One of the trickiest things a web developer runs into is making sure their website is W3C compliant. Some developers take longer time to make sure their code is valid than they do actually developing the site itself. And when they are done, they smile as they can put that little "W3C Compliant" image or text at the bottom of their site.

What is W3C Compliant? What's the big deal? W3C is an acronym for the World Wide Web Consortium, or a group of web and other technology professionals that set standards for how web pages should be developed. Because all web browsers handle certain code differently, the W3C's function is to develop methodology that ensures that web sites are "Cross Platform Compliant," or, in simpler terms, that the websites work the same way on all browsers.

So why do we want W3C compliant websites? Well probably the biggest attraction to making sure you validate your website is accessibility. Websites that are complaint will be more visible to search engines, and of course, the more visibility, the more traffic the site will get. Also, in relation to that, browsers that are developed for special needs people (voice browsers, Braille browsers, etc) will be easier to read by their software.

Another advantage to W3C compliant websites is the reduction in development time. A website that is coded from the beginning using W3C standards is less likely to run into problems. You will find yourself spending less time debugging your code, and more time focusing on the site itself.

Stability is another tenet of W3C compliant websites. The standards that are developed by the W3C are developed with a lot of thought and design for both forward and backwards compatibility. In other words, as browsers progress in their development cycle, sites that are W3C validated will be less likely to run into problems in the future. Your code will be stable for years to come, even when Microsoft Makes IE 5.0

On the developer side of things, using W3C standards will help you develop a smoother workflow when developing your websites. The standards are put into place to help teach good practices when developing websites. The W3C has created validation tools that will help even the newest HTML developer easily spot mistakes and even show methods of correction.

Lastly, W3C validation is a sign of professionalism. Today, there is no "official" certification for HTML and CSS design. Sure some universities teach the coding techniques, but only as part of a larger scale program, and there aren't very many, which leaves a lot of would-be coders left in the dark and having to learn themselves. Validation methods and W3C standards allow new developers the opportunity to be more successful in their development careers.

When you look at the advantages of W3C Compliant websites and Validation techniques, you can see how learning these simple systems can help you become a better web designer, and ensure that your code will be used for a long time.