An Introduction to HTML 5 & CSS 3
By Jackie Curto

The future of the web is here and you can embrace it, reject it or forget that there is such a thing as upgrading to the latest version of your browser. Either way you look at it the internet is growing whichever way you want to accept it. Soon enough you're old browser won't load your favorite website or you won't be able to see the newest advances in web design. With that you'll eventually update your browser. Instead of letting that happen, take the couple of minutes and run a check for updates on your browser, you might be surprised on what you're missing.

It's coming and you want to know everything you can before its old news and your competition had already changed the way their web design is being done on their websites. This new design trend on the web is HTML5.

What is HTML5? It's the next revision being developed for the core markup language of the World Wide Web. It will allow web designers to use new structural elements and attributes, replace some of the common elements and provide functionality to audio and video elements. The new elements will provide an easy way to semantically structure your page. HTML5 introduces a number of APIs that help in creating web applications. These can be used together with the new elements introduced for applications.

What are some differences between HTML5 and XHTML1? The code will be shorten down and simplified to allow for easier coding for the web designer, no more self-closing tags and the ability to wrap links around block level elements.

With a new markup language comes an easier and more sophisticated way of displaying the web design for your website. Currently not all browsers are supporting the new CSS3 changes however it's coming and better to be ahead of the curve then waiting. Browsers currently supporting the new design changes are Opera 10, Safari 4, and Firefox 3, Chrome 2.

What is CSS3? It's the style sheet language used to describe how the look and feel of a document is written in a markup language. Included in the language are elements such as layout, colors, and fonts. It allows the web designer to format multiple pages with different styles and methods such as onscreen, print, voice.

What's new in CSS3? There are some new elements that take the website design to a whole new ball game. Such as the ability to allow a 4th field to define alpha value (rGBA color), create rounded borders, drop shadow behind an element or even allow multiple images to be layered on the background. Even text is getting a makeover with the ability to define what happens if text overflows its space, use of drop shadows, breaking the flow of text into multiple columns based on the width of their containing element.

CSS3 has been around for awhile but it's still in the development stage under W3C. Either way it's the up and coming trend for web design. Our talented web designers are embracing the change and applying it where necessary in the design for our clients.

About the Author:

VertaSource, LLC., a Buffalo NY, based website development and design company delivers online solutions. For over ten years VertaSource LLC., has developed websites that provide the digital solutions necessary for today's business success. Our commitment to excellence includes personalized service and a synergistic cooperation with the client through each step of the design and development process. It is our mission to provide websites that exceed client expectations, and that deliver online success. For more information on VertaSource LLC., visit http://www.vertasource.com.