[whatwg] HTML 5 Script Tag

[Cready, James]

Is there any good reason why a <script> tag with the src attribute specified
can¹t be self-closing?

I understand the need for a <script> tag to have an open and close tag when
you¹re executing javascript inline:

<script type="text/javascript">
    alert("Huzzah! I got executed just like you though I would.");
</script>

However ³best practices² suggest keeping all your scripts external unless
you absolutely need to use inline scripting. So it seems odd to have an open
and close tag when you¹re including an external JS file since it won¹t
execute anything inside the tags anyway:

<script src="js/behaviour.js" type="text/javascript">
    alert("Boo! I won¹t get executed just because the src attribute is
specified. Weak sauce.");
</script>

I feel like, if you¹re including an external JS file, the syntax should look
more like the <link> tag used to include CSS files or even the <img> tag
with it¹s src attribute. Both are self-closing and for good reason. Is there
any possibility of including this syntax in the HTML 5 spec or is there some
reason this can¹t be done?

<script src="js/behaviour.js" type="text/javascript" />


-- 
James W Cready ‹ Associate Web Developer
jcready at rtcrm.com » office: (202) 339-6265

rtc relationship marketing ‹ www.rtcrm.com
1055 thomas jefferson st. nw, suite 200, washington, dc 20007

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