What is XHTML?

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  • July 18, 2024 at 11:26 am #6342
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      XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) is a reformulation of HTML as an XML application. It follows the same basic structure and purpose as HTML but conforms to the stricter syntax rules of XML.

      Key Characteristics of XHTML:

      1. XML Syntax: XHTML is written in XML syntax, which means:
        • All tags must be properly nested.
        • All tags must be closed (either self-closed <tag /> or with separate opening and closing tags <tag></tag>).
        • Attribute values must be quoted.
        • Tag and attribute names are case-sensitive.
      2. Backward Compatibility: XHTML is designed to be backward-compatible with HTML, meaning that XHTML documents can be viewed and rendered by HTML browsers. However, XHTML documents must adhere strictly to XML syntax rules.
      3. Strictness: XHTML enforces stricter rules compared to HTML to ensure well-formedness and interoperability with XML-based tools and technologies.
      4. Modularity: XHTML supports modularity through the use of XML namespaces, allowing different XML vocabularies to be integrated into a single document.
      5. Use Cases: XHTML is commonly used in environments where XML’s extensibility and stricter syntax are beneficial, such as in web applications that require data interchangeability and integration with XML-based technologies.

      Example of XHTML Document:

      xml
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
      <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
      "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
      <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
      <head>
      <title>XHTML Example</title>
      </head>
      <body>
      <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
      <p>This is an example of an XHTML document.</p>
      </body>
      </html>

      Differences from HTML:

      • Syntax: XHTML requires proper nesting and closing of tags, whereas HTML is more forgiving with tag omission and case sensitivity.
      • Error Handling: XHTML parsers are stricter and may halt on errors that HTML browsers would attempt to correct.
      • Namespace Support: XHTML supports XML namespaces for integrating different XML vocabularies, which HTML does not.

      Transition from HTML to XHTML:

      • Transitioning from HTML to XHTML involves converting existing HTML documents to conform to XML syntax rules, ensuring all tags are properly closed and attributes are quoted.
      • XHTML documents typically use the .xhtml file extension instead of .html.

      XHTML is an XML-based reformulation of HTML, designed to be stricter in syntax and more interoperable with XML-based tools and technologies. It maintains compatibility with existing HTML browsers while providing advantages in modularity, extensibility, and adherence to XML standards.

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