What is HTML5 & Should I Build My Website With It?

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HTML or Hyper Text Markup Language is what transforms plain text and pictures into a readable and navigable web page. It can be said that this markup language is one of the cornerstones that have helped define how users have experienced the web. It has evolved along with the technologies that support and supplement the web. The process is often a push-and-pull movement between those who would set standards and those who create implementations of a particular technology (e.g. web browser developers). The organization that establishes the standards for the web is called the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C. Among other web-related technologies, the W3C sets the specifications for HTML and helps in its proper deployment.
HTML5
The current standard is HTML 4.01 and XHTML 2.0. XHTML (Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language) is HTML reformulated for the much stricter rules of XML (Extensible Markup Language). Both versions had not been updated since 2000 and certain groups wanted to push for further development and possibly combine the key features of both standards. In 2004 the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) was formed and it began work on what would later be adapted by the W3C and called HTML 5.

This latest version of HTML is not yet an official standard. It is still in the working draft stage. However when the W3C opened the details and specifications to the public in 2008, it created a lot of excitement in the web development community. One of the most often discussed issues is whether it should already be used to build websites.

Here are 4 popular arguments for you to ponder on:-

HTML5 Is Easy To Learn?

One of the things that hinder a user from adopting new developments in the realm of software is the perception that he will have to learn a new set of skills. He would much rather stick with the old version which he’s already familiar with and has been proven to work. Developers mindful of their customers try their best to create new versions that build on the old ones and are, as much as possible, backwards compatible. This is the case with HTML 5. Nothing fundamental has been changed. Those already familiar with HTML 4.01 can easily build on this previous knowledge to learn the new features of HTML 5.

Are My Browsers Supporting HTML5?

An important question about this new version of HTML is will it work on most browsers. Majority of users are on Firefox and Internet Explorer and the latest versions of these browsers, Firefox 3.6 and IE 8 unfortunately still have limited support for HTML 5. The good news is that Mozilla and Microsoft have indicated that the upcoming versions of their browsers, Firefox 4 and IE 9, will be more compatible to the new specifications. Another positive note is that HTML 5 is already supported well on the latest versions of Opera, Safari (including the iPhone/iPad edition), and Google Chrome (including the Android edition). To use HTML 5 now can be viewed as being forward-looking. If you wait for it to become a widespread standard, development of HTML 6 might be on the way.

HTML5 Handle Your Music and Video Better

One of the weaknesses of previous versions of HTML is the complicated way it handles multimedia. Browsers need the correct plug-in media player and combined use of the <embed>, <param>, and <object> elements are necessary. Two of the new elements introduced in HTML 5 are <video> and <audio>. These additions simplify matters for the web developer or designer when it comes to enabling a site to playback movies or music. Factors such as video or audio format can be set within the tag as an attribute and the content part of the code can serve as a backup.

Better Interactivity with Codes

HTML 5 employs several means to improve coding interactivity into a website. One of them is integrating JavaScript properties to define how document elements can behave. In the case of forms, the <input> element has been extended to accommodate new attribute values such as email, date, url, number, and range. In browsers that only support HTML 4, these new values work as the old default text value. But HTML 5 browsers will actually check the text type before submitting the form. Another impressive feature is support for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). Combining JavaScript and the newly added <canvas> element, designers can enable free-form drawing to be done on the website. One of the goals of WHATWG in initiating development of this new specification was to boost its usability for web application developers.

So, what’s your thought? Should you build your website with HTML5 now?

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