Valid doctype

Tells browser how to read code.

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    Indicators

    Impact

    (How ScanGov measures tasklist priorities.)

    About

    Doctype (short for "document type declaration") tells the web browser what version of HTML the page is using. It helps the browser understand how to read and display the webpage correctly. Without it, the browser might not show the page the way it should. The most common doctype today is for HTML5, written as <!DOCTYPE html>. It's simple but important for making websites work the right way across different browsers.

    Why it's important

    Helps browsers display web pages correctly by telling them what kind of HTML code the page is using.

    User stories

    As a web developer, I want to define the correct doctype so that my website displays properly in all browsers.
    As a website visitor, I want pages to load and look right, so I can read and use them easily.

    Code

    <!doctype html>

    Error

    (ScanGov messaging when a site fails a standard)

    Page may not display correctly due to missing or incorrect doctype declaration.

    Guidance

    On this page