Lecture Notes: XHTML vs HTML5

Introduction

Doctype Specification:
- Essential to specify the doctype.
- Doctype is not a tag, but it informs the browser of the HTML version.
- Can specify to treat the file as XHTML or HTML.
Mandatory Attributes and Tags:
- xmlns attributes in HTML are mandatory.
- Mandatory tags include <head>, <title>, and <body>.
Element Rules:
- Elements must be properly nested.
- All elements must be closed.
- Elements and attributes should be in lowercase.
- Attribute values need to be quoted.

Doctype Specification:
- Simplified doctype declaration: <!DOCTYPE html>
- Easier to write compared to XHTML.
Flexibility and Browser Compatibility:
- Modern browsers can handle improperly formatted HTML5.
- Browsers are capable of interpreting HTML5 even with missing or incorrectly closed tags.
- Emphasizes the importance of well-structured code for readability and maintenance, not just functionality.

XHTML is strict:
- Errors in element closure or casing result in rendering issues.
- Ensures well-formed code.
HTML5 is forgiving:
- Browsers render pages even with some structural issues.
- Important to maintain good coding practices for clarity and teamwork.
- Code should be commented for better understanding, especially with complex structures like classes.

General Coding Practices:
- Always aim for correct syntax in any programming language.
- Consider readability and maintainability of code for team collaboration.

Understanding the differences between XHTML and HTML5 helps in writing better code.
Despite HTML5's flexibility, always maintain high coding standards for future-proofing and collaboration.