XHTML is an older, stricter version of HTML that follows XML rules. HTML5 is the latest and more flexible version, bringing in new features for better multimedia and web applications. HTML5 is simpler to use, while XHTML demands strict adherence to XML standards.
Table of Content
XHTML
XHTML stands for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. It can be considered as a part of the XML markup language this is because XHTML has features of both XML and HTML. XHTML is extended from XML and HTML. XHTML can be considered as a better version of HTML.
Benefits
- Strict syntax: XHTML has a stricter syntax compared to HTML5, which means that it is more structured and easier to read.
- Standardization: XHTML follows the syntax rules of XML, which is a standardized markup language. This makes it easier to create interoperable web pages that work well with different web browsers and devices.
- Better for parsing: XHTML is easier to parse and process than HTML5, which makes it a better choice for developers who want to create web pages that can be easily processed by other software tools.
HTML5
HTML is the Hypertext Markup Language which is the most widely used language over the internet. HTML is used to create web pages and link them from one to another. Please note HTML is not a programming language, it is a markup language. We can use different other technologies as like CSS and javascript to give a new look to the pages developed by HTML.
Benefits
- Easier to code: HTML5 has a more relaxed syntax compared to XHTML, which makes it easier to code.
- Backward compatibility: HTML5 is designed to be backward compatible with older versions of HTML, which means that it can be used with older web browsers.
- Multimedia support: HTML5 includes support for multimedia elements such as video and audio, which makes it easier to create web pages that include multimedia content.
Similarities in the XHTML and HTML5
- XHTML and HTML5 share a common basic structure with head and body sections for document information and content.
- Both XHTML and HTML5 employ semantic markup for meaningful and descriptive content structuring, aiding search engines and accessibility.
- Modern web browsers support both XHTML and HTML5, ensuring compatibility and correct rendering across platforms.
- XHTML and HTML5 recommend using semantic tags for content and CSS for styling to keep content and presentation separate.
- XHTML and HTML5 prioritize accessibility, offering tools like semantic markup, image alt text, and ARIA attributes to enhance web page accessibility for screen readers and assistive technologies.
Difference between HTML and XHTML
| HTML | XHTML |
|---|---|
| HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. | XHTML stands for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. |
| It was developed by Tim Berners-Lee. | It was developed by W3C i.e World Wide Web Consortium. |
| It was developed in 1991. | It was released in 2000. |
| It is extended from SGML. | It is extended from XML and HTML. |
| The format is a document file format. | The format is a markup language. |
| All tags and attributes are not necessarily to be in lower or upper case. | In this, every tag and attribute should be in lower case. |
| Doctype is not necessary to write at the top. | Doctype is very necessary to write at the top of the file. |
| It is not necessary to close the tags in the order they are opened. | It is necessary to close the tags in the order they are opened. |
| While using the attributes it is not necessary to mention quotes. For e.g. <Geeks>. | While using the attributes it is mandatory to mention quotes. For e.g. <Geeks=”GFG”>. |
| Filename extension used are .html, .htm. | Filename extension are .xhtml, .xht, .xml. |
|
Lewd structure is used in HTML |
It contains a very strict structure. |
Conclusion
In short, XHTML and HTML5 are different web languages. XHTML is strict, requiring closed tags and lowercase formatting, while HTML5 is more flexible. XHTML needs a Document Type Declaration, but HTML5 doesn’t. HTML5 is designed to work with older HTML versions, unlike XHTML.