HTML5 is awesome. Here is why

You may not have heard of HTML5 yet – but you’ve probably experienced it. Many of the new Google doodles use HTML5. Even though it has been around for a few years now HTML5 has come to forefront thanks to serious exposure from the BBC and other mainstream media HTML5 has become part of everyday web conversation.

What is HTML5?

HTML5 is a way of coding websites that allows you to access video, audio, graphics and animations, editable web pages, “drag and drop” functionality and in-browser storage without the requirement to download plug-ins (like Flash Players or similar).  Kevin Sweeney who works at Vimeo says, "We've needed to rely on third parties like Adobe Flash or QuickTime and had to embed this inside web pages. What HTML5 will do is remove them from the equation so this stuff is supported natively."

According to HTML5Rocks.com:

"HMTL5 is not a single thing or a monolithic technology. It is a collection of features, technologies, and APIs that brings the power of the desktop and the vibrancy of multimedia experience to the web—while amplifying the web’s core strengths of interactivity and connectivity.

"HTML5 includes the fifth revision of the HTML markup language, CSS3, and a series of JavaScript APIs. Together, these technologies enable you to create complex applications that previously could be created only for desktop platforms."

It gives websites not only an extra layer of design, but more importantly it helps with the usability of websites and allows more access to the kind of stuff that people want to experience online.  It allows users to share the same (or at least a similar) experience on sites whether they access them via mobiles, tablets or desktops.  HTML5 is supported by the main browsers.

YouTube and HTML5

YouTube is currently trialling HTML5 video content and you can try it and share your feedback here: http://www.youtube.com/html5

This impacts people watching videos from mobile devices.  The new m.youtube.com has a bunch of new features, including high-quality video playback in the browser using HTML5.

Mobile and HTML5

2009 Wired Magazine declared the web dead because everything was moving to mobile Apps.  A year later HTML5 started to make waves.  Now HTML5 is being championed as the mobile App killer.  The iPhone and other Apple software originally didn’t work with Flash.  They do however work with HTML5. 

HTML5 allows people to experience Apps and mobile websites in a similar way.  This is good.

With the growth of responsive website design (explored by Meetu in this recent blog) HTML5 is becoming equally as important as it allows for elements of the website and it’s structure to move depending on the size of the browser. 

Three reasons why HTML5 is good:

It gives users what they want across multiple browsers and devices
It allows web users to do more on a website
You won't have to download additional plug-ins with HTML5