What is HTML 5 and is it really the future of the web?

We've all hared the hype: HTML5 this, HTML5 that, the future, Web 2.0 at your fingertips, etc. but what does it really mean? Well, for starters it means more clear markup behind the content: Smarter, more aware of different types of information, better at composing web pages without much coding effort, and so on and so forth. But perhaps the most significant is this: More capability without the need to download all kinds of PLUGINS!

New Features
Yes you hared me right, the browser will in fact must get better at performing routine tasks which are now the domain of web giants like Adobe's Flash, Sun's Java and Java FX, and Microsoft's Silverlight. Of course I'm talking about built-in video codec(s), better Forms support for information exchange, and last but not least, cleaner html markup underneath the nicely rendered web page.

Go Mobile with ease:
This new Iteration of HTML promises much better mobility support out of the box and new smart phones such as The Palm Pre, iPhone 3Gs and the new Google Android based phones can support rendering HTML5 which is a huge plus.

Better and smarter content:
Basically the scientific and the art community will rejoice at how easy various forms of rendering can be accomplished right away and without additional plug-ins. New elements are added to the markup to be able to distinguish Navigation, Audio, Video, and other forms of content which makes it easier for content to be indexed by search engines and distributed over the web.

Benefits for Developers and Content Creators:
Now benefits for the users aside, this will make the life of web designers and developers such as myself easier thanks to the introduction of various APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that makes developing for the web more streamlined and eliminates much of the headaches associated with everyday tasks that we need to perform. For example, it would be possible for an application to work even if internet connection is not available thanks to data caching and improved offline capabilities of browsers which only means more readily usable applications even without a live connection required.

The Learning Curve:
The learning curve could be deep for a new technology such as HTML5 but make no mistake, it is the latest and greatest to hit the web and it's here to stay for years to come so users and developers put on your hats and enjoy the ride!
To get started with coding in HTML 5 and using some of the new attributes and such, you can visit this great article that goes through an innocent looking blog written in HTML4 and shows how it can be upgraded to HTML5 step by step: read it by clicking Here...

Have questions?
If you have any further questions on HTML5 and how you can use it or leverage it for your industry or for your own website then by all means get in touch with us at TrasnsitionSoft. You can ask any questions you like and we'll be more than happy to assist you any way we can.