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Due to the low level of support for HTML5 in older browsers should one (or could one) use any part of HTML5 at this point in time for a new website that will have varying users with the full spectrum of browsers (and versions) to access the site?

EDIT: To fill in some more info here. The website in question, for simplistic comparison, would resemble fb. I am not talking a social website just one that will reach that type of vast audience (anyone can join) and will be an interactive portal (not just a site full static content being displayed).

swisscheese
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  • possible duplicate of [Can I use HTML5 Now to create a website](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2925944/can-i-use-html5-now-to-create-a-website) – Alastair Pitts Mar 22 '11 at 04:39
  • This is a very broad question, but, yes, you can use certain aspects of HTML 5 in certain browsers, even older ones. But it all depends on what features you want to use and what you mean by 'broad spectrum' of browsers. – DA. Mar 22 '11 at 04:44
  • @Alastair Pitts Thanks for pointing out that other question but a lot of time has passed since that question witch may or may not have an affect on the current state of HTML5 – swisscheese Mar 22 '11 at 04:47
  • @DA yes there is broadness to this question however and to answer your question about the different browsers...the user group for the site is to be very vast so there is no way to assume that any user will use one browser/version over another. – swisscheese Mar 22 '11 at 04:50
  • possible duplicate of [To HTML 5 or not to HTML 5?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2864732/to-html-5-or-not-to-html-5) – Quentin Oct 07 '11 at 16:46

3 Answers3

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First, HTML5 is a standard that includes the previous standards. Therefore, you are already doing HTML5 without knowing it.

Second, HTML5 could be compared to CSS in terms of feature grouping (CSS = CSS1 + CSS2 + CSS3 and so on). In other words, it is a collection of individual features and not one big thing.

Third, you will have to implement new HTML5 features one day or another. Why wait? Ooh right some people do not care about "modern browsers". You have a responsibility as a Web developer/designer to inform people about the consequences of obsolete browsers.

Last but not least, there is tons of information already... Like this website: http://diveintohtml5.ep.io/.

Some complementary info can be found from this answer and this other answer I wrote for other questions about HTML5.

Have fun! :)

Community
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Alerty
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Thank god MS is finally campaigning to get gid of IE6 but it surely will be in China for years to come due to pirated windows software which I had altogether too much experience with; despite this push for higher standards tons still use IE7, 8, and some even 9 is not perfect. Chrome IMOP is exceptional followed by Safari and FF for HTML5 support but even these browsers are not perfect.

I think it is ok to use features css3 and HTML5 such as canvas but in an unobtrusive manner like javascript enhances UI HTML5/CSS3/jQuery should enhance not be the content.

With javascript we can check for browsers and use appropriate methods this concept should also be applied to HTML5. So if you do implement anything I think it's important to understand how to detect and this is probably the best resource to start with.

http://diveintohtml5.ep.io/detect.html

DanBeale
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thenengah
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  • thanks for the input here +1. I know too many people personally that only upgrade their browsers when it comes with a new computer attached to it (which is not a frequent thing). I like the steps that HTML5 has taken but still cautious about what to incorporate and not present my material to a great enough audience. – swisscheese Mar 22 '11 at 19:28
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You can use all of the new HTML Field types in forms safely, any HTML 5 inputs in browsers which don't support html 5 will simply fall-back to a standard type="text" inputs.

Mobiles currently seem to benefit from HTML 5 forms most at the moment as they recognise the input type, lets say "email" and then provide an email specific keyboard layout to the user.

Its also simple to provide JavaScript fall backs for some html 5 elements with http://www.modernizr.com/

Blowsie
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