In our Introducing XHTML article, we took a look at how XHTML differs from regular HTML 4. In this article, you’ll learn how to convert an HTML 4 Web page to fully standards-compliant XHTML 1.0 by working through a practical example.
HTML
How to write web pages using HyperText Markup Language, from beginner’s lessons to more advanced tutorials.
See also:Introducing XHTML
XHTML, first introduced in 2000, is billed as the successor to HTML. It’s short for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. XHTML 1.0 is essentially a reworking of HTML 4 in XML – Extensible Markup Language. As such, HTML 4 and XHTML 1.0 are very similar.
XHTML is stricter than regular HTML, as you’ll see in a moment. While this extra strictness requires a bit more effort when creating XHTML pages, it does mean that those pages are very easy for computers to read. HTML, in contrast, is notoriously difficult for browsers to interpret — which is partly why no two browsers seem to display a Web page in the same way!
Creating Accessible Forms
In HTML forms we looked at the basics of creating HTML forms: GET vs POST, text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons and so on. In this tutorial we’re going to go a step further and look at some of the ways you can make forms more accessible and usable for your visitors.
Web accessibility is important because it makes it easier for users to visit and use your site. This means happier visitors and more traffic!
We’ll cover the following topics:
- Using the
fieldsetandlegendelements to group form fields in a logical way - Adding labels to form fields with the
labelelement - Controlling the tabbing order of the elements in a form
- Speeding up form access and improving accessibility through the use of access keys
By the end of this tutorial you’ll be well on your way to designing wonderfully accessible forms. Read on…
HTML Links for Beginners
HTML links allow one Web page to link to other related pages. They can use text or images to link to other Web pages or even an email address. If you’re new to Web building and you’re not sure how links work in HTML pages, this tutorial is for you! Read on…
HTML Lists
In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create HTML lists in your Web page. We’ll look at unordered (bullet) lists, ordered (numbered) lists, and definition lists.
Creating Image Maps
This article shows how to create image maps using HTML. You’ll learn how to create client-side image maps, and we’ll touch on server-side image maps too.
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10 HTML Tips for Beginners
Here are 10 HTML tips and tricks for newbies. If you’re just starting out with building your Web pages, these techniques should be very useful to you!
HTML Form Buttons
As well as fields such as text fields, checkboxes and select menus, an HTML form can contain different types of buttons. Form buttons allow the user to submit the filled-in form to the server for processing. Your form will generally contain at least one form submit button so that the form can be sent.
HTML Forms – Hidden, Password and File Upload Fields
This tutorial explores three special types of HTML form input fields:
- hidden fields, for passing information without displaying it to the visitor
- password fields that allow the visitor to enter sensitive information, and
- file upload fields that allow visitors to upload files from their hard disk to your Web server.
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HTML Checkboxes, Radio Buttons and Select Form Fields
This tutorial takes a look at three HTML form fields that allow your visitors to choose from a list of options: checkboxes, radio buttons, and select menus.
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