Key features of HTML5 that are ready for the web

Although HTML has been in continuous evolution since it was introduced to the Internet in the early 1990s, the latest release, HTML 4, has been the recommended standard of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) since 1997. Over the past few years, however, the W3C has been leading efforts to revise HTML 4 to make it more interactive and more workable in the modern web environment. This standard known as HTML5 is slated for recommendation by 2014. Even though HTML5 is technically still in development, a number of its key features can capably be incorporated into current web design. These features include descriptive and functional tag elements, audio and video support, interactive form inputs (like a datepicker for example), mobile device integration, and more. Many of the features of HTML5 already work well with the latest releases of major browsers like Firefox, Chrome, and even IE 9. Additionally, HTML5 standards are completely compatible with HTML 4 and XHTML web applications, making integration with current web applications effectively seamless.