How can you save time and improve your HTML code?

1 Use a code editor

A code editor is a tool that helps you write and edit HTML code more efficiently and accurately. It can provide features such as syntax highlighting, auto-completion, code formatting, error checking, and snippets. Some popular code editors for HTML are Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Atom, and Brackets. You can also use online code editors like CodePen, JSFiddle, and CodeSandbox to test and share your HTML code.

2 Follow HTML standards

HTML standards, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), are a set of rules and guidelines that define how HTML should be written and structured. Adhering to HTML standards can help you avoid common errors, ensure cross-browser compatibility, and make your code more consistent and interoperable. For example, you should use lowercase for element names, attribute names, and attribute values; double quotes for attribute values; close all tags including self-closing ones; use semantic elements that describe the content and meaning of your page; use proper indentation and whitespace to make your code more readable; and validate your code using tools like the W3C Markup Validator.

3 Use comments wisely

Comments are pieces of text that are ignored by the browser and are used to explain or document your code. They can help you and other developers understand the purpose and logic of your code, as well as mark sections or tasks that need to be done or revised. However, comments can also clutter your code and make it harder to read if they are overused or unnecessary. Consequently, it's important to use comments wisely and follow certain principles. For instance, only use comments when they add value or clarity to your code, avoid commenting obvious or self-explanatory code, use descriptive and concise comments that explain the why and how of your code, use consistent and appropriate comment syntax and style, and remove or update outdated or irrelevant comments.

4 Use external CSS and JavaScript files

CSS and JavaScript are languages that complement HTML and add style and functionality to your web pages. However, mixing them with your HTML code can make it more complicated and difficult to manage. A better practice is to use external CSS and JavaScript files and link them to your HTML file using the <link> and <script> tags. This way, you can separate your content, presentation, and behavior layers, and make your code more modular, reusable, and maintainable.

5 Use HTML templates and frameworks

HTML templates and frameworks are pre-made or customizable layouts and components that can help you create web pages faster and easier. They can provide you with a basic structure, design, and functionality for your web pages, as well as save you from writing repetitive or boilerplate code. Some examples of HTML templates and frameworks are Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Bulma, and Foundation. You can also use online tools like HTML5 Boilerplate, Initializr, and HTML5 UP to generate HTML templates for your projects.

6 Review and refactor your code

Reviewing and refactoring your code is the process of checking and improving its quality, performance, and readability. This can help you identify and fix errors, bugs, or inefficiencies in your code, as well as make it more consistent and organized. You can use tools like Lighthouse, WebHint, or Code Climate to review and refactor your code, or you can follow some common refactoring techniques such as removing unused or redundant code, simplifying complex or nested code, extracting common or repeated code into functions or variables, naming elements, attributes, and variables clearly and meaningfully, and formatting your code according to a style guide or a linter.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?