Facebook launches HTML5 dev centre

Facebook has unveiled its HTML5 Resource Center for developers, encouraging them to "build the future with HTML5". The site provides sections on building web apps and games, testing and distribution, along with a showcase of what Facebook considers standout examples of HTML5-powered apps, demos and games.

In a blog post, Facebook's Matt Kelly cited the benefits of working with HTML5 (and related technologies), including its cross-platform, cross-device nature, and the ability to code, should you wish to, in something as simple as a text editor. "Today almost every device, including phones, tablets, computers, and even TVs has a browser," he wrote. “Developers relying on HTML5 benefit from working with a single codebase that can run on all of these devices, so they build once and deploy everywhere [with] a minimal amount of changes for each device. Many developers, including Facebook, are using HTML5 in their mobile products, as it makes reaching users across many different devices simpler.∏

The post reminded readers that there are now 350million Facebook users on mobile, which, according to recent figures from Facebook, are split fairly evenly between native apps and websites. And with iOS almost certain to never support Flash and other plug-ins, Facebook's new site and emphasis on web standards will no doubt be welcomed by developers (especially those working with iOS) and standards advocates alike.

Kelly certainly hopes so. "The web already allows developers to create great apps and things are advancing rapidly," he said. "We hope these new HTML5 resources help accelerate the rate of innovation and improve the user experience of web apps."