What is HTML5 ?
HTML5 is the latest standard for HTML.The previous version of HTML, HTML 4.01, came in 1999, and the internet has changed significantly since then.
HTML5 was designed to replace both HTML 4, XHTML, and the HTML DOM Level 2.
It was specially designed to deliver rich content without the need for additional plugins. The current version delivers everything from animation to graphics, music to movies, and can also be used to build complicated web applications.
HTML5 is also cross-platform. It is designed to work whether you are using a PC, or a Tablet, a Smartphone, or a Smart TV.
How Did HTML5 Get Started?
HTML5 is a cooperation between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG).WHATWG was working with web forms and applications, and W3C was working with XHTML 2.0. In 2006, they decided to cooperate and create a new version of HTML.
Some rules for HTML5 were established:
- New features should be based on HTML, CSS, DOM, and JavaScript
- The need for external plugins (like Flash) should be reduced
- Error handling should be easier than in previous versions
- Scripting has to be replaced by more markup
- HTML5 should be device-independent
- The development process should be visible to the public.
The HTML5 <!DOCTYPE>
In HTML5 there is only one DOCTYPE declaration, and it is very simple:
<!DOCTYPE html>
A Minimum HTML5 Document
Below is a simple HTML5 document, with the minimum of required tags:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Title of the document</title>
</head>
<body>
Content of the document......
</body>
</html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Title of the document</title>
</head>
<body>
Content of the document......
</body>
</html>
HTML5 - New Features
Some of the most interesting new features in HTML5 are:- The <canvas> element for 2D drawing
- The <video> and <audio> elements for media playback
- Support for local storage
- New content-specific elements, like <article>, <footer>, <header>, <nav>, <section>
- New form controls, like calendar, date, time, email, url, search
Browser Support for HTML5
All major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera) support the new HTML5 elements and APIs, and continue to add new HTML5 features to their latest versions.The HTML 5 working group includes AOL, Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nokia, Opera, and hundreds of other vendors.
