A Timeline is a great way to show progression. HTML has come a long way since the first 18 tags published in 1991. Here is a brief timeline of the development of the "Language of the Web".
CERN physicist Tim Berners-Lee specifies HTML and writes both the browser and server software in the last part of 1990.
The first publicly available description of HTML is a document called "HTML Tags", which describes 18 elements comprising the initial, relatively simple design of HTML.
First informal draft of the HTML DTD, with seven subsequent revisions. (July 15, August 6, August 18, November 17, November 19, November 20, November 22)
HTML version 1.1 is released as an informal draft in November.
HTML 2.0 is published. Supplemental RFCs later that year add capabilities for form-based file upload, tables, client-side image maps and internationalization.
HTML 3.2 is published as a W3C Recommendation. It was the first version developed and standardized exclusively by the W3C.
HTML 4.0 is published as a W3C Recommendation. It offers three variations: Strict, Transitional and Frameset.
HTML 4.0 adopted many browser-specific element types and attributes, but at the same time sought to phase out Netscape's visual markup features by marking them as deprecated in favor of style sheets.
HTML 4.01 is published as a W3C Recommendation. It offers the same three variations as HTML 4.0.
XHTML 1.0 is published as a W3C Recommendation. It offers the same three variations as HTML 4.0 and 4.01, reformulated in XML, with minor restrictions.
XHTML 1.1 is published as a W3C Recommendation. This version of the HTML specification is only available as STRICT.
A number of position papers from the newly formed Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) and industry bodies are merged to become the draft specification for HTML5.
The draft HTML5 specification is adopted as the starting point of the work of the new HTML working group of the W3C.
Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) publishes the First Public Working Draft of the HTML5 specification.
Parts of the HTML5 specification is implemented in browsers despite the whole specification not yet reaching final Recommendation status.
W3C designates HTML5 as a Candidate Recommendation.
W3C plan to release a stable HTML5 Recommendation by the end of 2014 and an HTML 5.1 specification Recommendation by the end of 2016.
Notes:
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