HTML5 vs Flash

Differences Between HTML5 vs Flash

HTML5 is the markup language utilized for presenting and structuring the content of the World Wide Web. HTML5 is the fifth and the current version of the HTML standard. HTML5 improves the language with support for the latest multimedia. HTML5 is readable by humans and well parsed by Web browsers, parsers, etc. Flash is an Adobe product. It is a multimedia software platform heavily used for the production of animations, desktop applications, mobile applications, mobile games and embedded web browser video players, Rich Internet applications. Flash is commonly used for video or audio players, advertisement and interactive media content to web pages.

HTML5

• HTML5 was released in October 2014 by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). HTML5 is written using HTML elements, consisting of tags. Data between these tags represent the content. The prime motive of HTML5 is to allow web browsers to interpret the content and finally display them. HTML5 comes along with pre-defined tags.
• Front-end developers can insert images, videos, forms, and various content together into a cohesive web page. HTML5 uses pure code to generate interactive content. Elements are not pre-made in the exact form and then stored, but their traits are coded, and then the browser renders the actual content once the page is loaded. Thus a web page designed using HTML5 can behave and look differently on different web browsers.
• It can be a boon for those web designers that want to create different versions of their website for different platforms.HTML5 syntax is no more based on SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language); it is designed to be backward compatible with common parsing of older versions of HTML. HTML5 also specifies scripting APIs that can be used along with JavaScript.
• HTML5 standalone cannot provide animations within a web page. It takes JavaScript or CSS3 for animating HTML elements. The latest version of browsers such as Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera all support many HTML5 features. Mobile web browsers that are pre-installed on iPhones, pads, and Android phones all have great support for HTML5.

Flash

• Flash, one can create an animation of texts, drawings and still images used by graphics. Flash also supports bidirectional streaming of audio and video. It can capture the user input via mouse, keyboard, camera, and microphone. Adobe AIR is a runtime system cross-platform created by Adobe Systems to build desktop and mobile applications that require Flash.
• Flash was widely installed on a desktop computer during the early 2000s. It was commonly utilized to display interactive web pages, online games and to play audio and video content. After Adobe introduced Stage3D, Flash websites saw a growth of 3D content for demonstrations and tours.
• Flash uses containers to store the interactive content, which is finally rendered in the browser using a plug-in – Flash Player. Flash content is platform-independent since the container does not change from one platform to another platform. So if someone is watching a Flash-based website on a PC or mobile, it will appear the same.

Head to Head Comparison Between HTML5 and Flash

Below is the top 8 comparison between HTML5 and Flash:

Key Differences Between HTML5 and Flash

Both HTML5 vs Flash are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major Difference Between HTML5 and Flash:

1. HTML5 has a vast potential market reach of any platform, whereas, with Flash, browser support is limited and need a plug-in.
2. HTML5 is open source and freely available, whereas Flash is an Adobe proprietary and one has to buy it.
3. HTML5 is lightweight, fast and takes less CPU time to render web pages, whereas Flash is CPU intensive and not as lightweight as compared to HTML5.
4. Audio and Video support with HTML5 is not in-built, whereas Flash has nice support for Audio and video formats.
5. HTML5 runs natively in the web browsers, whereas Flash requires a plug-in to be installed separately on a web browser to display and run content.
6. Processing power requires running HTML5 content is significantly lower than the power required by Flash content.
7. HTML5 is a fairly new technology and still evolving with new elements and tag support, whereas Flash is an old horse with a number of its mature tools available in the market, although expensive.
8. HTML5 uses code to generate the interactive content; the browser renders the content when the page is loaded, whereas Flash uses containers to store the interactive content, which is rendered in browsers using a plug-in called Flash player.
9. HTML5 is aimed to build a web with native support for media streaming, whereas Flash is a technology that enables developers to stream media over the internet.
10. HTML5 power consumption is benefiting the users immensely since it draws less power, whereas Flash is more CPU intensive and draws more power with its plug-in and tools like Flash Player.

HTML5 and Flash Comparison Table

Below is the list of points; describe the comparison Between HTML5 and Flash.

Basis Of Comparison Between HTML5 vs Flash	HTML5	Flash
Arrival	Latest HTML version in the market	Older technology as compare to HTML5
Support	Supported by all browsers natively	The additional plug-in needs to be installed
Performance	Lower processing power is required	Require higher processing power as compared to HTML5
Resources	Lighter on a resource does not need any plug-in	The more resource-oriented plug-in needs to be installed
Cost	Freely available, open-source	Dedicated development environment, have to buy
Support	Varying audio and video support lacks inbuilt support	Good audio and video support
Tools	Construct 2 is HTML5 editor	Flash builder like tool is although mature but expensive
Friendly	Friendly with SEO (Search Engine Optimization)	Flash is not friendly with SEO

HTML5 is open source, and anyone can improve it by contributing, whereas Adobe owns flash. HTML5 is a secure technology that will benefit business, home users etc., with Flash, a proprietary solution, it leads to a security issue and slower development. The web has grown to accept only open standards like HTML5.

Flash has been around for more than 20 years. During its time, it was the dominant platform for video and other multimedia. It has been a standard in the online video distribution industry, but Flash technology has some issues which revolve around security and speed. The First Apple release of the iPhone in 2007 did not support Flash; hence Flash support drifts in the market. And this trend is visible in the market, including some web browsers dropping Flash support. Like in July 2016, Firefox phase out the support for Flash. And hence all major web browsers have jumped on the HTML5 train as well.

HTML5 is slowly and steadily filling gaps that Flash has dominated during its peak. JW Player, which is an HTML5 video player, powers videos on millions of popular websites. Times are changing, and move toward more modern, faster standard is taking place. Flash is no longer the dominant force it once was. HTML5 is overcoming all short-comings like security and speed offered by Flash. HTML5 support for “https” and video player support will help deliver the content securely and seamlessly, unlike in Flash, which was CPU intensive and not fully secure. I hope now you must have got a fairer idea of both HTML5 vs Flash. Stay tuned to our blog for more articles like these.

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