Icons Tutorial
I’ll explain everything like I’m sitting next to you with a cup of chai, showing you on my screen.
First — What actually is “Icons Tutorial”?
When someone says “Icons Tutorial”, they usually mean one of two main things (depending on context):
- A learning guide / lesson series that teaches you how to use icon libraries in websites/apps (most common meaning — especially when you see it on W3Schools, freeCodeCamp, YouTube, etc.)
- A tutorial about how to design / create your own icons from scratch (very popular among UI/UX designers, Figma users, Illustrator users)
Both are important — but 90% of the time when a beginner searches “Icons Tutorial”, they mean the first one → how to add and use ready-made icons in HTML/CSS.
Let me teach you both — starting with the most common one.
Part 1: Icons Tutorial – How to Use Ready-Made Icons in Websites (Most Popular Meaning)
Modern websites and apps almost never draw icons manually pixel by pixel anymore. We use icon libraries (free collections of thousands of ready vector icons).
The top 3 most popular icon libraries in 2025–2026 are:
- Font Awesome (very famous, free + pro version)
- Material Icons (Google style — very clean)
- Bootstrap Icons or Heroicons or Lucide (modern, open-source)
Step-by-step: How to add icons like a pro (Font Awesome 6 example – 2026 style)
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Go to the official website https://fontawesome.com
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Choose the free CDN method (easiest for beginners)
Copy this one line and paste it inside the <head> tag of your HTML:
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<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.5.2/css/all.min.css"> |
(Version number might be higher in 2026 — always check the newest CDN link)
- Now anywhere in your page you can add an icon like magic!
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<!-- Simple heart icon --> <i class="fas fa-heart"></i> <!-- Big blue thumbs-up --> <i class="fas fa-thumbs-up fa-3x" style="color: dodgerblue;"></i> <!-- Trash can button --> <button> <i class="fas fa-trash"></i> Delete </button> |
Common examples students love:
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<!-- Navigation bar icons --> <a href="#"><i class="fas fa-home"></i> Home</a> <a href="#"><i class="fas fa-user"></i> Profile</a> <a href="#"><i class="fas fa-bell"></i> Notifications</a> <!-- Like / Comment / Share row (very common in posts) --> <div class="post-actions"> <i class="far fa-heart"></i> Like <i class="far fa-comment"></i> Comment <i class="far fa-share-square"></i> Share </div> |
- Change size, color, spin, etc. very easily
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<!-- Huge spinning cog --> <i class="fas fa-cog fa-5x fa-spin" style="color: #ff6b6b;"></i> <!-- Very small icon --> <i class="fas fa-check-circle fa-xs"></i> Verified |
That’s it! This is what most “Icons Tutorial” videos and articles on YouTube / W3Schools teach.
Part 2: Icons Tutorial – How to Design / Create Your Own Icons
This is for UI/UX designers, app makers, Figma lovers.
Golden Rules Good Icons Follow (Teacher mode – listen carefully!)
- Keep it simple – 1–3 shapes maximum at 24×24 px size
- Use 1–2 px stroke (most common = 2 px stroke for 24×24 icons)
- Follow grid & keyline (very important!)
- Square icon = 24×24 px
- Keyline = usually 2 px padding from edge
- Most important parts stay inside ~20×20 safe area
- Same stroke width everywhere
- 45° & 90° angles mostly (modern flat/minimal style)
- Metaphor should be instantly understandable
- House = home
- Magnifier = search
- Gear = settings
- Heart = like / love
- Consistent style across all icons (line, filled, duotone, etc.)
Quick Live Example – Let’s design a simple “Location Pin” icon in Figma / Illustrator style
Imagine we’re drawing on a 24×24 canvas:
- Draw a big circle (diameter ≈ 14–16 units)
- Draw a smaller circle inside (subtract → make ring)
- Draw a long triangle downward from bottom of circle
- Round the triangle tip a little
- Draw a very small circle in center
- Align everything perfectly to center
- Stroke = 2 px, no fill (for outline style)
Result: Classic map pin / location icon.
Now repeat same rules for:
- Envelope (message)
- Bell (notification)
- Calendar
- Shopping cart
And you have a mini icon set!
Summary – Which Icons Tutorial Do You Want?
- Want to quickly put icons on website → Use Font Awesome / Material Icons CDN (Part 1)
- Want to become icon designer → Learn grid, stroke consistency, keyline, simple metaphors (Part 2)
Which part interests you more? Want me to go deeper into Figma icon creation steps? Or show more code examples? Or maybe Material Icons instead of Font Awesome?
Just tell me — I’m your teacher for today! 🚀
