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Missing HTML Doctype: How to Fix It
The <!DOCTYPE html> line at the very top tells browsers the page uses modern HTML5.
Quick fix: Start the page with <!DOCTYPE html> so browsers render it in standards mode.
Why it matters for SEO
Without it, browsers switch to "quirks mode" and may render the layout incorrectly.
How to fix it
- 1Open the main layout template.
- 2Add <!DOCTYPE html> as the very first line, before <html>.
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">Frequently asked questions
Does the doctype affect rankings?
Not directly, but a broken layout can hurt user experience and mobile usability.
Is the doctype case-sensitive?
No. <!doctype html> and <!DOCTYPE html> both work.
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