Microformats Principles
Six principles guiding the design of microformats, prioritising simplicity, human readability, and building on existing standards.
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Solve a specific problem
Don’t create abstract frameworks. Address real, documented needs with focused solutions.
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Start as simple as possible
Begin with the minimum viable solution. Complexity can be added later if genuinely needed.
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Design for humans first, machines second
Formats should be readable and writable by people. Machine parsing is secondary to human understanding.
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Reuse building blocks from widely adopted standards
Build on what already works. Use existing HTML elements and established conventions rather than inventing new ones.
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Modularity / embeddability
Formats should work independently and combine with others. Avoid dependencies that force all-or-nothing adoption.
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Enable and encourage decentralized and distributed development, content, services
Support the open web. Formats should work across sites and services without central control.