Web Design:
XHTML and CSS -- Why do we want to do it this way?
First off, what are XHTML and CSS? The W3C, the 'governing body' of the Internet, came up with a new programming language that is a combination of two existing languages, HTML and XML. The reason for this creation was to provide a new level of uniformity and structure that will allow for easier coding, much greater support for the new ways we have of viewing web pages, and for most robust compatibility with both new and old browsers and technologies.
CSS is a standard for implementing stylistic information (color, font type and size, physical layout, etc.) for the items on a given web page. Using CSS effectively entails removing all non-informational pieces of markup language from the web page document itself and creating what is called 'semantic' code (that is, function and form are maintained separately).
Here is what WE as designers gain through this methodology:
- The page code becomes much more modular and less proprietary -- troubleshooting updating or adding on to your own or another programmer's code becomes much easier
- Optimized and valid code can help search engine efficiency and ranking
- Optimized and valid code is smaller in size, thereby saving disk space and bandwidth
- Properly written sites are much more readily and correctly available to browsers old and new, to people with physical disabilities, and to less robust mobile devices (cell phones, PDAs , etc.)
- Correctly crafted CSS code is reusable; that is, it can be downloaded once per site then globally applied to each subsequent page automatically by the browser
- Modern browsers are able to download and display valid code much more quickly
Here is what YOU as a client gains through this methodology:
- Modular and easier for the programmer means less money spent by you on creating and maintaining your web site
- Better search engine rankings and results mean more customers can find your site more easily
- Smaller file sizes can mean monetary savings on your web hosting storage and bandwidth charges
- Being more accessible to the wide variety of people and devices on the web means most visitors can visit and effectively use your site
- Smaller and more reusable code makes for a faster, and therefore, a more enjoyable experience for your web site visitors
These guidelines and philosophies can be easily applied to brand new web sites, to existing sites that are in need of a cosmetic overhaul, or to existing sites that suffer from 'code bloat', search engine inefficiency, or overall performance issues.
MCL Technologies, LLC. can hand-craft the appropriate and most cost-effective solutions and strategies for creating and maintaining a web-based presence for your business of any size.