W3C Validators – Thank You W3C!

If your new or experienced at creating web pages you might want to keep these online validators handy.

MARKUP: http://validator.w3.org/#validate_by_input

CSS:http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/#validate_by_uri

If you do not create pages, but hire others to create them for you, you can check the quality of their work in terms of web standards. Insist on valid code.

If you are not familiar with using these Validating tools consider these tips:

• Make sure you have a DOCTYPE declaration.
• Get the XHTML (markup) correct BEFORE validating the CSS.
• Resolve the errors in the code (if any) from the TOP down.
• Have fun and learn as you go.

I like to check the Show Source and Verbose Output check boxes.

Show Source lets me see the all the code by line number so I can find the offending code AND see the code that surrounds that offending code. Verbose Output give me more information to go on resolving issues that the validator finds.

There are tabs to allow you to have the validator check you code in what ever way works for you. Like by URI, file upload or direct input etc.

URI for checking existing pages but means you have to upload the changes to your server each time you want to check how valid the code is.

With Direct Input you can just copy and paste you code into the the validator and then edit the code in the validator to save time. When you are done paste your valid code back into your site and and upload.

File Upload will allow you to upload the the file from your computer.