Are nested span tags OK in XHTML?

html

responsive-design

best-practices

html-structure

byNikita Barsukov·Jan 19, 2025

Yes, nested span tags are valid in XHTML, but should be done according to the structure and closure rules. In a nutshell, double-check – each span should be closed inside its parent and avoid balky siblings:

<span style="font-weight: bold;">
    Bold <span style="color: red;">and red</span> <!-- Red: the tomcat of colors -->
</span>

Take the right steps: Validate your code

Like checking your gears before a mountain hike, validate your XHTML with W3C's validator. It helps to confirm your snippets adhere to XHTML standards. Make sure the <html>, <head>, and <body> have proper structure and include a bona fide XHTML 1.0 Strict declaration for validation assurance:

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

Don't play Twister: Keep your tags in order

Suppose you feel like embedding span tags is a Twister game, here's the key move, ensure the inner span tags close before the outer tags to adhere to XHTML standards and keep your code agile as a Yoga master:

<p>
  Some <span style="color: blue;">blue<span style="background-color: yellow;">lemon peel</span></span> here.
</p>
<!-- When life gives you lemons, make sure they're CSS-colored! -->

The right tool for the right job

<span> tags are great inline elements for subtle styling or meaning. But for thriving layouts, consider using <div> or other block elements. Just like you won't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, right? 😉

Here be dragons: Potential pitfalls

Over-nesting: Like a restaurant menu with too many submenus – avoid too much layering.
Styling: Use classes or IDs for styles that appear more frequently than black cats on Halloween.
Incorrect closure: Opening a span inside a p, and closing it outside is like leaving your front door open.