HTML With APIs: Where W3C Standards Are Moving

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

I’ve had a chance to look over some of the proposed though changing specifications for a work in progress: HTML 5.0. I’m impressed with some of those proposed changes and you’ll soon see why.

The W3C is a consortium of volunteers who participate in discussions about ways to improve web development standards. These volunteers look at the code involved and suggest standards that all web masters can implement to make it easier for the browser market and developer market to work together for common standards. They started to propose new changes to HTML, current version HTML 4.0, back in 2004 and have been working on development since.

After looking over some of the proposed changes at this stage of development, I’ve found three aspects of HTML 5, assuming these end up in the final version, that I quite like:

• Proposed web page structure
• Proposed new formset attributes
• The use of APIs

First, proposed web page structure, if implemented, will have your page elements defined as article, header, footer, nav, and so on. This will make it a lot easier for new webmasters to create the sections for their web pages and much easier to identify as well for the browser. This will streamline the code and the coding. I like it.

New formset features simply allow you to require that certain form boxes to be filled in, which will benefit webmasters and search engine optimization experts to a great degree.

But the use of APIs for HTML 5 is the part that really gets me excited. These APIs will allow for easier embedding of audio and video contact, allow webmasters to add drag and drop features to their web pages, enabling of off-line web applications, allowances for user notifications, and these are just to name a few. These APIs will allow all webmasters to enter into Web 2.0 without having to rely on third-party applications as often. You can essentially create a widget within your web page rather than installing a third-party created widget. Nice.

While these proposed changes have me excited about the way that HTML 5 is coming along, we are still far from approval. If you try to implement these changes now you will likely see your web pages not working this time next year. Changes will continue.

If you’d like to stay abreast of moving HTML 5 standards, you can join the mailing list. Read more about HTML 5 and its development at the W3C website.