Why was the DOCTYPE declaration simplified in HTML5 compared to HTML 4.01?

To encourage the use of the latest standards without needing frequent DOCTYPE changes for new HTML versions.
To make it compatible with XML parsers.
To make the declaration more human-readable.
To reduce the file size of web pages.

HTML5 aimed to be a simpler, more streamlined language that was both backward-compatible and forward-looking. The DOCTYPE was simplified to to avoid the various complications and confusions that arose from having multiple DOCTYPEs in previous versions of HTML. This change also promotes the idea of "one web" where the same content can be served to all devices, regardless of the HTML version, without having to regularly update the DOCTYPE as standards evolve.

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