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HTML5

Flash vs HTML5 – Don’t Be Stubborn

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The New Kid on the Block – HTML5

As a designer who has spent the better part of the last decade learning, working with, and teaching Flash, it has been very difficult for me to swallow the idea that there might be a new kid on the block. HTML5 is taking the web design world by storm, and many Flash designers are starting to wonder if there will be a place for them once all of our browsers become HTML5 compliant.

Well, let me start by saying that Flash is NOT dead. According to the Wall Street Journal, there is still a high demand for Flash developers, especially in the gaming market. Many smartphones (with the obvious exception of the iPhone) still include Flash functionality in their phones and don’t plan for this to change.

Having said that, however, we must be realistic. If you plan on pursuing a career in web design, don’t put all of your eggs in the Flash basket. Even though there is still demand for Flash, no one can deny that its role is significantly changing.  With the emergence of HTML5, CSS3, and a plethora of new Javascript libraries, developers are now able to create some amazing web apps, games, websites, and animations that were once the sole domain of Flash. And these new, amazing apps don’t require any browser plugins! Heck, with HTML5, you can even embed video into your website without plugins!

Don’t be Stubborn

Even though there will still be a place for Flash, don’t sell yourself short by ignoring HTML5. Adding HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript to your toolkit will open up a whole new world of opportunities for you as a web designer. It won’t be too much longer before Internet Explorer 9 ships, and at that point, all major browsers will fully support HTML5. So take the time to learn it. It will certainly be worth your while.

And who knows? Maybe in future versions of Flash, we’ll be able to export to HTML5/Javascript!

HTML5 Resources

Following are a few HTML5 resources that will help you get started:

What are your thoughts on HTML5? Have you seen any amazing examples out there that have inspired you to learn it?