What is XHTML and why use it?
by Paul Flyer
XHTML stands for eXtensible HyperText Markup Language. Yes I know, that means nothing to the beginner.
Lets looks at it this way. HTML is the code used to create web pages. XHTML is the next incarnation of HTML. At the core level there is little difference. However, XHTML brings with it a new set of rules that make for cleaner, tighter code. XHTML is an attempt to make HTML behave similarly to XML.
Why should the beginner care whether they are writing regular old HTML or some new fangled XHTML version?
Well first, XHTML is not new. XHTML became the standard in January 2000. So if you havent been using XHTML, you are woefully out of date (Six and a half years in technology is almost an eternity).
Before the XHTML standard, HTML had sort of gone wild and had become this uncouth slobbering beast. XHTML came along and became like the Master Sergeant during boot camp. Your boots have to be shined, your bed made, proper formation maintained, etc. Overall, a certain level of discipline was set.
Here is a brief list of the changes XHTML brought to HTML:
- XHTML elements must be properly nested
- XHTML documents must be well-formed
- Tag names must be in lowercase
- All XHTML elements must be closed
I encourage beginners to try and follow the XHTML 1.0 Strict standard. It always isn’t possible to maintain, especially when using a Content Management System which are prone to throwing in the occasionally goofy tag. However, following that standard is good practice. It will teach you a better way to code and avoid being sloppy. Yes it maybe a strict master, but the beginning student will be a better coder in the end.
For more information see W3Schools.
[tags]xhtml, html, standards, web[/tags]
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