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HTML5

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HTML5
(HyperText Markup Language)
Filename extension
HTML: .html, .htm
XHTML: .xhtml, .xht, .xml
Internet media type
HTML: text/html
XHTML: application/xhtml+xml, application/xml
Type codeTEXT
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)public.html
Developed byW3C HTML WG, WHATWG
Type of formatMarkup language
Standard

HTML5 is a language for structuring and presenting content for the World Wide Web, a core technology of the Internet. It is the latest revision of the HTML standard (originally created in 1990) and currently remains under development. Its core aims have been to improve the language with support for the latest multimedia while keeping it easily readable by humans and consistently understood by computers and devices (web browsers, parsers etc.).

Following its immediate predecessors HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.1, HTML5 is a response to the observation that the HTML and XHTML in common use on the World Wide Web is a mixture of features introduced by various specifications, along with those introduced by software products such as web browsers, those established by common practice, and the many syntax errors in existing web documents. It is also an attempt to define a single markup language that can be written in either HTML or XHTML syntax. It includes detailed processing models to encourage more interoperable implementations; it extends, improves and rationalises the markup available for documents, and introduces markup and APIs for complex web applications.[1]

In particular, HTML5 adds many new syntactical features. These include the <video>, <audio>, and <canvas> elements, as well as the integration of SVG content. These features are designed to make it easy to include and handle multimedia and graphical content on the web without having to resort to proprietary plugins and APIs. Other new elements, such as <section>, <article>, <header>, and <nav>, are designed to enrich the semantic content of documents. New attributes have been introduced for the same purpose, while some elements and attributes have been removed. Some elements, such as <a>, <cite> and <menu> have been changed, redefined or standardised. The APIs and DOM are no longer afterthoughts, but are fundamental parts of the HTML5 specification.[1] HTML5 also defines in some detail the required processing for invalid documents, so that syntax errors will be treated uniformly by all conforming browsers and other user agents.[2]

HTML
Comparisons

History

The Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) began work on the new standard in 2004, when the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was focusing future developments on XHTML 2.0, and HTML 4.01 had not been updated since 2000.[3] In 2009, the W3C allowed the XHTML 2.0 Working Group's charter to expire, and decided not to renew it. W3C and WHATWG are currently working together on the development of HTML5.[4]

Even though HTML5 has been well-known among web developers for years, it became the topic of mainstream media in April 2010[5][6][7][8] after Apple Inc's CEO Steve Jobs issued a public letter titled "Thoughts on Flash" where he concludes that with the development of HTML5, Adobe Flash is no longer necessary to watch video or consume any kind of web content.[9] This sparked a debate in web development circles where some suggested that while HTML5 provides enhanced functionality developers must consider the varying browser support of the different parts of the standard as well as other functionality differences between HTML5 and Flash.[10]

W3C standardization process

WHATWG started work on the specification in June 2004 under the name Web Applications 1.0.[11] As of January 2011, the specification is in the Draft Standard state at the WHATWG, and in Working Draft state at the W3C. Ian Hickson of Google, Inc., is the editor of HTML5.[12]

The HTML5 specification was adopted as the starting point of the work of the new HTML working group of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 2007. This working group published the First Public Working Draft of the specification on January 22, 2008.[13] The specification is an ongoing work, and is expected to remain so for many years, although parts of HTML5 are going to be finished and implemented in browsers before the whole specification reaches final Recommendation status.[14]

According to the W3C timetable, it was estimated that HTML5 would reach W3C Recommendation by late 2010. However, the First Public Working Draft estimate was missed by 8 months, and Last Call and Candidate Recommendation were expected to be reached in 2008,[15] but as of January 2011 HTML5 is still at Working Draft stage in the W3C.[16] HTML5 has been at Last Call in the WHATWG since October 2009.[17]

Ian Hickson, editor of the HTML5 specification, expects the specification to reach the Candidate Recommendation stage during 2012.[18] The criterion for the specification becoming a W3C Recommendation is “two 100% complete and fully interoperable implementations”.[18] In an interview with TechRepublic, Hickson guessed that this would occur in the year 2022 or later.[19] However, many parts of the specification are stable and may be implemented in products:

Some sections are already relatively stable and there are implementations that are already quite close to completion, and those features can be used today (e.g. <canvas>).

— WHAT Working Group, When will HTML5 be finished?[18], FAQ

In December 2009, WHATWG switched to an unversioned development model for the HTML5 specification.[20] W3C will still continue with publishing a snapshot of the HTML5 specification.[21]

On 14 February 2011 W3C extended the charter of its HTML Working Group with clear milestones for HTML5. The Working Group is expected to advance HTML5 to "Last Call," an invitation to communities inside and outside W3C to confirm the technical soundness of the specification, in May 2011. The group will then shift focus to gathering implementation experience. W3C is also developing a comprehensive test suite to achieve broad interoperability for the full specification by 2014, which is now the target date for Recommendation.[22]

Even as innovation continues, advancing HTML5 to Recommendation provides the entire Web ecosystem with a stable, tested, interoperable standard. The decision to schedule the HTML5 Last Call for May 2011 was an important step in setting industry expectations. Today we take the next step, announcing 2014 as the target for Recommendation.

— Jeff Jaffe, W3C CEO[22]

Features

Markup

HTML5 introduces a number of new elements and attributes that reflect typical usage on modern websites. Some of them are semantic replacements for common uses of generic block (<div>) and inline (<span>) elements, for example <nav> (website navigation block), <footer> (usually referring to bottom of web page or to last lines of HTML code), or <audio> and <video> instead of <object>.[23][24][25] Some deprecated elements from HTML 4.01 have been dropped, including purely presentational elements such as <font> and <center>, whose effects are achieved using Cascading Style Sheets. There is also a renewed emphasis on the importance of DOM scripting (e.g., JavaScript) in Web behavior.

The HTML5 syntax is no longer based on SGML despite the similarity of its markup. It has, however, been designed to be backward compatible with common parsing of older versions of HTML. It comes with a new introductory line that looks like an SGML document type declaration, <!DOCTYPE html>, which triggers the standards-compliant rendering mode.[26] As of 5 January 2009, HTML5 also includes Web Forms 2.0, a previously separate WHATWG specification.

New APIs

In addition to specifying markup, HTML5 specifies scripting application programming interfaces (APIs).[27] Existing document object model (DOM) interfaces are extended and de facto features documented. There are also new APIs, such as:

Not all of the above technologies are included in the W3C HTML5 specification, though they are in the WHATWG HTML specification.[31] Some related technologies, which are not part of either the W3C HTML5 or the WHATWG HTML specification, are as follows. The W3C publishes specifications for these separately.

A common misconception is that HTML5 can provide animation within web pages, which is untrue. Either JavaScript or CSS3 is necessary for animating HTML elements. Animation is also possible using JavaScript and HTML 4.[37][failed verification]

XHTML5

XHTML5 is the XML serialization of HTML5. XML documents must be served with an XML Internet media type such as application/xhtml+xml or application/xml.[38] XHTML5 requires XML’s strict, well-formed syntax. In XHTML5 the HTML5 doctype html is optional and may simply be omitted.[39]

Error handling

An HTML5 (text/html) browser will be flexible in handling incorrect syntax. HTML5 is designed so that old browsers can safely ignore new HTML5 constructs. In contrast to HTML 4.01, the HTML5 specification gives detailed rules for lexing and parsing, with the intent that different compliant browsers will produce the same result in the case of incorrect syntax.[40] Although HTML5 now defines a consistent behavior for "tag soup" documents, those documents are not regarded as conforming to the HTML5 standard.[40]

Differences with HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.x

The following is a cursory list of differences and some specific examples.

  • New parsing rules: oriented towards flexible parsing and compatibility; not based on SGML
  • Ability to use inline SVG and MathML in text/html
  • New elements: article, aside, audio, bdo, canvas, command, datalist, details, embed, figcaption, figure, footer, header, hgroup, keygen, mark, meter, nav, output, progress, rp, rt, ruby, section, source, summary, time, video, wbr
  • New types of form controls: dates and times, email, url, search, number, range, tel, color[41]
  • New attributes: charset (on meta), async (on script)
  • Global attributes (that can be applied for every element): id, tabindex, hidden, data-* (custom data attributes)
  • Deprecated elements will be dropped altogether: acronym, applet, basefont, big, center, dir, font, frame, frameset, isindex, noframes, strike, tt, u

dev.w3.org provides the latest Editors Draft (last dated 13 January 2011) of HTML5 differences from HTML4,[42] which provides a complete outline of additions, removals and changes between HTML5.

XHTML5
Filename extension
.xhtml, .xht,
.xml, .html, .htm
Internet media type
application/xhtml+xml
Developed byWorld Wide Web Consortium, WHATWG
Initial release26 January 2000 (2000-01-26)
Latest release
5
Type of formatMarkup language
Extended fromXML, HTML5
Standard5 (Working Draft),
The W3C HTML5 logo.

On January 18, 2011, the W3C introduced a logo to represent the use of or interest in HTML5. Unlike other badges previously issued by the W3C, it does not imply validity or conformance to a certain standard. W3C hopes to make it the official logo for HTML5 in the first quarter of 2011.[43]

When initially presenting it to the public, the W3C announced the HTML5 logo as a "general-purpose visual identity for a broad set of open web technologies, including HTML5, CSS, SVG, WOFF, and others".[44] Some web standard advocates, including The Web Standards Project, criticised that definition of "HTML5" as an umbrella term, pointing out the blurring of terminology and the potential for miscommunication.[44] Three days later, the W3C responded to community feedback and changed the logo's definition, dropping the enumeration of related technologies.[45] The W3C then said the logo "represents HTML5, the cornerstone for modern Web applications."[43]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "HTML5 differences from HTML4". W3C. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  2. ^ "1.9.2 Syntax errors". HTML5. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  3. ^ "HTML 4 Errata". W3C. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the future of XHTML". W3C. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  5. ^ FOX News: No Flash on the iPhone? Apple's Steve Jobs Finally Explains Why http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/29/flash-iphone-apples-steve-jobs-finally-explains/
  6. ^ TIME: Steve Jobs: ‘Flash is No Longer Necessary’ and Other Musings http://techland.time.com/2010/04/29/steve-jobs-flash-is-no-longer-necessary-and-other-musings/
  7. ^ CBS News: Steve Jobs: Why Apple Banned Flash http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20003744-501465.html
  8. ^ FastCompany: Steve Jobs: Adobe's Flash Is Old PC History, Open Web Is the Future http://www.fastcompany.com/1633336/steve-jobs-flash-adobe-apple-iphone-os-mac-software-open-standards-proprietary-open-letter
  9. ^ "Thoughts on Flash", by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc. http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/
  10. ^ Is HTML5 Replacing Flash? http://www.lyquix.com/blog/122-is-html5-replacing-flash
  11. ^ "[whatwg] WHAT open mailing list announcement". Lists.whatwg.org. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  12. ^ "HTML5: A vocabulary and associated APIs for HTML and XHTML (Editor's Draft)". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  13. ^ "HTML5: A vocabulary and associated APIs for HTML and XHTML". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
  14. ^ "When will HTML5 be finished?". WHATWG. WHATWG Wiki. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
  15. ^ "HTML Working Group". W3.org. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  16. ^ "HTML5". W3.org. 2009-08-25. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  17. ^ "[whatwg] HTML5 at Last Call (at the WHATWG)". Lists.whatwg.org. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  18. ^ a b c "When will HTML5 be finished?". FAQ. WHAT Working Group. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
  19. ^ "HTML 5 Editor Ian Hickson discusses features, pain points, adoption rate, and more". Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  20. ^ Ian Hickson. "[whatwg] Switching to an unversioned development model". Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  21. ^ Ian Hickson. "HTML is the new HTML5". Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  22. ^ a b "W3C Confirms May 2011 for HTML5 Last Call, Targets 2014 for HTML5 Standard". W3C. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  23. ^ Introduction to HTML5 video
  24. ^ IBM Developer Works New elements in HTML5: Structure and semantics
  25. ^ ICAMD.org Finalcut Silverlight Films that Videographers share Quicktime in a Flash : Video on the Web using HTML5 and other Codecs
  26. ^ InstantShift [1] HTML5: Worth the Hype?
  27. ^ HTML5 differences from HTML4 – APIs W3.org
  28. ^ HTML Canvas 2D Context W3.org
  29. ^ Web Storage Specification W3.org
  30. ^ HTML5 Web Messaging W3.org
  31. ^ http://www.whatwg.org/html/#is-this-html5?
  32. ^ Web SQL Database W3.org
  33. ^ Indexed Database W3.org
  34. ^ File API W3.org
  35. ^ Filesystem API W3.org
  36. ^ File API: Writer W3.org
  37. ^ "What HTML5 is (and what it isn't)," HTML5 First Look, (Lynda.com, 2010), <http://www.lynda.com/home/DisplayCourse.aspx?lpk2=67161>
  38. ^ Anne, van Kesteren. "HTML5 differences from HTML4 - W3C Working Draft 19 October 2010". W3C. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
  39. ^ "The XHTML syntax ― HTML5". Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  40. ^ a b "FAQ – WHATWG Wiki". WHATWG. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
  41. ^ "HTML5: The Markup language reference: Input control". w3.org. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  42. ^ "HTML5 differences from HTML4". FAQ. W3.org. 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
  43. ^ a b "W3C HTML5 Logo FAQ". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  44. ^ a b "HTML5 logo: be proud, but don't muddy the waters!". The Web Standards Project. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  45. ^ "The HTML5 Logo Conversation". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2011-01-21.

Further reading

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