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.