If a developer does not validate his or her code, how can they be sure they didn't forget to close a tag?
One of the most important parts of building a website is making sure the code is W3C valid. W3C validation is a process that checks the code of a website to ensure that it meets all the standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
It's the first step in making sure your website is crawable and ADA compliant.
I. What is W3C Validation?
- W3C validation is a process that checks the code of a website to ensure that it adheres to the standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This includes checking that the code is syntactically correct, that all elements are properly nested, and that all attributes are used correctly.
- W3C validation helps to ensure that the code of a website is consistent, readable, and accessible to all users.
II. The Benefits of W3C Validation
- Improved Accessibility: W3C validation helps to ensure that websites are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. According to a study by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), 97% of websites fail to meet the basic accessibility guidelines set by the W3C.
- Improved Search Engine Optimization: A study by Moz found that W3C validation is positively correlated with search engine rankings. Websites that have valid code are more likely to rank higher in search engine results than those that do not.
- Improved Cross-Browser Compatibility: W3C validation helps to ensure that websites are compatible with all modern web browsers. A study by W3Schools found that websites with valid code are more likely to display correctly across different browsers.
- Improved User Experience: A study by Jakob Nielsen found that websites with valid code are more likely to provide a positive user experience. This is because valid code is more likely to be rendered correctly by web browsers, which can lead to faster load times and fewer errors.
III. How to Validate a Website
- W3C provides a free online validation service that can be used to check the code of a website for errors. This service can be accessed at https://validator.w3.org/.
- Developers can also use integrated development environments (IDEs) or code editors that have built-in W3C validation tools.
W3C validation is an important first step in website development.
But your website doesn't have valid code.
Because the (RNIB) found that 97% of websites fail to meet the basic accessibility guidelines set by the W3C.
Valid code helps to make sure that code is consistent, readable, and accessible to all users.
Additionally, W3C validation provides a number of benefits, including improved accessibility, improved search engine optimization, improved cross-browser compatibility, and improved user experience.
By validating a website's code, developers can be confident that their website will be accessible to all users and that it will perform well in search engines and across different web browsers.
Therefore, W3C validation should be considered a top priority for website development.
