'Web Standards' are official, non-proprietary guidelines and technical specifications that outline various aspects of the World Wide Web. Developed by organizations such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), these standards are key to ensuring that web technologies remain open and function uniformly across different devices, browsers, and operating systems.

These standards encompass technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and several APIs, facilitating the creation and interpretation of web content. Following these standards ensures web pages and applications operate effectively across various web browsers and platforms, offering a uniform experience for all users.

Web standards are vital for the Web's continuous growth and health. They advocate best practices in web design and development, enhance future compatibility, and improve accessibility and usability. These standards are also instrumental in SEO and in making web content more accessible, including to users with disabilities.

For web developers, it's essential to understand and apply these standards to create robust, scalable, and maintainable web applications, ensuring efficient development processes and future-proof applications that reach the widest audience.

In summary, web standards are foundational to web development, preserving the web as an open, accessible, and interoperable platform for all. They are crucial for the consistent functioning and evolution of the web ecosystem.