HTTP/2 is shipping in browsers and servers throughout 2016. The protocol brings multiplexing, server push, and binary framing—fundamental changes that supposedly invalidate HTTP/1.1 optimization practices like domain sharding and sprite sheets.
Reality is messier. Not all browsers support it. Not all servers either. And some HTTP/1.1 optimizations still help. The transition period is awkward.
Google introduced the term "Progressive Web Apps" recently, describing web applications that progressively enhance to feel native. With service workers enabling offline functionality and app-like experiences, this could fundamentally change mobile web development.
Or it could be mobile web's latest disappointment. We've been here before.
Web development is changing. For years, we've relied on Flash for video, complex JavaScript for storage, and plugins for advanced graphics. HTML5 is changing all that.
HTML5 isn't just the next version of HTML – it's a collection of new standards that bring native capabilities to browsers. Video without Flash. Graphics without Canvas. Storage without cookies. It's the biggest shift in web development since CSS.