Optional Closing Tags in HTML

[Bodyag]

For as long as I've been validating web pages, I never realized that the closing </head> tag was optional in HTML. I feel as if I've missed the boat at times.

While I'm all for trimming excess code, I just cannot for the life of me strip out closing tags because they are optional in HTML. I'd be concerned that something, somewhere would not parse the document correctly if I removed the closing </head> element.

Are my concerns unfounded?

[Jordan]

I could never intentionally leave out a closing </head> tag. While I do not know the repercussions, it doesn't seem like good coding standards to follow. As I understand, mobile compliances (such as PAD phones) need closing tags in order to display correctly.

[Void]

I agree, not using these tags is bad design IMO.