The practical value of semantic HTML
I love how Bruce steps up to the plate here:
If the importance of good HTML isn’t well-understood by the newer breed of JavaScript developers, then it’s my job as a DOWF (Dull Old Web Fart) to explain it.
Then he points out some very practical situations in which good HTML brings meaningful benefits. Maybe benefits isn’t the right word, as much as requirement since most of it is centered around accessibility.
I hope I’ve shown you that choosing the correct HTML isn’t purely an academic exercise…
Semantic HTML will give usability benefits to many users, help to future-proof your work, potentially boost your search engine results, and help people with disabilities use your site.
I think it’s fair to call HTML easy. Compared to many other things you’ll learn in your journey building websites, perhaps it is. All the more reason to get it right.
Estelle Weyl has some similar thoughts:
… take the radio button. All you have to do is give all the radio buttons in your button group the same name, preferably with differed values. Associate a label to each radio button to define what each one means. Simply using allows for selecting only one value with completely accessible, fast keyboard navigation. Each radio button is keyboard focusable. Users can select a different radio button by using the arrow keys, or clicking anywhere on the label or button. The arrows cycle thru the radio buttons, going from the last in the group to the first with a click of the down or right arrow. Developers don’t have to listen for keyboard, mouse, or touch interactions with JavaScript. These native interactions are robust and accessible. There is rarely a reason to rewrite them, especially since they’ll always work, even if the JavaScript doesn’t.
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