TheHistoryof HTMLThe History of HTML

At CERN, he drafts 'Information Management: A Proposal', inventing HTML, HTTP, and URLs to link documents.

Berners-Lee writes initial HTML code on a NeXT computer; defines 18 tags including <a> and <img>.

http://info.cern.ch launches August 6; explains the Web, HTML, and server setup.

Informal spec emerges with Mosaic browser; supports hyperlinks, images, basic formatting.

NCSA Mosaic introduces inline images; drives HTML adoption and web growth.

Tim Berners-Lee establishes W3C at MIT to standardize web technologies including HTML.

IETF publishes first official standard; formalizes forms, images, character entities.

W3C Recommendation separates style from HTML; enables consistent design across pages.

W3C standard adds tables, applets, text flow around images; drops math elements.

Introduces CSS support, scripting, frames, accessibility features, internationalization.

Final revision of HTML 4; minor fixes, becomes widely implemented baseline.

HTML reformulated as XML; enforces strict syntax for better parsing.

WHATWG and W3C collaborate; focuses on multimedia, APIs, semantic structure.

W3C Recommendation introduces <video>, <canvas>, <audio>, semantic tags, offline support.

W3C updates with <picture>, <details>, responsive images, better APIs.

Adds <dialog>, payment APIs; removes obsolete features.

WHATWG fully maintains HTML as continuously evolving spec; W3C snapshots discontinued.

Enhanced alignment with W3C; improves patent policy and interoperability for ongoing development.

Reverses stance on EME; supports secure multimedia playback with privacy and accessibility gains.

WHATWG releases draft for patent review; includes updates on APIs, elements, and conformance criteria.

WHATWG refines accessibility rules for images, clarifying alt attributes in private contexts like emails.