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The development of web standards has created the basis for the modern web as we know it today. These standards define rules and techniques that determine the structure, presentation and interactivity of websites. The history of web standards goes back to the early 1990s, when the World Wide Web was created.
The beginnings: HTML and the W3C
The World Wide Web was developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. In the early 1990s, the first versions of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) were created, which defined the basic elements for structuring websites. However, HTML was initially quite simple and only supported basic formatting.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was founded in 1994 to develop and promote web standards. The W3C set itself the goal of creating a universal architecture for the web and ensuring interoperability between different browsers and platforms. HTML has been continuously developed to offer more functions and better meet the needs of web developers.
The browser wars and the emergence of CSS
In the late 1990s, the so-called browser wars broke out between Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both companies tried to assert themselves with proprietary extensions for HTML, which led to incompatibilities. To counteract this, new standards were developed, including CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), which was introduced by the W3C in 1996. CSS made it possible to define the design and layout of websites separately from the structure (HTML), which made it easier to develop visually appealing websites.
JavaScript and DOM standards
Parallel to the introduction of CSS, JavaScript also gained in importance. Originally developed by Netscape, JavaScript quickly became the standard scripting language for the web, as it significantly enhanced the interactivity of websites. The W3C later developed the Document Object Model (DOM) standard, which enabled JavaScript to manipulate website content dynamically.
HTML5 and the modernization of the web
HTML5 was introduced in 2008 to meet the requirements of the modern web. It brought with it new semantic elements (e.g. <article>, <section>), multimedia support (audio and video) and APIs for web applications. HTML5 quickly became the new standard, laying the foundation for interactive and mobile-friendly websites.
Contemporary standards: Accessibility and data protection
In recent years, the focus of web standards has evolved to include aspects such as accessibility and data protection. Standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define how websites can be made more accessible. In addition, data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) promote secure practices when handling user data.
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