HTML vs XHTML: Explore the Differences

What is HTML?

HTML is short for Hypertext Markup Language. It is used to create websites and web applications. Let’s break it down, so we understand the name better:

• Hypertext: Hypertext refers to the “text wrapped within a text.” It is very similar to hyperlinks and contains an underlying text that, when clicked, redirects to a new webpage.
• Markup language: A markup language is not necessarily a programming language. Instead, it is used to apply formatting and layout to a simple text document. This leads to more interactive and dynamic text content.

What is XHTML?

• XHTML stands for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language
• XHTML is almost similar to HTML but it is stricter than HTML
• It is swift, accurate, easily maintained, convertible, and formatted
• All major browsers support XHTML

Also Read: The Best Guide to HTML Tags

HTML vs XHTML

The following is an example of an XHTML document:

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HTML and XHTML Features

HTML and XHTML are two of the most popular markup languages used for developing web pages and applications. HTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages, while XHTML is a stricter and more standardized version of HTML. Both HTML and XHTML include a wide range of features, such as support for multimedia, styling, and scripting.

HTML and XHTML both have features to create rich and interactive web pages and applications. Some of the most popular HTML and XHTML features include:

• Support for multimedia: Both HTML and XHTML support various forms of multimedia, such as images, video, and audio. HTML also supports animated images and graphics.
• Styling: Both HTML and XHTML offer a wide range of options for styling web pages. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the most commonly used style sheet language, and it can be used to style both HTML and XHTML documents.
• Scripting: HTML and XHTML both support various forms of scripting, such as JavaScript. Scripting can be used to add interactivity to web pages and applications.
• Forms: Forms are one of the most important features of HTML and XHTML. Forms allow users to input data, which can then be processed by a server-side script.
• Tables: Tables are another important feature of HTML and XHTML. Tables can be used to display tabular data, such as product information or financial data.
• Links: Links are one of the most basic features of HTML and XHTML. Links allow users to navigate between web pages.
• Metadata: Metadata is information about a web page or document. It can include information such as the author, keywords, and description.

HTML and XHTML are two of the most popular markup languages used for developing web pages and applications. Both HTML and XHTML include a wide range of features, such as support for multimedia, styling, and scripting. HTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages, while XHTML is a stricter and more standardized version of HTML.

HTML and XHTML Specifications

HTML and XHTML specifications are the standards that define the syntax and semantics of the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), respectively. They are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The latest versions of the HTML and XHTML specifications are known as HTML5 and XHTML5, respectively. These specifications are the basis for all modern web browsers, and define the standard for how HTML documents are structured and processed.

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How to Migrate From HTML to XHTML

There are a few key things to keep in mind when migrating from HTML to XHTML. First, XHTML is more strict than HTML, so you will need to make sure your code is well-formed and error-free. Second, XHTML requires all elements to be properly nested and closed, so you will need to be careful about that as well. Finally, XHTML also requires all attributes to be properly quoted, so you will need to make sure you do that as well.

With these things in mind, let's take a look at how to actually migrate your code from HTML to XHTML. The first thing you will need to do is make sure your code is well-formed and error-free. This means ensuring that all tags are properly nested and closed, and that all attributes are properly quoted.

Once you have made sure your code is error-free, you will need to add the proper DOCTYPE declaration to the top of your document. This will tell the browser what type of document to expect, and how to handle it.

Next, you will need to change the root element of your document from HTML to XHTML. This is simply a matter of changing the opening and closing tags from <html> to <xhtml>.

Now that you have the basic structure of your document in place, you will need to start converting your HTML elements to their XHTML counterparts. This is generally just a matter of changing the tag names, but there are a few exceptions. For example, the <b> element should be changed to <strong>, and the <i> element should be changed to <em>.

Once you have converted all of your HTML elements to their XHTML counterparts, you will need to make sure all of your attributes are properly quoted. This means using double quotes around all attribute values. Finally, you will need to add a few extra XHTML attributes to some of your elements.

How to Migrate From XHTML to HTML

When migrating from XHTML to HTML, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, XHTML is a subset of XML, meaning that it is more strict than HTML. This can cause issues when trying to migrate your content, as some things that may have worked in HTML may not work in XHTML. In addition, XHTML also uses a different DOCTYPE than HTML, so you will need to make sure to update your DOCTYPE declaration when migrating your content. Finally, XHTML also has a few additional tags and attributes that are not supported in HTML, so you will need to remove or replace any instances of these before your content will be compatible with HTML. 

With these tips, migrating from XHTML to HTML should be a relatively easy process.

Conclusion

HTML and XHTML are both markup languages used to create web pages and applications. HTML and XHTML have some key differences that set them apart, but they also share some similarities. XHTML is an extended version of HTML, and both languages are used for developing web and Android-based applications.

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