Always Use Well-formed Code

For those not familiar with XHTML, the first thing to know is that all code should validate (according to the doctype) and be well-formed (a valid XML document). Here is a basic run down of the rules of well-formed XML as well as the key differences between XHTML and HTML.

All elements should be closed, e.g.

 

These are also acceptable:

 All non-empty elements should be closed:
Example TextAll elements must be properly nested:
Example TextThe alt attribute must be used for all images:
<img src="image.png" alt="Image Description" />Text should appear within a block level element and not directly in the body:
<body>Example Text</body>

Inline elements should always nest with block level elements:

<h2>Example Text</h2>

All attributes should appear within quotes:

All elements and attributes should use lowercase:

Example Text <hr noshade="true"/>

There are many online Web tools that you can use to validate your markup including the MobiReady Report and the W3C Validation service. There are also browser-based tools such as the HTML Validator Firefox Extension that can be used throughout the development cycle to keep an eye on your pages.

Always Use Well-formed Code

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