What’s new in HTML5.2

The latest version of the core web specification gets security, commerce, and accessibility improvements

HTML5.2, an upgrade to the core HTML5 specification providing the structure of webpages, is now released by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and includes enhancements for security and commerce.

The specification, referred to by W3C as a recommendation, offers an updated, stable guide to HTML. Along with new capabilities, it has bug fixes and removes technologies no longer considered part of the modern web platform.

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New features and other changes in HTML5.2

The key new capabilities in HTML5.2 include:

• Content security policy, defining a mechanism by which web developers can control resources through which a page can fetch or execute. Other security-relevant policy decisions are covered as well. Developers can lock down applications to reduce risks of content injection vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting.
• Payment request API, standardizing an API for merchants to use one or more payment methods with minimal integration. Browsers can act as an intermediary between parties in a transaction (the payee, the payer, and the payment method provider). The API is intended to make web commerce easier and reduce risks.
• Accessible rich internet applications, enabling people with disabilities to have a good user experience with applications. A framework is provided to improve accessibility and interoperability.
• The definition of the main element was updated to support modern responsive design patterns.

Features removed in version 5.2 include:

• The showModalDialog function (it has been replaced by the dialog element).
• Menu and menuitem elements, originally intended to represent a group of commands.
• The dropzone attribute, intended to indicate content that can be dropped on an element.

Where to get HTML5.2

You can read the specification online at the W3C website.

Next up: The planned features in HTML5.3

Next on the agenda for W3C is HTML5.3, due in roughly a year. Planned features include:

• Custom elements, for building reusable, encapsulated HTML tags.
• Hyperlink auditing, for understanding user navigation habits.