HTML (HyperText Markup Language) stands as one of the foundational technologies of the World Wide Web, serving as the standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications. From its humble beginnings as a simple document formatting system to its current status as a sophisticated platform for modern web applications, HTML has undergone continuous evolution to meet the changing needs of the digital world.
The story of HTML begins with Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist working at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland. In 1990, as part of his revolutionary vision for the World Wide Web, Berners-Lee created the first version of HTML to solve the problem of information sharing among researchers worldwide.
HTML 2.0 (1995): The first officially standardized version of HTML by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It enabled user input and interaction with web servers and established formal specifications.
HTML 3.0 (1995): Though never officially adopted, it proposed tables, text flow around images, and mathematical expression support. Many of its concepts were used in later versions.
HTML 3.2 (1997): Developed by the W3C, it successfully adopted table layout, Java applet support, and improved image handling, as well as basic support for style sheets.
HTML 4.0 & 4.01 (1997–1999): These versions added major features like native scripting (JavaScript), CSS integration for better design control, and improved accessibility.
XHTML 1.0 (2000): Brought HTML into the XML ecosystem. XML, a meta-language, allowed interoperability across platforms. XHTML encouraged stricter coding practices and compatibility with technologies like MathML and RSS.
HTML5 was developed through collaboration between W3C and WHATWG, with participation from major browser vendors including Google, Mozilla, Apple, and Microsoft. This era emphasized richer multimedia support and semantic web elements.
HTML5 moved away from version-based releases. Maintained as a "living standard" by WHATWG, new features are added continuously to address real-world needs, ensure backward compatibility, and adapt rapidly to evolving web technologies.