Web Development
GUIDE

Introduction to XHTML

Description: So is XHTML exactly like HTML but better? Or is it something completely different?

You don't have to use XHTML, but it would be better if you did. In fact, if you do learn how to use it you will be assured that everyone in the world - regardless of the type of browser they are using - will be able to see your website exactly as you intended it to be seen.

As you probably know, HTML uses a system of tags to create a page and present it in exactly the way you want it to appear. XHTML does exactly the same job, but it uses a more precise set of tags which must be used accurately for it to work.

For example, if you are writing a document using HTML and you want to indicate that a particular word should appear in bold, you could use <B> and </B>, or <b> and </b> to make it happen. It wouldn't matter if you used capital letters or not.

XHTML is different. The upper and lower case commands - even if they use exactly the same letters - can mean two totally different things when you're using XHTML, so it's important to get a good grounding in the subject before you start trying to write documents in it.

Some people are wary of XHTML precisely because it doesn't allow any room for error. They prefer to know that they can write an HTML document and make one or two errors and it doesn't really matter.

But in short it does matter. While an HTML document with a few errors might look fine on your browser, it may not display correctly on a different browser that someone else is using.

In short, XHTML allows you to do all the same things as HTML does, but in a more common sense and well ordered way. It also makes certain tasks much easier, which is why it is set to catch on in a much bigger way once more people find out about it and get over any initial suspicion they may have of it.