A user account is required in order to edit this wiki, but we've had to disable public user registrations due to spam.

To request an account, ask an autoconfirmed user on Chat (such as one of these permanent autoconfirmed members).

Talk:Differences from HTML4

From WHATWG Wiki
(Redirected from Talk:Changes from HTML4)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

in reference to ...

Shouldn't we mention explicitly somewhere that changes are in reference to HTML 4.01 Strict ?

Changes are in reference to HTML4 in general. Including the Transitional and Frameset "versions". Annevk 11:54, 12 April 2007 (UTC)
OK. I suspected as much. :) Let me exemplify why I raised the question and think it needs to be clarified if this page is intended to be used as a reference index for people migrating between "4" and "5":
Consider "body" and "form" for example - are they "changed elements" since they has a different content model in "4 Transitional" and "4 Frameset" as compared to "4 Strict" and "5" or not? I can easilly imagine different people interpreting the baseline used here very differently depending on where in the "4" world they come from :) Jarvklo 14:07, 12 April 2007 (UTC)
Every element has a different content model because of the new elements. I think we want to note stuff that has significantly changed. Feel free to make additions though. That's what wiki's are for. Annevk 17:50, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Thanks, I will gladly do that when I manage to figure out the WHATWG grounds for considering something "siginficantly changed against HTML4 in general" ;)
I'll try to elaborate a bit more why I persist the issue:
The HTML5 body element, for example, could be considered both "significantly changed" (i.e. when compared to "4 Transitional" where it can contain "Flow" - i.e. a mix of Block and Inline) and "not significantly changed" (i.e. when compared to "4 Strict" where it contains basically the same "Block level content" as is defined for HTML5 albeit defined a little differently). It just isn't possible - in my *very* humble opinion - to state unambigously whether body has "changed significantly" from "HTML4 in general" or not.
IMHO stating either Transitional or Strict as the baseline wouldn't hurt. For me personally anything coming from anywhere than "Strict" is a significant change since I have avoided Transitional whenever possible for years.
No big deal though. I'll just wait and see what happens here. Jarvklo 12:27, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Things to possibly add:

  • The changes in the content model of several elements (eg. div and li) that has changed to use "zero or more block-level elements, or inline-level content (but not both)"
  • The content model changes for table (and it's children)
  • new <input> types
  • Miscellaneous new HTMLDocument APIs:
    • getElementsByClassName
    • activeElement
    • hasFocus
  • Miscellaneous new HTMLElement APIs:
    • getElementsByClassName
    • innerHTML
    • classList
    • click / blur / focus made global
  • Predefined class names
  • Predefined link types
  • Miscellaneous new APIs on specific elements (only ones that aren't tied directly to new attributes and aren't already listed)
    • relList on HTMLLinkElement, HTMLAElement
  • Auto-linking to term definitions
  • Sectioning
  • Scoped styles