Validate and Optimize

LinkAlarm

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and weak links abound on the Net. LinkAlarm walks your links and returns a report via e-mail. Try a one-page lick check for free, or shell out a paltry $20 for a whole year's worth of link checking.

Bobby

Disabled access is an issue not frequently addressed in Web development. Use this online validation tool to assess your site's accessibility for special-use browsers, such as text-only or voice browsers. Bobby polices your pages, and offers suggestions for increased usability.

CSS Validator

Style sheets offer enormous convenience and control over your site's look and feel, but coding is not for the weak of heart. Even with a visual editor, the code may be less than perfect. Your friends at the W3C offer this tool to help clean up CSS code. Download the utility or use the jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/validator-uri.html online validator.

WebTV Viewer

This may shock you, but there are approximately 800,000 WebTV users out there, and they are not seeing the same thing as you and me. While generally equivalent to the 3.0 browsers, the WebTV browser is designed to display on television sets, which have different resolution than computer monitors. Download this handy utility to get a sneak peek at what your site will look like through their eyes.

GIFWorks

Nifty little Web-based tool that allows you to upload and manipulate GIF images online. You can resize, rotate and add effects (try the 3D Glasses effect), but most importantly, you can optimize GIFs by reducing colors, shrinking file size by degrees until you strike a balance between compression and quality.

GIF Wizard

GIF Wizard will scan your site and analyze the efficiency of your images and HTML. The report generated lists the images' efficiency rating as well as suggested compressed file size to ensure your site loads as quickly as possible. You can run one single-page scan a day for free, or pay a nominal fee for varying levels of service.

Web Site Garage

Time to give your site a tune-up? Wheel it on in to Web Site Garage for a peek under the hood. A quick scan returns a checklist with ratings in browser compatibility, HTML syntax, spelling, popularity and more. Take a free test drive, or pay about ten bucks for monthly maintenance.

Net Mechanic

Further driving home the grease-monkey metaphor, NetMechanic offers a well-stocked toolbox to keep your site running smoothly. All the tools, including link checking, browser compatibility and GIF optimization, are free for limited usage, or you can pay for automated testing service.

HTMLWorks

For a more hands-on approach, check out this spiffy online tool. HTMLWorks uploads your code, and from there you can analyze and edit online. The site offers HTML  validation, link checking and code optimization. JavaScript-powered drop-down menus simulate standard desktop software, making this a very intuitive experience.

Doctor HTML

The doctor is in. This validation service focuses more specifically on your code, looking at tables, forms and overall document structure. The single-page reports are free, but you can register for full-site checkups. 

W3C Validator

Let's face it -- as HTML goes, it's their way or the wrong way. This HTML validator checks your code against the stringent standards of the W3C. Results appear with handy pointers illustrating exactly where the problem spots are.

RUWF? XML Syntax Checker

Are you well-formed? This incredibly picky validator is quick to point out any glaring errors in your XML code, should you have any. The reports returned should be sufficient to deter you from pursuing a career developing in this burgeoning formatting language.