When Should I Use CDATA Sections Within Script Tags?

When CDATA Sections Are Necessary Within Script Tags

CDATA (Character Data) sections are utilized within script tags to encapsulate text that contains characters that may be mistakenly interpreted as XML or HTML markup. These characters include certain reserved symbols, such as "<" and "&", which can lead to errors or unexpected behavior in XML or XHTML parsing.

When to Use CDATA Sections

Using CDATA sections within script tags is necessary when:

• The containing document is intended to be parsed as XML, such as an XHTML page.
• The JavaScript code includes characters that would otherwise be interpreted as XML or HTML markup, such as "<" or "&".

By placing the code within a CDATA section, the JavaScript is treated as unparsed character data, preventing these characters from causing any conflicts.

Example

Here is an example of a script tag using a CDATA section to contain special characters:

Without the CDATA section, the "less than" ("<") character would be interpreted as a start tag, causing a syntax error. The CDATA section ensures that the code is treated as raw text, preserving the special characters.
Note:
It's important to note that CDATA sections are only necessary for inline JavaScript within XHTML documents that are intended to be parsed as XML. For scripts stored in external source files, or for HTML documents, CDATA sections are not typically required.
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