What are web standards ? 'Web standards' is a general term that refers to the right way to do things on a website. The term also, and more correctly perhaps, references the W3 organisation's sets of rules for the subject, which define the way web pages and websites are constructed. The W3 Org sets out the rules for web code.
If code is written and used, it follows that there should be some guidelines on how exactly that is done, otherwise results will be less than optimal. If you wish to speak French, then logically, the result will not be correct if your grammar or spelling are faulty or if every third word is Chinese. The same applies to computer code, if it's faulty then results cannot be optimal. The W3 Org (WorldWide Web Consortium) define those rules for web code. If their rules are not followed then the code is not HTML or whichever code is being discussed. If it is not HTML then it cannot work correctly.
Web standards compliance is therefore a quality issue. It is quite true that faulty code often works (otherwise half the web wouldn't work) - but just because an aircraft will fly even if there are a multitude of faults doesn't mean that is the best way to build and operate one.
What is web standards compliance ?
This describes a common standard of writing web code and building websites. It may refer to testing and measuring code against the ruleset, or it may simply mean that a website, in general, follows these rules.
The first stage in web standards compliance is code validation. This means that a web page's code is checked and 'validated', that is, compared to a set of rules for that exact codetype and either passed or failed. If it fails, the errors are then listed.
There are several types of web page code that browsers can read, and the two most common are HTML and xHTML (extended HTML). There are two official types of each, Strict and Loose (aka Transitional). A web page therefore needs, in most cases, to accord with one of four sets of rules. A web page always has its code type listed at the top of the page, in the code source view, in the form of a DocType declaration, which tells browsers how to read it. If a page does not do this it can still be read but the likelihood of errors, and different interpretation by various browsers, is much higher.
The best quality in modern web code is represented by pages that validate to xHTML Strict, which is the level all new web pages should aspire to. Pages that validate to xHTML Loose are correct modern code but to a lower quality level. Slightly older CMS and ecommerce use this DocType and if they pass validation, then at least their code is better than around 95% of web pages existing. Most web pages do not validate, and most are probably still using the older HTML type of code, which is an older and slightly less capable version.
Perhaps 1% or less of web pages use xHTML Strict and validate correctly. The advantages of belonging to this exclusive club are great, but the cost is also elevated.
Why don't all websites comply with web standards? There are four main reasons why web pages and sites fail quality tests:
- It is more difficult to build pages correctly as it requires attention to detail
- Many developers and website builders do not have sufficient skill, even though these skills are the most basic requirement of all
- It would require a little more time for quality testing and repairs
- Some sites may initially pass but faults are introduced by the site owner
Why are web standards important? Why is it necessary to build a house with foundations of a regulated depth? Why do new car models have to pass construction quality tests before they are allowed to be sold? Why does an aircraft have to be tested for compliance before it goes into service? Why do cars have to pass an annual check-up?
These requirements are fairly obvious. Shoddy goods and faulty workmanship are not allowed when safety is at stake. They should not be allowed either when their presence means that a system will run at reduced quality or cause errors for those using it.
|
