HTML5 and the changes on the Web

content/uploads/2012/09/HTML5_Logo_512-300×300.png” alt=”" width=”168″ height=”168″ />In order to attend the requirements imposed by the new mobile devices available and the popularization of social networks, new technologies and web specifications have been proposed. They not only empower developers, but also provide richer capabilities to the end users.

According to Ian Jacobs, editor of the W3C’s HTML4 recommendations and other standards, there are two driving forces behind the evolution of technologies. First is the proliferation of new mobile devices, that coupled with the variety of browsers, complicate life for developers who want to write once and deploy everywhere. Second, with the social networks their large number of costumers and consequent large reachings are achieved.

HTML5 has come as a solution to these new scenario providing developers many benefits. For instance the geolocation features, that provide transparent access to information without significant troubles to deal with different browsers and devices. HTML5 also supports richer graphics. For instance due to its native support to embedded Scalable Vector Graphics and the raster-based canvas that enable users to draw graphics in a web page using JavaScript.

Although HTML5 is not completely supported by all browsers because it is not yet a standard, it is on track of becoming a full specification and an official recommendation by W3C in 2014.

 

This article is based on the original version entitled ‘HTML5 Leads a Web Revolution’ published by Gary Anthes in ‘Communications of the ACM’ on July 2012 (vol. 55, no. 7, pages 16-17). The original version can be retrieved online.