HTML comments are crucial for code documentation and clarity. They allow you to leave notes, explanations, or reminders within your code that are completely ignored by the browser, meaning they don't appear on the live webpage. This practice is essential for team collaboration and for your future self when revisiting the code. To create a comment, you enclose your text within ``.

Example 1: Single-line comment

<p>This is a paragraph of text on my webpage.</p>

Explanation: The code above shows a straightforward comment on a single line. It's used here to describe the function of the <p> tag that follows it, making the code's purpose immediately clear to anyone reading it.

Example 2: Commenting out code

<img src="new_banner.jpg" alt="New Banner">

Explanation: This example demonstrates how to use comments to "disable" a piece of code without deleting it. The first <img> tag is turned into a comment, so the browser won't render it. This is a common practice for testing or saving old code.

Example 3: Multi-line comment

<nav>
  <a href="#home">Home</a>
  <a href="#about">About</a>
  <a href="#contact">Contact</a>
</nav>

Explanation: For more detailed descriptions, you can write comments that span multiple lines. The entire block between the `` markers is treated as a single comment, perfect for section introductions.

Example 4: Inline comment

<h1>Welcome to My Website </h1>

Explanation: A comment can be placed directly within a line of code. This inline comment acts as a quick reminder or note for a specific element without disrupting the code's structure. Here, it serves as a to-do reminder.

Example 5: Documentation comment

<header>
  <p>Website Header</p>
</header>

Explanation: Comments are often used for important metadata at the top of a file or section. This helps track authorship, update dates, and file purposes, which is invaluable in larger projects with multiple developers.