Is it valid to close a `` element using `` in HTML?

Using "" to Close a Span Element

Certain web browsers offer the ability to close a span element using the "" syntax. The validity of this method depends on the page's doctype.

HTML5 and XHTML

In HTML5 and XHTML, browsers generally support self-closing tags like "". This means that a span can be closed using the forward slash ("/") after the tag name. For example, the following code is valid XHTML:

<code class="html">



    <title></title>


    <h2 id="Test-Page">Test Page</h2>
    <p>Some Stuff <span class="drop"></span></p>

</code>

HTML4

However, in HTML4 documents, "" is not a valid way to close a span element. Instead, you must use the explicit closing tag: "".

Browser Compatibility

While many browsers may render the "" syntax correctly, it is important to note that this is not part of the HTML4 specification and may not be supported by all browsers. It is recommended to use the traditional "" closing tag for cross-browser compatibility.

References:

• [W3C Validator](https://validator.w3.org/)
• [XHTML vs HTML](https://www.w3.org/standards/techs/html/html401/types.html#h-B.3)

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