Web Standards

A site that has been built to web standards generally will be:

• Less bandwidth intense and faster to load for your users
• Easier to maintain and document
• Compatible with newer & older browsers, including cell phones and PDAs
• Accessible to all users, including the visually impaired
• Given more relevant search placement in search engines such as Google

Accessibility

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
• Section 508: Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards

Structural Languages

• HyperText Markup Language (HTML) 4.01
• Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) 1.0
• XHTML 1.1
• Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0

Presentation Languages

• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Level 1
• CSS Level 2
• CSS Level 3

Object Models

• Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 (Core)
• DOM Level 2

Scripting Languages

• ECMAScript 262 (the standard version of JavaScript)

References

• Web Standards Group
• Web Standards Project
• Netscape: The Business Benefits of Web Standards
• W3C: How To Achieve Web Standards and Quality
• Zeldman: Designing With Web Standards
• The Way Forward With Web Standards

Validation Services

• HTML & XHTML Markup
• CSS
• Section 508 & WCAG Priorities
• Doctor HTML