Web Development » UpWork » What Is the Main Difference Between HTML and XHTML UpWork?

What Is the Main Difference Between HTML and XHTML UpWork?

Last updated on September 30, 2022 @ 9:22 pm

HTML and XHTML are two versions of the same markup language for structuring text and other content on web pages. HTML is the original version of the language, while XHTML is a version that has been updated to conform to XML standards.

The main difference between HTML and XHTML is that HTML is based on SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language), while XHTML is based on XML (Extensible Markup Language). SGML is a more complex language than XML, and thus HTML has more features than XHTML. However, since XHTML is based on XML, it can be parsed by any XML parser, while HTML can only be parsed by specialized HTML parsers.

Another difference between HTML and XHTML is that in HTML, element names are case-insensitive, while in XHTML they are case-sensitive.

This means that you can use either upper or lower case letters when writing HTML code, but you must use lower case letters when writing XHTML code.

PRO TIP: While HTML and XHTML may both be used to create webpages, there are some key differences between the two. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard markup language for creating webpages. XHTML (Extensible HyperText Markup Language) is a stricter, more well-defined version of HTML.

One major difference between HTML and XHTML is the way they are written. HTML is written in a more relaxed syntax, which allows for errors. XHTML, on the other hand, must be written in a well-formed syntax or it will not work. This can be a problem for beginners who are not used to writing code in a strict syntax.

Another difference between HTML and XHTML is the way they are parsed by web browsers. HTML is parsed in a “forgiving” manner, meaning that it will try to make sense of code even if it is not well-formed. XHTML, on the other hand, must be well-formed or it will not be parsed at all. This can lead to problems with displaying content on webpages if there are any errors in the code.

Overall, while both HTML and XHTML can be used to create webpages, there are some key differences between the two

Moreover, in HTML you can omit certain end tags, while in XHTML all tags must be properly closed. For example, in HTML you can omit the

tag at the end of a paragraph, while in XHTML you must include it. Finally, whitespace characters (spaces, tabs, and linebreaks) are generally ignored in HTML, while they are preserved in XHTML.

In conclusion, the main difference between HTML and XHTML is that HTML is based on SGML while XHTML is based on XML. Additionally, element names are case-insensitive in HTML but case-sensitive in XHTML.

End tags can also be omitted in HTML but must be included in XHTML code. Finally, whitespace characters are usually ignored in HTML but preserved when using XHTML.

Madison Geldart

Madison Geldart

Cloud infrastructure engineer and tech mess solver.