What is DHTML? Explained With Examples
The full form of DHTML is – “Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language” means “Dynamic HTML”.
DHTML is not a language, it is a term that describes the technology that creates dynamic and interactive web pages.
According to the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) -: “Dynamic HTML is a term used by some vendors to describe the combination of HTML, style sheets, and scripts. It allows the documents to be animated.
This is completely different from HTML. DHTML is a combination of HTML, CSS, Javascript, and DOM (Document Object Model, which is used to access different elements of a document).
It also uses HTML as well as other properties (HTML, CSS, Javascript, and DOM) to make the webpage real-time responsive, animated, and interactive.
DHTML provides such functions through which we can easily create live chat, feedback form, and navigation menu bar in our website.
DHTML uses the Dynamic Object Model to make changes to settings, properties, and methods.
DHTML is used to create interactive and animated web pages that are generated in real-time, also known as dynamic web pages.
The DHTML application was released by Microsoft in 1997 with the fourth version of IE (Internet Explorer).
By the way, the website on which you are reading this article right now is a great example of DHTM because this website is also made up of components included in DHTML.
Components of Dynamic HTML
There are mainly 4 components in DHTML. Although its components can be independent in themselves, but it is not necessary.
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- DOM.
#1. HTML
The full form of HTML is “Hypertext Markup Language”. It is a client-side markup language. Which is used to provide structure to the content of the webpage.
It is a core component of DHTML.
#2. CSS
The full form of CSS is “Cascading Style Sheet”. It allows developers to control the style and layout of HTML elements on web pages.
#3. JavaScript
JavaScript is a client-side scripting language that is used to access, control and manipulate HTML elements. Today, most browsers support JavaScript.
JavaScript statements are commands that tell the browser to perform an action.
#4. DOM
This is known as the Document Object Model. It is a way to manipulate static content. But most browsers do not support the DOM.
Why use DHTML
- DHTML enables us to handle properties from the website’s text to the website’s object.
- Through DHTML, we can easily give different designs to our website.
- DHTML makes webpages user-friendly, which makes it easy for the user to interact.
Features of DHTML
The following are the features of DHTML:
- Creating dynamic webpages is easy with DHTML.
- DHTML has many features (eg:- CSS, and Javascript) in which it is easy for the user to change the format of the webpages.
- It is easy to detect and respond to keyboard and mouse inputs very easily.
- Using DHTML, users can easily create dynamic things (digital clock, notice bar, prompt) for their websites or web pages.
- With the help of DHTML, users can easily change HTML tags and their properties.
- DHTML extends the functionality of the web page.
Uses of DHTML
- It is used to design animated and interactive web pages that are developed in real-time.
- DHTML helps users to animate text and images in their documents.
- It allows developers to add effects to their web pages.
- It also allows web developers to include drop-down menus or rollover buttons.
- The term DHTML is also used to refer to various browser-based action games.
- It is also used to add tickers to various websites that require their content to be automatically refreshed.
Difference Between HTML And DHTML
| HTML | DHTML |
| HTML is just a markup language. | DHTML is not a language but a set of techniques for web development. |
| It is used in creating and developing webpages. | It is used to create animated and interactive web pages. |
| We can create static pages only with markup language. | We create dynamic webpage with DHTML |
| No server side scripting coding is used in this. | It may use code from server-side scripting. |
| It is saved in the html file system with the extension .htm or .html. | DHTML files are saved or stored in a system with .dhtm extension. |
| A simple webpage that is made without any scripting and styling (CSS) can be called HTML page. | A webpage, which is created by developers using HTML, CSS, DOM and JavaScript, is called a DHTML page. |
| There is no need for a database connection in HTML. | DHTML may require database connectivity as it interacts with users, but database connectivity is not required. |
Advantages of DHTML
- Compared to other interactive media, such as Flash or Shockwave, the files are compact in size and download faster.
- It is supported by major browser makers like Microsoft and Netscape.
- It is highly flexible and easy to modify.
- Viewers using DHTML do not require any additional plug-ins or special software to browse through the webpage.
- User’s time is saved by sending less number of requests to the server.
- Since it is possible to modify and replace elements even after the page is loaded, there is no need to create a separate page to change the styles which save time in creating the page and also reduces the number of requests sent to the server.
- It has more advanced functionality than static HTML.
- It is capable of holding more content on the web page at the same time.
Disadvantages of DHTML
- It is not supported by all browsers. It is supported only by recent browsers such as Netscape 6, IE 5.5, and Opera 5.
- Learning DHTML requires many languages (like HTML, CSS, JS, etc.) which the designer should know before starting DHTML. This in itself is going to take a long time.
- Different browsers have different implementations. So if it works in one browser, it doesn’t necessarily work the same way in another browser.
- Even after having a lot of functionality, DHTML requires some tools and utilities which are a bit expensive. For example, the DHTML text editor, Dreamweaver.
