DOCTYPE

DOCTYPE is the acronym for Document Type Declaration.

Document Type Declaration

An instruction that is placed at the very beginning of an HTML document to specify which version of HTML or XML the document adheres to. The DOCTYPE declaration informs web browsers and other user agents about the rules and standards for rendering the document.

The DOCTYPE declaration helps browsers interpret the markup correctly and render the web page in the expected way. It ensures the browser uses the appropriate rendering mode and follows the correct parsing rules for the specified document type.

For example, in HTML5, the DOCTYPE declaration is:

<!DOCTYPE html>

This declaration indicates that the document is written in HTML5 and should be rendered according to the HTML5 standards.

In the past, different versions of HTML had more complex DOCTYPE declarations that included information about the Document Type Definition (DTD) for that version. However, with HTML5, the DOCTYPE declaration is simplified to indicate the document type.

Using the correct DOCTYPE declaration is vital for ensuring consistent and accurate rendering of web pages across different browsers and devices. It helps avoid quirks and compatibility modes that might affect how the content is displayed.

Abbreviation: DOCTYPE

It all started as a book club.

Yes, I’m serious. I started my work on the web more than two decades ago. My first site was Helping Hand, which curated the best sites from around the web to help people with their computers and navigate resources on the Internet. Years later, I sold the domain to a company that helped folks quit smoking, one of my first big contracts.

I began blogging on Blogger and waxed poetic about everything from politics to Internet tools. I was all over the place and mostly wrote for myself – without much of an audience. I belonged to a Marketing Book club in Indianapolis that quickly grew out of control. Over time, I discovered that more and more of the group were coming to me for technology advice. The combination of my technology background and my business and marketing acumen was in high demand as the Internet rapidly changed the industry.

After reading Naked Conversations, I was motivated to better brand and control the content on the site. I also wanted more control over the look and feel of my blog, so I moved to my domain in 2006 and built my first WordPress site. Since I was focused on marketing technology, I didn’t want the domain with my name to get in the way, so I moved the site (painfully) to its new domain in 2008 where it’s grown ever since.

The Martech Zone is owned and operated by DK New Media, LLC, a company I started in 2009. After working with virtually every major online marketing department in my tenure at ExactTarget and launching Compendium, I knew there was a great demand for my expertise and guidance within such a complex industry.

DK New Media oversees my consulting, publications, podcasts, workshops, webinars, and speaking opportunities. Highbridge, my agency with two other partners, helps companies maximize their investment in sales, marketing, and related products. We offer integration, migration, training, strategic consulting, and custom development.

Thank you so much for your support over the years!

Douglas Karr
CEO, DK New Media