The 2018 update to XHTML Basic by the W3C focused on improving interoperability with current technologies, ensuring XHTML Basic pages remain usable across a broader range of modern devices, including those that have adopted more recent web standards. These changes aimed to refine how XHTML Basic interacts with modern networking environments, enhancing compatibility with newer handheld devices and browsers that now more frequently rely on HTML5.
While XHTML Basic remains functional, it is considered outdated in comparison to modern HTML5, which has become the dominant standard for mobile-first design. HTML5 includes features for multimedia, graphics, and responsive layouts, making it far more versatile for current web development needs.
To validate as XHTML Basic, a document must contain the following Document Type Declaration, or DOCTYPE:
A complete valid and well-formed example is:
Served with a MIME type of "application/xhtml+xml".
XHTML-Print, which became a W3C Recommendation in September 2006, is a specialized version of XHTML Basic designed for documents printed from information appliances to low-end printers.2
"XHTML™ Basic 1.1 - Second Edition". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2022-01-25. https://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml-basic/index.html ↩
"XHTML-Print, W3C Recommendation 20 September 2006". World Wide Web Consortium. 2006-09-20. Retrieved 2008-07-19. http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/REC-xhtml-print-20060920/ ↩