However, the internet was not always this powerful. Earlier network infrastructure barely enabled the delivery of text with a few scattered images on the pages. The language used to create the web pages was the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). This language is used to define the structure, layouts, style and presentation of the web pages.
The last standards definition was in 1999, the HTML 4 version. It served the purpose well, enabling web designers to quickly create functional websites that did not have a lot of interactivity. It served to get the information about a business or person out there.
The World Wide Web has come a long way since then, and it is the age of Web 2.0. Now it is all about user experience, rich media, interactivity and responsiveness. The growth of mobile technology means people stay connected always using different devices. These need different styles of presentation for the same information to get through.
HTML5
HTML 4 was no longer adequate. Programmers and developers used a combination of different technologies like flash and high level programming languages to design dynamic web pages. The old HTML version did not easily allow the presentation of rich content. So, other tools had to be used.
With this fast changing scenario, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) decided that it was time HTML was upgraded to serve the new demands of developers and users. So, HTML5 was born. And, it is powerful.
HTML5 has many new elements to allow the inclusion of different media and for interactivity now expected in web pages. The new <audio> and <video> tags allow audio and video files to be directly included in the HTML file itself. This eliminates the need for using external tools like Flash.
The new HTML version also integrates the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). The powerful Canvas element is also another useful feature. Together, the SVG and Canvas elements allow web pages to have rich and dynamic graphic elements. SVG is actually a language that allows the designer to describe 2D graphics on the webpage. When the HTML file is rendered, these descriptions are also rendered as graphics.
The Canvas element is a container. This can be accessed by a language like JavaScript and pictures can be drawn on it on the fly, using the scripting language. While SVG describes vector graphics, Canvas allows pixel based drawings on the web page.
HTML5 also integrates Math.MathML is an XML application for describing mathematical notations so that they will be rendered in the proper format on the web page. Now, MathML has become a part of HTML5.
These are just a few of the improvements implemented in the new version. Programming in HTML5 has become an exciting and inviting prospect for developers. There are many other exciting improvements to the language, additions in attributes, in event handling, improved DOM and API specifications. Many developers are adopting the use of HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 in new web development projects.
CSS3
Cascading Style Sheets can be used to describe how a web page looks. HTML describes the structure of the web page and renders the text in the proper layout. However, formatting the text and presenting it in different styles can be a big problem using HTML. HTML does include tags and attributes for formatting, but they need to be included in each section in each HTML document that needs a different kind of look and feel.
This can create nightmares for developers. Any change to the style of websites would require them to go to each HTML page and modify the files to reflect the changes. To overcome these kinds of problems, the Cascading Style Sheet language was developed and integrated with HTML 4.
With CSS, the styles are separated from the content. Styles can be defined inside the HTML page in separate sections, or defined in external style sheets and linked to the HTML file. Styles can also be defined inline, for an element in the HTML file.
Cascading Style Sheets thus help in separating the look from the content of the website. The third version has extended the features and functionality of the style sheets. Unlike the previous definitions, the new version is not a single standard definition. The specifications have been split into modules, each module adding and extending the features and capabilities.
CSS rules or definitions consist of two main sections. The selector and the declarations that describe the attributes for that selector. The selector is usually a HTML element, like h1 or p. But, there are special kinds of selectors called id and class.
The id is a specific identifier and the style associated with it is only applied to the HTML element that is associated with that ID. The class is another special selector in CSS. Unlike the id though, class styles can be applied to more than one HTML element.
The look and formatting of a website can be defined in CSS files and then linked to HTML files. This separation makes it a lot easier to implement changes. Any cosmetic change can be made to the CSS file and all the HTML files that reference it will now reflect this change. This enables developers to quickly implement site wide format changes.
JavaScript
JavaScript is a scripting language that is used to access the Document Object Model and change web page content dynamically. This allows a huge degree of interactivity and feedback from the user. Though initially used primarily for front-end, client side programming, JavaScript is now used even in back-end development and in game development.
JavaScript is similar in syntax to C language and uses names and naming conventions from the Java programming language. It is an interpreted language, and is the most popular scripting language used in web development.
Almost all modern browsers have built in support for JavaScript. It is a multi-paradigm language. That Is, it has object-oriented features, can facilitate event-based programming, and also has conventional structural programming elements.
It was developed by Netscape and soon became a popular web development tool. As it gained popularity, vendors implemented their own features. For instance, Microsoft had its own implementation called JScript. As the differences caused confusion, there was a drive to standardize the language. The standard version of JavaScript is called ECMAScript. The current specification is ECMAScript 5.1.
The various HTML elements are exposed in the Document Object Model. This is used by JavaScript to alter the structure, content and presentation style of web pages, and to respond to user triggered events.
The combination of HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript can really provide a powerful tool for developers to create web pages that interact with the users, provide live feedback and access information through diverse media.
Certification Program
Microsoft conducts a certification exam on Programming with HTML5 with CSS3 and JavaScript. This Exam, Exam 70-480, tests a developer’s proficiency in using these technologies together to provide web based solutions.
By undergoing HTML5 training with JavaScript for certification, the candidates will learn the following skills:
• Implementing and manipulating document structures and objects.
• Implementing program flow.
• Accessing and securing data.
• Using CSS3 in applications.
Developers who have experience with JavaScript programming and in using HTML in an event driven, object-oriented programming environment can take this exam.
Books and training courses are available for candidates who want to take this exam. There are many institutes which offer HTML5 with CSS3 training and courses in JavaScript. Institutes which provide specific courses such as HTML5 training with JavaScript and CSS3 for certification exam are good options to prepare for the exam. This certification can really boost a person’s professional portfolio and improve his career prospects.
Read More: http://www.multisoftsystems.com/course/Programming-in-HTML5-with-JavaScript-and-CSS3-238
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