What is HTML 5 and what benefits does it offer?

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is responsible for defining the content of documents such as websites and structuring it uniquely - it is not a programming language but a markup language. To continuously adapt the properties and capabilities of HTML to current conditions, the responsible developers update the standard used at irregular intervals. These version updates allow for integrating different changes and innovations into the existing concept to provide various benefits in practical application.

Contents:
Who is responsible for the creation and development of HTML?
What are the most important versions of HTML?
What benefits does HTML 5 bring to administrators and users?
What should be considered regarding the compatibility of HTML 5?
How does the transition from HTML Version 4 to Version 5 occur?

Who is responsible for the creation and development of HTML?

The principle of HTML can be traced back to the British computer scientist and physicist, Timothy John Berners-Lee, who worked at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in the late 1980s. Due to its international and cross-country and cross-language nature, as well as the different infrastructure of the various participating states, exchanging information over early IT networks was initially challenging. As a solution to this problem, Tim Berners-Lee initially proposed a scripting language created for this purpose in human-readable plain text, which operated on a distributed structure through hypertext. In addition to this, he developed other enduring standards for the internet such as the network protocol Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or the addressing of websites via Top Level Domains (TLD) and Uniform Resource Locator (URL). To ensure continuous development, Berners-Lee founded the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1994, which has since been responsible for standardising HTML.

What are the most important versions of HTML?

Originally, HTML was intended solely for structuring text - however, it quickly became apparent that embedding new elements and optimising according to the current technological standards would require ongoing development. As is customary with software, a jump in the version number indicates significant changes, while minor bug fixes and features are typically addressed in updates. Some of the key milestones introducing new benefits were:

• March 1989 to April 1993: Widely adopted as a universal format for web pages
• November 1995 (Version 2.0): Introduction of, among others, form technology
• December 1997 (Version 4.0): Support for stylesheets (CSS), frames, and scripts
• January 2000 (XHTML 1.0): New syntax based on XML
• July 2006 (XHTML 2.0): Presentation, discontinued in favour of Version 5
• October 2014 (Version 5): Optimisation and integration of new elements for design
• November 2016/December 2017 (Version 5.1/5.2): Minor changes and new features
• January 2021 (Version 5.3): Release of the current version (as of 2021)

In rare cases, significant characteristics of a new version may involve structural changes that make the markup language more flexible, simpler, and more efficient. However, they typically encompass a variety of new features and corresponding descriptive commands, defining entirely new elements such as tables or enabling the embedding of external content like videos, audios, interactive buttons, or graphics. There is no fixed schedule or regular interval for release - new versions are developed by the W3C in line with contemporary demands and needs, and are published after an extensive period of discussion and testing. Therefore, there is no specific indication of when a future version jump will occur.

What benefits does HTML 5 bring to administrators and users?

The transition from Version 4 to 5 undoubtedly represents one of the most significant changes. With it, HTML expanded with numerous applications and features that were previously only achievable through external scripts such as Adobe Flash or JavaScript. Some of the key changes include:

• Direct embedding of videos, audios, or 2D and 3D graphics into the HTML code
• Summary of different specifications such as XHTML and DOM
• Introduction of tools for checking and localising errors in the source code
• Abolition of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) as a metalanguage
• New input types for forms such as email addresses, timestamps, or URLs
• Interpretation of external CSS stylesheets within forms
• Many new elements like navigation, footer, or specific text sections
• Redefinition of familiar elements like italic or bold text
• Enhanced security and performance by avoiding external scripts

Due to its numerous advantages and the prospect of further useful changes, HTML 5 has de facto established itself as the commonly used and widespread standard in a relatively short period. The predecessors 4.0 to XHTML 1.1 are still valid but are almost exclusively found in older projects dating back to a time before the introduction of 5.2. All previously released versions have now been classified as "Historic". They are officially considered outdated, and their use is strongly discouraged.

What should be considered regarding HTML 5 compatibility?

For dynamic websites, HTML code generation is done by a programming language such as PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, or Python, which creates it based on fixed schematic guidelines. The compatibility of external programs like an interpreter or Apache and NGINX as web servers does not depend on the currently used HTML version - they do not influence each other. However, for correct interpretation, a user must have a compatible browser that recognises new elements and displays them as defined in the standard. In general, all major and actively maintained browsers including Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera have been supporting HTML 5 without restrictions for years. Responsible developers usually incorporate changes and new versions into their software shortly after release.

Problems arise, however, under two specific conditions. Firstly, not all browsers are fully compatible with historical versions, as they may contain elements that have changed in their properties or have been removed from the standard for various reasons. This particularly affects old websites that were published before 2005 and have not been updated since. Conversely, using outdated or exotic software can result in significant difficulties displaying modern content. While the rule still applies that most browsers in this case switch to an alternative mode and use version 4, this is not possible for pure HTML 5 pages and can lead to a fundamental limitation of functionality. This issue affects, among others, outdated operating systems like Microsoft Windows 7 and certain devices for which no software updates are available.

How to transition from HTML Version 4 to Version 5?

Most websites use modular Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla, or in the case of direct trading with customers, a suitable e-commerce system. In this scenario, developers are responsible for choosing the HTML version and have almost universally made the transition long ago. For instance, the transition occurred in the case of the world-leading CMS WordPress several years before the official introduction with the 2011 release of version 3.2 "Gershwin". Therefore, the transition has already taken place in most cases long ago and without additional effort through updating the CMS in use.

Difficulties arise only under certain circumstances. The most common reasons for continuing to use earlier HTML versions and the resulting problems are:

• Websites individually or custom-programmed before 2015
• Use of highly outdated CMS or e-commerce systems
• Embedding custom code within a CMS
• Use of unsupported or discontinued CMS
• Integration of specialised and outdated plugins

It is highly recommended to ensure consistent use of HTML 5 on every website, whether using a Dedicated Server, Virtual Private Server, or managed web hosting. Outdated systems should be updated to the latest version to take advantage of available benefits and avoid unnecessary security risks. As there is a general consensus to publicly disclose vulnerabilities for manufacturers to fix within a reasonable timeframe, outdated software can be vulnerable to various attacks such as DDoS or SQL Injection.

Photo: Fabrizio Van Marciano on Pixabay