Does Valid Code Matter?
Introduction
Learning to use valid html code is one of those website building
techniques you decide to use. It is a big step requiring the use
of validators, doctype declarations and often lots of extra
work. But now for the big question: Is it worth all the effort?
Benefits of valid HTML Code
* Valid code renders faster than invalid code! * Valid code
will render better than invalid code! * Browsers are becoming
more standards compliant, and therefore it is important to write
valid standards compliant HTML. * The search engines understand
better/prefer standards compliant code!
Valid
code renders faster than invalid code.
That depends. If code has to be made so much bigger because of
extra code to make it compliant, then obviously it will not load
faster. It will probably look the same as well.
However, valid code gives the browser interpreting the webpage
the advantage of understanding the exact structure, and so your
visitors with slower computers will reap the benefits of your
valid webpage!
Valid code will render better
than invalid code!
Not always. Sometimes it is impossible to achieve what you want
with valid code - some layouts are impossible in this way. The
boundary should never be what is easily achievable and what is
not, you should change your design based on what you can achieve
in line with the current standards.
Browsers are
becoming more standards compliant - so write valid html.
The new Internet Explorer (MSIE 7) - which is to be released
soon, is said to be much more standards compliant than the
current Internet Explorer and so now is the time to look into a
css-compliant website. (While making sure it downgrades nicely
for current MSIE 6 users of course!)
Browsers such as Mozilla Firefox which are already standards
compliant are excellent for testing how your website looks, and
most web professionals use Firefox for their normal browsing
anyway.
The search engines understand/prefer
standards compliant code!
Many SEO Experts believe that the big 3 search engines: Google,
MSN & Yahoo take valid code into account when calculating
rankings. For that extra boost to your rankings, design valid
webpages!
So what do I do?
Valid code will do more harm than good, so it's worth a try. All
you need is to choose a doctype, use the W3 HTML Validator to
check your code is correct and learn to code well according to
the current guidelines and you can look forward to that boost
you've been hoping for!
Conclusion
Remember! Although valid coding will help it won't get you
straight to Number 1! There are loads of factors affecting
search engine rankings and code is just one of them. Reading
more website building tutorials will help you loads! Also make
sure you keep your content freshly updated, and those links
coming in and you'll be top in no time!