Creating your own webpage...

Alright, I really have no experience in creating a webpage, but I do know that a lot of webpages can be created using HTML coding, but I really have no clue how to go about doing such a thing... I know there are places out there that let you create your own webpage, but I have a feeling that most professional webpages are created on a server, and then hosted through that? I'm not really sure... like Google, that's got to be on their own servers since they have so many webpages/databasing that goes on.

My questions are... if I wanted to create a website like Wikipedia, where users can add to articles/create their own articles: would HTML be the best way to go; could I make this on my own computer, rather than having to go through a company and paying them?

Like I said, I really am completely lost as to how it all works... I've never touched something like this in college before, other than Java, but we didn't deal with creating webpages. I would just like to know how complicated something like Wikipedia or Google would be. Correct me if I'm wrong on anything.

Wikipedia uses a database (MySQL, SQL, Oracle, etc.) to store the articles. The only way to interface with a database is to use a server-side language (PHP, ASP.NET, Java, etc.). You would also need to learn XHTML in order to output the viewable webpage.

Your first, and almost only necessary, stop should be W3Schools.

Awesome, I'll definitely check that website out. Thanks... but my other question of having to pay for such a thing... could I build my own webpage and not have to pay to host it?

There is going to be some cost involved unless you want a site hosted with ads and without database access.

Look into 1&1. They have very cheap hosting and great quality of service!

Awesome, you've been very helpful. Thank you.