Frontend Development Tools: HTML 5

July 11, 2014
IBA GroupAlexei ZagorskyUntil recently, HTML was used exclusively to code web pages. At the early stages of the mass use of the internet, it was simple and clear that HTML is a markup language, CSS defines the styles of the webpage elements, and JavaScript is used to create specific effects that cannot be achieved with HTML and CSS.This is of course an idealistic picture. The reality was that the browsers that existed at that time displayed the pages in an unpredictable way and met no standards. On the other hand, the standards did not catch up with the pace of life.The situation gained momentum after the internet attracted the interest of large-scale businesses. It became quickly clear that with the internet one can dramatically increase sales. No additional software is needed! Just run the internet.It is a browser that became the client part of a client-server application in the time when the word frontend was not yet used ‘right and left’. The word website became too generic in a way and the time came for web applications to step to the foreground.The problems with HTML standards were not yet solved but the situation progressed quickly. Technologies improve dramatically, if they are in high demand. Even HTML and JavaScript allowed developers to create masterpieces when in capable hands. Web development was implementing a combination of features provided by different specifications, such as HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.1, as well as well as widely-used methods, including different ‘workarounds’ to prevent browser errors.HTML 5 simplified and, which is more important put in good order many things that were available before. It became a unified markup language that combined the capabilities of HTML and XHTML. In addition, it preserved compatibility with the earlier versions.The main features of HTML 5 are the following:• Tools for semantic markup of a document. Using relevant tags, one can easily identify the title, content, navigation, and etc. A similar approach can be applied to structure the content• Multimedia and graphic support at the level of HTML tags. It radically simplifies implementation of audio and video content on a web page. As for the drawing capabilities provided by the canvas tag, they take one’s breath away• New elements and attributes, and exclusion of the features that are better handled by CSS• Improvement in web form handling, including new field types, additional attributes, and validation ‘on the fly’• New JavaScript APIs for complicated web applications, including drag and drop, document editing, 2D drawing, and management of browsing history.These are just basic innovations. For all HTML 5 features, visit the W3C website.The web pages built on HTML 5 look simpler in terms of the code, are quicker to run and friendlier to search robots. Today, HTML 5 is indispensable for a professional website. Thanks to the new capabilities of HTML 5, web applications are actually similar to classic desktop applications in terms of frontend. One more important features of HTML 5 is its compatibility not only with PCs and notebooks but also with mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as with modern TVs that have internet access. Therefore, it is possible to develop a unified interface that looks the same on different devices.The HTML 5 standard is being further modified. The current version is available at the W3C website. However, one cannot be sure that the existing browsers fully embrace these specifications. Trust but prove :). We should also bear in mind that the standards developed by W3C are not mandatory and their implementation depends on browser producers. These are the captains of the IT industry like Google and Microsoft.
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