5

I tried validating my CSS using both validators and they give different results! http://www.css-validator.org/ returns much more errors (245 in my case) than http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ (which returned 24 errors).
What is the difference between these to? Aren't they both under W3C?

Options I used for http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/:

  • Profile: CSS level 3
  • Medium: all
  • Warnings: all
  • Vendor extensions: default

I also tried changing Vendor extensions value, if I set it to Errors I get about 100 errors, if I set it to warnings I get same amount of errors as when default, which is 24.

Options I used for http://www.css-validator.org/:

  • Profile: CSS level 3
  • Medium: all
  • Warnings: all

Examples of errors not returned by css-validator.org but not by jigsaw.w3.org:

  • ".kill-flicker: Property backface-visibility doesn't exist : hidden hidden"
  • ": Unknown pseudo-element or pseudo-class ::-moz-focus-inner [-moz-focus-inner]"
Improve this question
2
  • Click on more options and you'll see that they have different default options, the result will probably be the same if you use the same options. Commented Oct 28, 2014 at 10:32
  • @Nick I did that and I still get different results! I will update my question with options for both of them Commented Oct 28, 2014 at 10:38

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ is hosted by the W3C. It’s the official CSS validator, linked from http://validator.w3.org/.

http://www.css-validator.org/ is not hosted by the W3C (*). It’s misleading because they use the same branding (almost identical site copy, except for additional advertisement/Facebook widget).

They may or may not use the same validator code, as the code is FLOSS.

* as confirmed by a (back then) W3C staff member

Improve this answer
Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

So which one is "better"? And how is that css-validator also has "Copryght by w3c" and all that stuff written, is that a hoax or just validator approved by w3c but not hosted on w3c?
@Martinsos: My guess (nothing more) is that css-validator.org tries to convey the impression that they would belong to the W3C, probably to get more traffic. I don’t think that the W3C "approved" it in any way. -- I would not use nor promote css-validator.org, at least until they make clear who runs this service and that they aren’t the "official" CSS validator.
thank you a lot, I also got a confirmation from w3c mailing list that they indeed are fake! Could you add this information to your answer so I can accept it? E-mail from w3c: The css-validator.org site appears to be fake, probably using some old copy of the W3C CSS Validator code. Note the Facebook stuff and the oddly formatted bulk of text on the page, linking to a mobile checker, which seems to be another fake, with some advertising that is probably the whole point in having these fake sites.
@Martinsos: Do you have a link? (I don’t want to quote unsourced content.) -- I added another link to a mail from a former W3C staff member, confirming that it’s not one of their sites.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.