What's the point of valid CSS/HTML?

Question

If I\'ve tested my pages in most major browsers, why would I need to maintain a validated code? I want to use box-shadows and corner radius if they\'re supported in WebKit b

Answer 1

Invalid css/html may become horrible to maintain. Changes may have unwanted effects, which are hard to fix.

Answer 2

You can't test in browsers that haven't been released yet!

Browsers tend to become more standards compliant over time. If you write standards-compliant webpages, they're more likely to still work in the next version of all existing browsers.

Answer 3

The standard is only a suggestion, as you can write your own DTD and decide shadows are part of that standard and then your page would validate just fine.
The existing standards are work in process which are being affected by many parameters, not all 100% professional/technical.
The main reason to use standards is it is said will cause your page to render the most similarly between browsers (at least those browsers who support standards :-) )

Answer 4

Validating code is one can prevent many find and hopefully fix many problems in your html/css that could cause undesired results. IMHO its more of a "common things that could be wrong" fix than a replacement for testing. If you like the look you're getting in the browsers you want, I wouldn't worry too much about the validation.

(Yeah, you can put the little badge on your website if you want everybody to know you use validation to check your site) :D

Answer 5

Because, only by knowing the rule, will you know when to break it.

Using browser-specific extensions isn't bad, but it is something you want to do on purpose, not blindly.

Validation points out the places where you deviate from the standard. Maybe you needed to, maybe you didn't, that decision is yours.

Answer 6

Ask that to all the people who wrote code that worked fine when they tested it in IE 6 and then it broke when IE started supporting the standards better.