XHTML Syntax

Writing XHTML demands a clean HTML syntax:
  • Attribute names must be in lower case.
  • Attribute values must be quoted.
  • Attribute minimization is forbidden.
  • The id attribute replaces the name attribute.
  • The XHTML DTD defines mandatory elements.
Attribute Names Must Be in Lower Case

Wrong Correct 
<table WIDTH="100%">
 
<table width="100%">

Attribute Values Must Be Quoted

Wrong Correct 
<table width=100%>
 
<table width="100%">

Attribute Minimization Is Forbidden

Wrong Correct 
  <input checked>
  <input readonly>
  <input disabled>
  <option selected>
  <frame noresize>
 
  <input checked="checked" />
  <input readonly="readonly" />
  <input disabled="disabled" />
  <option selected="selected" />
  <frame noresize="noresize" />

Below are minimized attributes and how they should be in XHTML:

HTML XHTML HTML XHTML HTML XHTML
compact compact="compact" checked checked="checked" declare declare="declare"
readonly readonly="readonly" disabled disabled="disabled" selected selected="selected"
defer defer="defer" ismap ismap="ismap" nohref nohref="nohref"
noshade noshade="noshade" nowrap nowrap="nowrap" multiple multiple="multiple"
noresize noresize="noresize"


Demonstration
The following demonstration shows how the script of HTML is displayed on the Web.

     





      A man is washing his car with his son.   
      The son asks, “Dad, can’t you just use a sponge?”