Head First HTML5 Programming

By: Eric Freeman & Elisabeth Robson
ISBN: 978-1-449-39054-9
Publisher: O’Reilly

Do not let this books seemingly simple title fool you. Unlike the dreaded XHTML, HTML5 is actually an extension of HTML4 building upon that great foundation not replacing it entirely. The authors go to great lengths to drive that fact home and I feel that they hit the mark. One of the most interesting things, I found is the small amount of space actually given to HTML or CSS for that matter. It seems that the majority of HTML5 is actually JavaScript or at least that is the take away I received from this book.

I suppose that is the one nebulous thing about HTML5 in the first place as it is not simply a mark up specification but a entire system for creating robust web based applications. Truthfully, that is why JavaScript is the magick ingredient of HTML5 that makes it such an appealing and robust possibility. There are many exciting chapters in the book however my personal favorite is the Mandelbrot or fractal rendering on a HTML5 canvas, using multithreaded JavaScript. Yes that is correct I said multithreaded JavaScript programming.

When I mentioned this to a friend who is and adept at Jquery and Ajax he gasped I did not know js could do that. Obviously anyone who’s even worked with node.js would have known this but that has always been the problem with the internet vast array of options. Unless you are in the know you have to stumble upon these secrets or wait for someone to craft a well written text like this one.

Ultimately if you are familiar with HTML, CSS and JavaScript but wish to update your skill set then this is definitely a book you should place on your holiday, birthday, Amazon wish list. I honestly do not think you will be disappointed.

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