-)

As said above, put them under a subsidiary section, Technology seems to be a good term.

(Looking at my own resume, not updated in a while) I have made a section just called "Languages", so I can't get wrong... :-D
I have put "(X)HTML and CSS, XML/DTD/Schema and SVG" at the end of the section, clearly separated.

In French, I have a section "Langages" (programming and markup) and another "Langues" (French/English). In the English version, I titled both at "Languages", which is clumsy now that I think of it, although context clarify this. I should find a better formulation.

HTML is in no way a programming language.

Programming languages deals with ''proccessing functions'', etc. HTML just deals with the visual interface of a web page, where the actual programming handles the proccessing. PHP for example.

If anyone really knows programming, I really can't see how people can mistake HTML for an actual programming language.

In recruitment terms, having been on both sides of the fence, definitely put HTML under 'programming languages', or perhaps more safely under 'technologies'

Yes, we all know that it is a Markup Language and not a Programming Language. but a) Recruitment Agencies don't know and don't care, and b) employers don't know and don't care. Really.

And pointing out their ignorance will only serve you ill. And the techies who eventually see your CV will be grateful for a candidate who has heard of HTML, and won't worry about the taxonomy.

Honestly, it isn't an issue.

List it under technologies or something. I'd just leave it off if I were you as it's pretty much expected that you know HTML and XML at this point.