Recently the definition of HTML5 has undergone a transition. When we wrote the first
edition of this book in 2010, the W3C HTML5 specification was a distinct
unit that covered a finite set of functionality. This included things like
new HTML mark-up, <video>,
<audio>, and <canvas> tags. However, in the past year,
that definition has changed.
So, what is HTML5 now? The W3C HTML5 FAQ says this about HTML5:
HTML5 is an open platform developed under royalty free licensing terms. People use the term HTML5 in two ways:
to refer to a set of technologies that together form the future Open Web Platform. These technologies include HTML5 specification, CSS3, SVG, MathML, Geolocation, XmlHttpRequest, Context 2D, Web Fonts (WOFF) and others. The boundary of this set of technologies is informal and changes over time.
to refer to the HTML5 specification, which is, of course, also part of the Open Web Platform.
What we have learned through conversations and project work in the past few months is that, to the common person who does not follow this closely (or more likely, the common customer who needs something done right away), it’s all HTML5, and therefore when someone says “HTML5,” they are actually referring to the “Open Web Platform.”
The one thing we are certain about regarding this “Open Web Platform” is that the one technology that was definitely left off the invite list was Adobe Flash.
So what is HTML5? In a nutshell, it is “not Flash” (and other like technologies), and HTML5 Canvas is the technology that has the best capability of replacing Flash functionality on the web and mobile web. This book will teach you how to get started.
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