
what is DOCTYPE ?
In HTML, a <!DOCTYPE> declaration, often called a "doctype", is a short instruction placed at the very beginning of an HTML document that tells the browser what version of HTML the page is written in.
t's not a tag or an element itself, but rather a declaration that ensures the browser renders the page in standards mode, rather than quirks mode, which can lead to inconsistencies in how the page is displayed across different browsers.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Purpose:
Tells the browser the HTML version:
The <!DOCTYPE> declaration tells the browser which version of HTML the document is using, enabling the browser to interpret the document correctly.
Activates standards mode:
Without a doctype, browsers might enter "quirks mode," which can cause inconsistencies in how elements are displayed and make it difficult to achieve cross-browser consistency.
Ensures consistent rendering:
By specifying the doctype, developers can help ensure that web pages are rendered as intended across different browsers.
Example (HTML5):
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My Web Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, world!</h1>
</body>
</html>
Key Points:
- The doctype should be the very first thing in your HTML document, before any other HTML tags.
- It is not a tag and does not require a closing tag.
- For HTML5, the declaration is simply <!DOCTYPE html>.
- Different versions of HTML have different doctype declarations.
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