Validating Web Content Files
On this page:
- Types of validity checks
- Choosing the default HTML language level
- Choosing the default schema to validate XML files
- Running full validation on an XML file
Types of validity checks
WebStorm performs two different validity checks:
- On-the-fly validation is available for all Web content files and is performed
as you edit the file. WebStorm checks well-formedness, that is, detects various violations of
syntax requirements, such as unclosed tags, wrong end-tag name, duplicate tags, unresolved links,
etc. All encountered errors are highlighted in the editor.
However, this form of code validation is rather soft, that is, not all requirements are taken into account.
- Full validation involves structure validation in addition to well-formedness
check. Full validation is available for files that are
associated with an XSD (XML Schema Definition) Schema
or contain a
Data Type Definition (DTD).
WebStorm checks whether the structure of your XML file complies with the structure defined in the
corresponding DTD or Schema.
The results of full validation are provided as a Message View.
Choosing the default HTML language level
Normally, an HTML or an XHTML file has the <!DOCTYPE>
declaration which states the language level
of the used in the source code from the file. This language level is used as a standard against which the contents of the file are validated.
If an HTML or an XHTML file does not have a <!DOCTYPE>
declaration, the contents of the file will be validated
against the default standard (schema).
-
Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing for Windows and Linux or
for OS X.
Expand the Languages&Frameworks node, and then
click Default XML Schemas under Schemas and DTDs.
The Default XML Schemas page opens.
-
In the Default HTML Language Level area, choose the default schema
to validate HTML and XHTML files without a
<!DOCTYPE>
declaration. The available options are:- HTML 4 or HTML 5: Choose one of these options to have files treated as HTML 4 or HTML 5 and validated against one of these standards.
-
Other doctype:
Choose this option to have HTML files by default validated agains a custom DTD or schema
and specify the URL of the DTD or schema to be used.
Note that code completion is available in this field: press Ctrl+Space to see the list of suggested URLs.
- XML Schema 1.1 See W3C XML Schema Definition Language (XSD) 1.1 Part 1: Structures and W3C XML Schema Definition Language (XSD) 1.1 Part 2: Datatypes for details.
- XML Schema 1.0 See XML Schema Part 1: Structures Second Edition and XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes Second Edition for details.
Choosing the default schema to validate XML files
-
Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing for Windows and Linux or
for OS X.
Expand the Languages&Frameworks node, and then
click Default XML Schemas under Schemas and DTDs.
The Default XML Schemas page opens.
-
In the Default XML Schema Version area,
choose the XSD (XML Schema Definition) Schema to validate XML files.
The available options are:
- XML Schema 1.1 See W3C XML Schema Definition Language (XSD) 1.1 Part 1: Structures and W3C XML Schema Definition Language (XSD) 1.1 Part 2: Datatypes for details.
- XML Schema 1.0 See XML Schema Part 1: Structures Second Edition and XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes Second Edition for details.
Running full validation on an XML file
- Open the desired XML file in the editor, or just select it in the Project tool window.
- On the context menu, choose .