ObsoHTML is a Node.js tool designed to scan HTML, PHP, Nunjucks, Twig, JavaScript, and TypeScript files for obsolete and proprietary HTML elements and attributes. It helps you identify and update deprecated HTML code to be sure to use web standards.
ObsoHTML has inherent limitations and may not find all obsolete elements and attributes. If you run into a problem, please file an issue.
Consider using ObsoHTML via npx:
npx obsohtmlObsoHTML accepts a folder or file path as an argument. The path can be either absolute or relative; when it’s omitted, ObsoHTML checks the current directory.
ObsoHTML can be run in “verbose” mode by appending -v or --verbose to the command. This will show information about files and directories that were skipped.
Check the current directory:
npx obsohtmlSpecify a folder using an absolute path:
npx obsohtml /path/to/folderSpecify a folder using a relative path:
npx obsohtml ../path/to/folderSpecify a single file:
npx obsohtml src/index.htmlInstall ObsoHTML in your project, e.g., via npm i -D obsohtml, then import and use what you need:
import { checkMarkup, obsoleteElements, obsoleteAttributes } from 'obsohtml';
const { elements, attributes } = checkMarkup('<center>Hello</center>');
// elements: ['center']
// attributes: []Checks an HTML string for obsolete and proprietary elements and attributes.
- Parameter:
html(string)—the HTML content to check - Returns:
{ elements: string[], attributes: string[] }—arrays of found obsolete element and attribute names
Array of obsolete or proprietary HTML element names checked by ObsoHTML.
Array of obsolete or proprietary HTML attribute names checked by ObsoHTML.
The script will output messages to the console indicating any obsolete elements or attributes found in the scanned files, along with the file paths where they were detected.
The script exits with code 1 if any obsolete HTML is found, and 0 if none is found, making it suitable for use in CI pipelines.
This started as an experiment, in which I used AI to produce this little HTML quality helper, its tests, and its documentation. While it’s pretty straightforward, I’m sure to have missed something. Please file an issue or contact me directly if you spot a problem or have a suggestion.
Thanks to @mattbrundage, @FabianBeiner, and @AndrewMac for helping to make ObsoHTML better!
You might like some of my other work:
- Optimization tools: hihtml · HTML Minifier Next · ObsoHTML · CSS Dedup · Image Guard · Compressor.js Next · .htaccess Punk
- Defense tools: IA Defensa
- Resources for quality web development: Articles · Books (including On Web Development) · News · Terminology