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Introduction to DHTML

What you should already know

Before you continue you should have a basic understanding of the following:

• WWW, HTML and the basics of building Web pages
• Cascading Style Sheets
• JavaScript

If you want to study these subjects first, go to our Home Page

DHTML does not exist !

DHTML is an abbreviation for the term "Dynamic HTML". But DHTML is just a buzzword. DHTML does not exist. It is not a "thing" or a standard defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It is not defined anywhere. It is just a fancy word. It is important that you know this (so you don't make a fool of yourself when you are talking with the pros).

So what is DHTML?

To most people DHTML means a combination of HTML 4.0, Style Sheets and JavaScript.

W3C once said this:
"Dynamic HTML is a term used by some vendors to describe the combination of HTML, style sheets and scripts that allows documents to be animated."

The Elements of DHTML

HTML 4.0

HTML 4.0 introduced two important things: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and the Document Object Model (DOM). Creating dynamic HTML documents would not be possible without these two additions.

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

With CSS we got a style and layout model for HTML documents. Creating dynamic HTML documents would not be possible without CSS. 

Document Object Model

With the DOM we got a document content model for HTML documents. Creating dynamic HTML documents would not be possible without the DOM.

JavaScript (and VBScript)

With HTML 4.0, CSS and the DOM were made available for scripting. Creating dynamic HTML documents would not be possible without the ability to change the style, layout and content of HTML document via scripts.

The Bottom Line

DHTML is the art of making HTML pages dynamic by using scripting to manipulate the style, layout and contents of the document.

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