HTML5

What's this?

Is an evolution of WWW, system of information based on hypertext and hypermedia via Internet.

HTML is a markup language to create webs. It allow us to define the structure and the content of a web (text, images, videos...).

HTML5 is the last version that began to develop on mid-2007 by the W3C and is expected to be finished in 2014. Nowadays it's only a draft.

A reformulation of html4 was made using XML (Extensible Markup Language) and called XHML.

Web pages are not developed only with HTML. Also use other technologies like the Cascade Style Sheets -CSS- (used to describe the presentation of a structure document to make a nice-looking web pages), the hierarchy of objects DOM- Document Object Model- (API that provides a standard sets of objects for representing HTML and XML documents) and the interpreted language JavaScript. The combination of these technologies form the Dynamic HTML -DHTML- that allow to create interactive websites.

In addition there are other technologies like XHR -XML HTTP Request-, the metalanguage XML and the interchange data format JSON. All of them are known as AJAX -Asynchronus JavaScript And XML- which is a technique to create interactive applications or RIA -Rich Internet Applications- that are executed in the web browser.

Since a couple of years a few technologies has been joined to AJAX. Some are under development and other coexist with other alternatives. All of them are known as HTML5, but the correct therm is " HTML5 Family"

What's new?

Let's see some of its new markers:

• CANVAS: Allow us to define an area on a website where you can draw using an API for JavaScript.
• SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics: Markup language based on XML that allow us to create vector graphics. Graphics are created with a language similar to HTML.
• Geolocation API: It allows to obtain the localization of the user by GPS, IP, GSM antenna patterns... etc.
• CACHE: Indicates which resources can be stored locally. It improves the yield because all the contents are downloaded to work in the local station.
• DATABASE: API that allow to store local information in the browser using "SQL light".
• WEB WORKERS: Create multiple threads that are executed in parallel.
• MathML - Mathematical Markup Language: Allow the mathematical notation compatible with TeX (LaTeX).

What's usable nowadays?

Many web browsers support much more than the 50% of the rule. There is a strong support from Google, Opera, Apple.. to adapt their browsers to the standard.

In http://html5test.com we can use a support test with our browser.

In conclusion:

• HTML5 no needs installation
• Fast incorporation to browsers
• Cloud Computing -> forget about versions and platforms, you can store your data but in disadvantages we have that it could be a hard security problem (FB and Gmail cases) and without internet connection we can't work.