The web is going to look a whole lot different as more and more developers begin to use the features of HTML 5. This is already happening even though the HTML 5 standard still has a long time before it ever becomes a formal specification through the W3C.
The HyperText Markup Language, known as HTML, is the basic building block of the web. Every website you visit was developed using HTML, along with other fundamental aspects of web development. HTML as we know it, version 4 specifically, has been a formal specification since 1999, but was never designed as a mobile, multimedia platform. HTML 5 has come to change all that.
The HTML5 specification, which is under way by the W3C, features backwards compatibility, so it won’t “break” anything already out there, but it also features other features more suited for the web of today. Multi-tasking, video tags, and better rendering capabilities have made it the talk–and debate–of the year.
Most web browsers currently offer some HTML5 support, while others, such as MSIE, are still catching up (MSIE9 was recently released as a “preview” with many HTML5 features supported). Web developers and designers are, or should be, ready to jump on the HTML5 bandwagon now, as its acceptance will affect everything from presentation to mobile delivery, multimedia and Search Engine Optimization. Those who learn about HTML5 now will be ahead of the game, and ready to capitalize on opportunities that are about to break down the door in the very near future.
