Introduction to XHTML, with eXamples
February 2, 2000
XHTML 1.0
is the first step toward a modular and extensible web
based on XML (Extensible Markup Language).
It provides the bridge for web designers to enter the web of the
future, while still being able to maintain compatibility with today's
HTML 4 browsers.
It is the reformulation of HTML 4 as an application of XML.
It looks very much like
HTML 4,
with a few notable exceptions,
so if you're familiar with HTML 4, XHTML will be easy to learn and use.
XHTML 1.0 was released on January 26th as a Recommendation by the
W3C.
True XHTML version at
EncycloZine.
XHTML in a nutshell
- XHTML tags are all lowercase.
- XHTML is a stricter, tidier version of HTML.
- Pages written in XHTML work well in most browsers.
- All tags, including empty elements, must be closed.
- XHTML is the reformulation of HTML 4.0 as an application of XML.
- The elements (tags) and attributes are almost identical to HTML.
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How is XHTML better than
HTML?
Extensibility:
Under HTML, an
SGML
(Standard Generalized Markup Language) application,
the addition of a new group of elements requires alteration of the
entire DTD (language specification).
XML is a simplified subset of SGML.
This greatly eases the development and integration of new collections
of elements.
Portability:
By the year 2002 as much as 75% of Internet access could be carried out
on non-PC platforms such as palm computers, televisions,
fridges,
automobiles, telephones, etc.
In most cases these devices will not have the computing power of a
desktop computer, and will not be designed to accommodate
ill-formed HTML
as do
current browsers (bloated with code to handle sloppy or proprietary
HTML).
Learn About XHTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC
"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd" >
<html xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title>Quick Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1> Quick Example
</h1>
<a href = "http://validator.w3.org/check/referer">
<img src = "http://validator.w3.org/images/vxhtml10"
height = "31"
width = "88"
border = "0"
hspace = "16"
align = "left"
alt = "Valid XHTML 1.0!"
/></a>
<p> Note that the layout (with tabs and alignment) is
purely for readability - XHTML doesn't require it.
</p>
</body>
</html>
Copy this example (qex.html)
to your web server and use it as a template.
Normally you should not
link to images on other people's servers,
but the W3C allows their validation icons to be used in this way.
An overview of the background and limitations of HTML,
and a preview of the advantages to XML.
An overview of the background and advantages to XML.
An explanation of the rôle of DTDs,
and three XML document types that correspond to the three HTML 4.0 DTDs:
Strict, Transitional, and Frameset.
If you want to get into XHTML right away, start here.
If you already know HTML 4, you're well on the way...
Just lots of examples!
- Learn more about XHTML
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- Write your own XHTML
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Introduction to XHTML, with eXamples
Introduction to XHTML: Why do we need XHTML?
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