Getting ready to learn html5

Question

I'm a desktop application developer, and I plan learning html5, but as it's not released, there are (almost) no published books and not too much infomation for beginners on the web... I feel I should start with html4 and the current web development skills.

I think I should start with html4, css, and javascript... but there are so many technologies related that I get lost :D So, what current technologies will be still used when html5 is released? I mean, what about "jquery" and "ajax"? I know they are javascript under the hood, but will they still make sense in the future?

What would you recommend me considering that I have just a little bit of html knowlegde, almost null CSS and completely null in javascript?

Answer 1

Get a good base with html/css then move onto javascript and pick a js framework that you like. Jquery seems to be most popular.

Here's a good read on html 5

Answer 2

Dive Into HTML5 is solid, but it isn't really targeted at total beginners. You might want to check out Designing with Web Standards for getting a grasp on the basics of HTML/CSS. For the JavaScript side of things, I'd recommend JavaScript: The Good Parts. Also keep an eye out for Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, which is due this summer.

Answer 3

HTML5 is basically the same as HTML4 but with some nice additional little features. Pretty much everything you will learn from HTML4 will work seamlessly in a HTML5 environment.

I would start with learning things in this order: HTML4, then CSS2, then jQuery.

After that, start learning about HTML5 and CSS3 when more information comes out about them. But main issue about learning these languages falls down to your basic understanding. Once you have that in place, the newer technologies just make these basic things a bit easier.

Effectively, they will always be written and constructed in more or less the same way - but in time with newer versions, things will become increasingly easier to achieve.

Answer 4

If you want to be accomplished you need to approach JavaScript like a programming language and learn it in its own right, not as a simple way to script a few things. HTML4 is really pretty simple, CSS is where the meat lies really when using JS to manipulate pages.

I'd refresh on basic HTML, then start working with JS while trying to get to grips with CSS and jQuery.

Answer 5

If you're already familiar with HTML4, v5 is not terribly different, mostly it adds new elements and attributes, and removes some.

For essential coverage of web standards, I suggest Jeffrey Zeldman's Designing with Web Standards (v3). It's largely theory and background, with little code. I recommend it. There is a sister book by John Allsop, Developing with Web Standards, which I have not (yet) read, but it is supposedly the implementation half of the topic the two books cover.

There is a book in the making by Jeremy Keith, HTML5 for Web Designers, on the new A Book Apart site (backed by the people of An Event Apart, including Jeffrey Zeldman). Jeffrey writes about the new book on his site, and provides links to other related coverage, including Jeremy Keith's take on it.

Answer 6

Another vote for Designing with Web Standards. While not the best "beginner" book out there in terms of holding your hand through your first site build, reading this book is hands down the best way for you to establish a solid foundation of good habits so that when you do get to learning how to code you'll understand why it is important to do things the RIGHT way.

That being said. HTML is cake. Tying it into CSS is a creative challenge, and really being able to understand javascript will set you apart.

As far as technologies becoming irrelevant: Stay away from Flash. Other than that everything is as strong as ever.