Editing Home page

{{short description|Main page of a website}}
{{pp-pc|small=yes}}
{{For multi|the English Wikipedia's home page|Main Page|main screens on devices|Home screen||Home page (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Start page|the Windows GUI element|Start menu|the Dutch search engine|Startpage.com}}
[[File:English Wikipedia home screen in browser.png|thumb|The home page of the [[English Wikipedia]] (in 2023) is displayed in a [[web browser]]. The small house-shaped button in the upper left is for the browser's start page.]]

A '''home page''' (or '''homepage''') is the main [[web page]] of a [[website]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is a Home Page? – Definition from Techopedia |url=http://www.techopedia.com/definition/5172/home-page |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=Techopedia.com |language=en|archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905231003/https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5172/home-page}}</ref> Usually, the home page is located at the [[Root directory|root]] of the website's [[Domain name|domain]] or [[subdomain]]. For example, if the domain is <code>example.com</code>, the home page is likely located at the [[URL]] <code>www.example.com/</code>.

The term may also refer to the '''start page''' shown in a [[web browser]] when the [[application software|application]] first opens.<ref name="freedict">{{Cite web |title=Start page |url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Start+page |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=TheFreeDictionary.com|lang=en}}</ref>

== Function ==
A home page is the main web page that a visitor will view when they navigate to a website via a search engine, and it may also function as a [[landing page]] to attract visitors.{{Sfn|Nielsen|Tahir|2002a|p=7}} In some cases, the home page is a [[Webserver directory index|site directory]], particularly when a website has multiple home pages.

Good home [[Web design|page design]] is usually a high priority for a website;<ref name="nn">{{cite web |author=Nielsen |first=Jakob |date=12 May 2002b |title=Top 10 Guidelines for Homepage Usability |url=http://www.nngroup.com/articles/top-ten-guidelines-for-homepage-usability/ |access-date=4 September 2014 |publisher=nngroup.com |archive-date=3 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403052904/https://www.nngroup.com/articles/top-ten-guidelines-for-homepage-usability/ |url-status=live }}</ref> for example, a news website may curate headlines and first paragraphs of top stories, with [[hyperlink|links]] to full articles.{{sfn|Kalbach|2007|p=106}}{{Sfn|Nielsen|Tahir|2002a|p=3}} According to ''Homepage Usability'', the home page is the "most important page on any website" and receives the most views of any page.{{Sfn|Nielsen|Tahir|2002a|p=1}} A poorly designed home page can overwhelm and deter visitors from the site.{{Sfn|Nielsen|Tahir|2002a|p=3}} One important use of home pages is communicating the identity and value of a company.{{Sfn|Nielsen|Tahir|2002a|p=2}}

==Browser start page==
When a [[web browser]] is launched, it will automatically open at least one [[web page]]. This is the browser's start page, which is also called its home page.<ref name="freedict"/><ref name="guardian"/>

Start pages can be a [[website]] or a special browser page, such as [[thumbnail]]s of frequently visited websites. Moreover, there is a niche market of websites intended to be used solely as start pages.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2013/nov/07/igoogle-alternatives |title=iGoogle: what are the best alternatives? |first=Jack|last=Schofield|author-link=Jack Schofield (journalist)|date=7 November 2013 |access-date=4 September 2014 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Commons category|Home pages}}
* [[Contact page]]
* [[Site map]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=Jennifer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5IDAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA76 |title=Web Design: Introductory |publisher=Cengage Learning |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-305-17627-0 |page=76}}
*{{cite book |last=Kalbach |first=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LC0cG-vFJbcC&pg=PA106 |title=Designing Web Navigation |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-596-55378-4 |page=106}}
*{{Cite book |last=Nielsen |first=Jakob |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48657258 |title=Homepage Usability: 50 Websites Deconstructed |publisher=New Riders |date=2002a |first2=Marie |last2=Tahir |isbn=0-7357-1102-X |location=[Indianapolis, IN] |oclc=48657258}}
{{refend}}

{{Portal bar|Internet}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Web design]]