Importance of HTML Validation

HTML validation is often the most overlooked step in the web site design process, when in fact it should be at the top of every web designers' checklist. This article will discuss the myths and merits of HTML validation as well as provide a list of resources to assist in validating the HTML on your web site.

Setting the Standards: The World Wide Web Consortium

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was established in 1994 with the goal to lead the world wide web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. The development of these common protocols ensures that all web users regardless of culture, language, education, ability, material resources, access devices, and physical limitations have equal access to information and materials on the world wide web.¹

Myth: All HTML is Created Equal

Many web site designers "validate" their HTML by making sure that their web design displays properly in the MS Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers. While it is true that the combination of these two browsers dominate the majority of the market, there are still millions of additional web surfers employing other methods to surf the internet. These methods include text-mode browsers, text to speech synthesizers, search engine spiders, site robots, and site analysis tools, not to mention the host of additional graphical browsers available for use today.

Validating your HTML helps ensure that your web site can be properly read and interpreted by the user, regardless of what platform they are using to view your site.

WYSINWYG

What you see is not what you get! The advent of WYSIWYG web page tools has also further deteriorated the HTML standards. For example, Microsoft FrontPage, while a fine web site design tool, uses proprietary HTML and promotes excessive code bloating.

What is code bloating? It is the excessive (and unnecessary) or redundant use of HTML tags that can lead to huge page file sizes. Much of it is the proprietary HTML tags that cannot be read by all browsers. This leaves some of your web site visitors without the ability to fully experience the available content. FrontPage and many other editors also have the tendency to leave bits of code each time you edit, cut, and paste in WYSIWYG mode.

Myth: Sites Using Valid HTML Are Boring

While it is true that the task of validating your HTML to meet the W3C standard can be challenging at times, that does not mean that your web site will lack pizzazz (this web site meets the XHTML 1.0 standard). It takes practice, and may force you to learn new techniques or workarounds, but valid HTML does not limit the elements of design. In fact, the reason that most web sites fail the validation specs are because of improper use of tags or missing attributes.

Another common argument against proper HTML validation is that it takes too much time to make the proper changes to validate a web site. Most often this is spoken by the same designers that use browser "sniffers" to detect which type of browser that the web surfer is using, then redirect to a web page formatted specifically for that browser. It takes more time to design duplicate content pages for the idiosyncrasies of each browser than it takes to properly code a single web page for all browsers! Yes, there is an initial learning curve to adjust to the current standards. But that is true of learning any new discipline.

The Merits of Proper HTML Validation

The primary concern of every commercial web site designer should be to produce a site that promotes the products and services of the client to all potential customers. Web site designs that cater to only select browsers have the potential to limit sales opportunities, as frustrated visitors take their business to a more accommodating web site.

Employing valid HTML code ensures that you are meeting the needs of both the client and the customer. Don't delay - validate your HTML code today!

HTML Validation Resources

¹Paraphrased and adapted from the World Wide Web Consortium