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2-HTML - History and Evolution

The document discusses the history and evolution of HTML from its creation in 1993 by Tim Berners-Lee to the present. It went through several revisions and extensions over time from groups like the W3C and WHATWG to become the current standard. A key turning point was the W3C and WHATWG splitting their goals between a finished version versus a living standard in 2011.

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Pankaj Maurya
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32 views

2-HTML - History and Evolution

The document discusses the history and evolution of HTML from its creation in 1993 by Tim Berners-Lee to the present. It went through several revisions and extensions over time from groups like the W3C and WHATWG to become the current standard. A key turning point was the W3C and WHATWG splitting their goals between a finished version versus a living standard in 2011.

Uploaded by

Pankaj Maurya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HTML - History and Evolution

From 1990 to 1995, HTML underwent changes and extensions, initially at CERN and then at the
IETF. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) became the new home for HTML development.

Hypertext
We must first examine the idea of hypertext in order to comprehend the origins of HTML. Early
20th-century pioneers like Vannevar Bush proposed the concept of tying information together
through hypertext, envisioning a "memex" machine that could organize enormous volumes of
information using linked microfilm.

However, Ted Nelson, an American philosopher and sociologist, first used the word "hypertext" in
the 1960s. Nelson's idea of hypertext was to develop a network of connected text and multimedia
that permitted non-linear information navigation.

History and evolution


Following is the brief history of HTML −

The history of HTML begins with its first version created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1993.
Over time, HTML went through various revisions and extensions.

As HTML continues to develop, more elements, properties, and standards were included
in later versions such HTML 2.0, HTML 3.2, and HTML 4.0.

In 1995, there was an attempt to extend HTML with HTML 3.0, but it was replaced by the
more practical HTML 3.2, completed in 1997.

In 1998, the W3C decided to shift focus to an XML-based equivalent called XHTML.
XHTML 1.0, completed in 2000, was a combination of HTML4 in XML. W3C's attention
turned to making it easier for other groups to extend XHTML with XHTML Modularization.
In parallel, XHTML2 was developed as a new, non-compatible language with earlier HTML
and XHTML.

HTML 4.01, which became an official standard in December 1999, was the most widely
used version in the early 2000s.
In 2003, the introduction of XForms reignited interest in evolving HTML itself rather than
replacing it with new technologies. This new theory recognized that XML was better
suited for new technologies like RSS and Atom, while HTML remained the cornerstone of
the web.
A significant turning point in the history of HTML was the effort to extend HTML4's forms
without disrupting web compatibility. In its early stages, this work was led by Opera
Software, and although the draft was publicly available and open to input, it was only
under Opera's copyright.

In 2004, there was a W3C workshop to explore reopening HTML's evolution. Mozilla and
Opera jointly presented the principles that later influenced HTML5.
The WHATWG operated based on principles like backward compatibility, close alignment
between specifications and implementations, and the need for comprehensive
specifications to ensure interoperability. HTML5 aimed to combine various elements
from HTML4, XHTML1, and DOM2 HTML, adding greater detail than previous HTML
standards.

In 2006, the W3C expressed interest in HTML5 development and formed a working group
to collaborate with the WHATWG. While both groups initially cooperated, in 2011, they
diverged on their goals. The W3C aimed to publish a "finished" HTML5 version, whereas
the WHATWG focused on a Living Standard, continuously evolving HTML.
For a long period, these two organizations collaborated on HTML development. But in
2011, they reached a significant decision. The W3C aimed to release a "final" HTML5
version, while the WHATWG preferred an ongoing, ever-evolving HTML Living Standard.

HTML5 can be seen as an extended version of HTML 4.01, which was officially published
in 2012. This transition marked a shift towards a more flexible and continuously evolving
web standard.

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