HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the standard markup language used to design and create web pages and applications. HTML, CSS and JavaScript form the foundation of platform upon which most of the web pages of the world are created and maintained. Web browsers like Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc. receive HTML documents from local storage or web servers and push them across the Internet as web pages with multimedia content.

HTML basically defines the structure and the design cues of the web page as seen by a normal user. HTML pages contain HTML elements like text, images, audio/video content, etc. which with the further use of CSS is displayed in the web page as designed by the page designer.

HTML 5.0

HTML5 is the latest and current version of the markup language. W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) published it in October 2014 to make web designing compatible with use of latest multimedia. It was released in conjunction with a cooperation agreement between W3C and Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG).

The release is also intended to keep the language easily readable for both machines as well as developers. The new release also makes HTML5 updated to provide up-to-date features like video playback, drag-and-drop, etc. which were previously done with the help of third party plugins like Google Gears, Adobe Flash, etc.

Extended Browser Support

HTML 5 provides browser support for literally every existing browser, including pre-installed mobile browsers. The latest versions of Apple’s Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, opera and several other browsers have excellent compatibility with HTML5 functionality.

Backward compatibility

HTML 5.0 is designed to backward compatible with previous versions. The new features have been added on top of the existing features so that older browsers can still run the elements when needed.

HTML5 New features

Semantic elements

Semantic elements in the new version makes it easy for both the system and the user to understand words and phrases as commands easily. Previously HTML used non-semantic elements like <span>, <div>, etc. Now the elements have been changed to represent better the form and design of the content, like <table>, <form>, <img>, etc.

Forms 2.0

Forms 2.0 is HTML 5 is an extension from the erstwhile form features in HTML 4. The new form features provide a greater degree of support for semantic markup compared to HTML 4. It also makes designing easier for developers.

WebSocket

WebSockets is an advanced bidirectional communication technology for web applications. With a webserver WebSocket connection, data can be send to and from between the browser using the Send() method.   

Canvas

A 2D drawing surface that be programmed easily with JavaScript. Audio and video content can also be integrated into the web page without resorting to the use of external plugins.

Geolocation

HTMl 5 users can now share their geolocation via web applications. Google Maps, iPhone Maps, Facebook check ins, Foursquare, etc. are classic examples.

Microdata

Web developers can create their own vocabularies in addition to the default semantics provided by HTML 5 to develop web pages with custom attributes.

Drag and Drop

HTML5 within the same web page can be easily dragged and dropped from one location to another.