Mouse Will Play
Skipton Web Design & Development
Web Design & Development
Web Standards - What Are They & Why Are They Important?
Say we want to build a simple web page - something like this:
Even though it's such a simple design, there are an infinite number of ways it could be coded - some good and some not so good.
Before we build the site we need to consider:
- the amount of code - the less code, the faster the page will load
- easy maintenance - by separating the content and presentation using CSS, site-wide changes can be made in an instant
- your visitors - you want your site to be accessible to the highest number of people despite their browser, device, screen resolution, connection speed and any assistive technology they may be using
- forward compatibility - will your site work with the next generation of browsers?
- backward compatibility - will your site work with the older browsers?
- search engine ratings - the code behind a site can have a huge affect on how well it performs in search results
This is where web standards come in. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and other bodies have set guidelines of best practice. If you follow the standards, your site will be well on it’s way to meeting the above criteria.
You can check if a site is using valid code by entering the address in the W3C Validator - why not try it with http://mousewillplay.co.uk/
When you're choosing a web designer, ask them if they follow web standards and write code that will pass validation checks.
Resources for Budding Web Designers
If you're learning web design and want to know more about web standards, you may find these resources useful:
456 Berea Street - Developing With Web Standards
A straight-forward, no-nonsense overview of web standards recommendations and best practices.
The Web Standards Project
A grassroots coalition fighting for standards which ensure simple, affordable access to web technologies for all. The site is an excellent place for tutorials, articles and resources.
The Web Standards Group
The group aims to:
- provide web developers and designers with a forum to discuss issues and share knowledge
- provide web standards information and assistance to developers
- promote web standards within the development community.
W3C Validator
Check whether your site standards-compliant.
Web Standards Checklist
An excellent list to work through before, during and after any site development.
Finally, we found this book to be a fantastic, practical guide:
Web Standards Solutions by Dan Cederholm
