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HTML5 and the journey to the modern web

by David Mitchell Smith, vice-president and Gartner Fellow and Ray Valdes, research vice-president at Gartner

HTML5 is a collection of proposed specifications for the next generation of HTML. Beyond this, HTML5 is used as a short-hand label for all that’s new with the Web, including CSS3 and changes to HTTP. Although HTML5 began in 2004, the topic has become white-hot as mobile interest has increased.

HTML5 is not a single entity. Treating it as such will lead to a “wait ‘til it’s done” approach, which is not recommended. David Mitchell Smith, vice-president and Gartner Fellow, at Gartner Although a complete, formal and ratified HTML5 standard; covering all that is currently in development is years away, pieces will be ready at different times and implemented in several browsers. HTML5 and the modern web aren’t the same things, although the terms are often used synonymously.

Gartner believes that in order to meet its goal of progressing HTML5 to a recommendation status by 2014, the consortium (W3C) will likely draw a circle around those pieces of HTML5 that are sufficiently complete and declare that to be the specification.

HTML5 momentum

There is broad-based, industry-wide momentum around HTML5 — including browser suppliers, tool suppliers, enterprise-oriented independent software suppliers (ISSs), small web-centric ventures, and web design and development firms, although as with most technologies, especially on the web, adoption of HTML5 is occurring largely outside the enterprise sector — among progressive web designers and mobile application developers. Web developers are starting to design around new elements in HTML5, such as Canvas, offline mode and video.

Developers of rich internet application (RIA) based sites that rely on Flash and Ray Valdes, Silverlight are starting to move to HTML5 if possible, as the future of those research vice-president, at Gartner technologies is that of slow decline.

Mobile developers are interested in HTML5 as a cross-platform technology that avoids reliance on native application models, as well as potentially bypassing commissions owed when utilising platform specific application stores.

The emergence of WebKit as a de facto standard

WebKit is an open-source project focused on delivering a engine. The WebKit project is led by Apple and , but has significant support by other suppliers as well. It is the basis for Apple’s (for Mac and iOS), Google’s Android and Chrome browsers, and most other mobile browsers. ’s and are not based on WebKit.

While the process for formal standardisation will be long, there are other factors in play here as well. However, working subsets of the specification are already available in some browsers (led by Chrome, Safari and other WebKit-based offerings), and more capabilities will be added. We expect that even if there is a significant delay in the formal standardisation process, HTML5 components will -1- www.gartner.com continue to be adopted. Given the rise in importance of mobile and the role of WebKit browsers in mobile, there is a real possibility that WebKit will represent a How HTML5 de facto standard. addresses HTML4 Browser improvements limitations During the past decade, the need for a richer experience increased the use of Ajax toolkits, which add a layer of user interface (UI) functionality to every web • Adds support for accessibility page by means of a dynamically loaded set of JavaScript code. • Introduces elements that can Landmark applications such as Google Maps and Gmail, and in the enterprise, describe the semantic structure outlook web access (OWA) show how rich interaction is possible with a standard of a document in greater detail, modern browser. However, historically there have been limitations to what can be including navigation, section, done with a pure browser alone: no offline storage, no server push or real-time header, footer, aside and figure notifications, and no integration with local devices. • Supports interactive two- The inherent limitations of the browser platform led to the rise in popularity of dimensional graphics, enables plug-in-based extensions to the browser (such as Adobe Flash and Microsoft embedded (SVG) and introduces Silverlight). Flash achieved very strong penetration in desktop environments. a drag-and-drop application However, plug-in-based solutions are hamstrung by poor penetration on mobile programming interface (API) devices. The movement away from plug-in support, primarily in mobile browsers, along with the decline of RIA technology, will also drive interest in HTML5. • Improved support, with new input elements, such as HTML5 tries to continue the strategy led by Ajax to close the gap between plug-in- telephone numbers, month, enhanced browsers and a basic browser, by addressing the limitations of HTML4 in week, and range a number of areas: graphics, multimedia, offline storage and communication. • Performance-oriented features, The specification not only adds syntactic elements to the language, but also such as the async attribute for defines APIs for subsystems such as offline storage and geolocation, and scripts, which influences script specifies related changes in the (DOM). For much of the loading and execution past 15 years, the web browser has been a relatively stagnant platform in terms of its formatting language and rendering engine, even as gains have been made • Improved security through in areas such as user experience (e.g., tabbed browsing and integrated search), explicit “sandbox” (containment) performance (faster JavaScript engines) and security. attribute for iframes

Web application platforms • Removes some presentation- oriented attributes, such as Another value proposition is a web-based application platform that works across font, big and centre, because these will now be handled by operating system platforms. Apple’s positioning of its curated application store cascading style sheets (CSS) platform and its open HTML5 platform support on iOS is one example. HTML5 is rendered in a browser, but the ultimate value proposition is more as a platform than simply a better browser. The emergence of web application stores will be a key to enabling distribution and monetisation of web applications.

We recommend development leaders familiarise themselves with the components of HTML5, and which are supported by which browsers. Application feature requirements and platform deployment requirements should be rationalised to determine a development strategy. Although modern browsers are increasing compliance, there will be legacy browsers for years to come.

Organisations should exploit the available features of HTML5 now, especially as the working subset evolves, but recognise that some are based on a draft standard and are subject to change.

HTML5 should be the default long-term choice when designing applications that require the broadest reach across the most browsers and devices; for the richest applications (e.g., gaming) native solutions and hybrid offerings will likely be needed, especially in mobile.

This exclusive article was written by Gartner analysts for Computer Weekly readers. Gartner provides articles for Computer Weekly on a non-commercial basis. -2-