Comparison of HTML5 and Flash

The table below compares the features of the Flash platform, the HTML5 specification and the features implemented in modern web browsers.

| {{terminated|

• Android 2.1 to 4.1{{cite magazine |first=Daniel |last=Ionescu |title=Flash Player 11.1 Arrives for Android Ice Cream Sandwich |magazine=PC World |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/246362/flash_player_11_1_arrives_for_android_ice_cream_sandwich.html |access-date= November 16, 2012}}{{cite web |first=Zach |last=Walton |title=Adobe May Have Dropped Flash Support For Android, But You Don't Have To |date=26 July 2012 |url=http://www.webpronews.com/adobe-may-have-dropped-flash-support-for-android-but-you-dont-have-to-2012-07 |access-date= November 17, 2012}}
• Apple iOS (Adobe AIR only){{cite web|url=https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1679699|title=1/13/2015 - Release - AIR 16 Runtime and SDK - Adobe Community|website=forums.adobe.com|date=13 January 2015}}
• BlackBerry 10 (up to OS 10.3.0){{cite web |title=BlackBerry Knowledge Base explains the removal of Adobe Flash from OS 10.3.1 |date=30 December 2014 |publisher=Crackberry |url=http://crackberry.com/blackberrys-official-comments-removal-adobe-flash-os-1031 |access-date= January 25, 2015}}
• BlackBerry Tablet OS{{cite web |title=Adobe enables 3D games with Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 - Major advancements for gaming, media and more |date=21 September 2011 |publisher=Crackberry |url=http://crackberry.com/adobe-enables-3d-games-flash-player-11-air-3 |access-date= January 25, 2015}}
• Windows RT

|}}

|-

! Video game consoles

| {{n/a}}

| {{yes|

• PlayStation (PS4, PS3 and PS Vita){{cite web |url=http://totalrevue.com/ps3-receives-4-10-firmware-update-browser-html5-support/ |title=totalrevue.com |publisher=totalrevue.com |url-status=dead |access-date=2014-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074842/http://totalrevue.com/ps3-receives-4-10-firmware-update-browser-html5-support/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}{{cite web |url=http://functionsource.com/post/netflix-feature |title=FunctionSource: Coping with over Four Hundred Devices: How Netflix Uses HTML5 to Deliver Amazing User Interfaces |access-date=2012-11-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124131418/http://functionsource.com/post/netflix-feature |archive-date=2013-01-24 }}
• Nintendo Switch and Wii U{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/nintendo-html5-support-for-wii-u-browser-but-no-flash |title=Nintendo: HTML5 support for Wii U browser, but no Flash |publisher=Neowin |access-date=2014-06-29}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo-nation.net/wii-u-browser-html5/ |title=Wii U browser first for HTML5 compliance, powered by Netfront? |publisher=Nintendo Nation.net |date=2012-11-02 |access-date=2014-06-29}}{{cite web|url=http://html5test.com/results/gaming.html |title=How well does your browser support HTML5? |publisher=HTML5test |access-date=2014-06-29}}{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/11/01/wii-us-browser-is-better-at-html5-than-internet-explorer-10-on-pc/ |title=Wii U's browser is better equipped for HTML5 than Internet Explorer 10 on PC | GamesBeat | Games | by Jeff Grubb |publisher=Venturebeat.com |date=2012-11-01 |access-date=2014-06-29}}
• Nintendo 3DS family (partial)
• Xbox One and Xbox 360{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SteveFulton/20121023/179970/Xbox_360_Internet_Explorer_Plays_HTML5_GamesBut_Not_Flash.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025233632/http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SteveFulton/20121023/179970/Xbox_360_Internet_Explorer_Plays_HTML5_GamesBut_Not_Flash.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |title=Steve Fulton's Blog - Xbox 360 Internet Explorer Plays HTML5 Games...But Not Flash |website=Gamasutra |date=2012-10-23 |access-date=2014-06-29}}

|}}

| {{terminated|

• PlayStation 3 (Flash 9.1) and PSP (Flash 6)
• Wii (Flash Lite 3.1, equivalent to Flash 8)
• Leapster (Flash 5 for games)
• Dreamcast (Flash 4)

}}

|-

! Device support

| {{n/a}}

| colspan="2" {{yes|Full, permission-based access to web camera, microphone, accelerometer and GPS}}

|-

! Market penetration

| {{n/a}}

| {{depends|82.3% of websites (as of March 28, 2020)}}{{cite web|title=Usage statistics of HTML5 for websites|url=https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/ml-html5|access-date=2020-03-28|archive-date=2020-03-28|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200328164022/https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/ml-html5|url-status=live|work=W3Techs|publisher=Q-Success}}

| {{Terminated|4.5% of websites (as of April 19, 2018){{cite web |last1=Cimpanu |first1=Catalin |title=Flash Used on 5% of All Websites, Down From 28.5% Seven Years Ago |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/flash-used-on-5-percent-of-all-websites-down-from-285-percent-seven-years-ago/ |website=BleepingComputer |access-date=August 12, 2019 |date=April 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324114257/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/flash-used-on-5-percent-of-all-websites-down-from-285-percent-seven-years-ago/|url-status=live|archive-date=2020-03-24}}}}

|-

! Browser support

| {{n/a}}

| {{yes|97.5% of browser installations (as of February 2020){{cite web|url=https://www.w3counter.com/trends|publisher=Awio Web Services|work=W3Counter|access-date=2020-03-28|url-status=live|archive-date=2020-03-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307212036/https://www.w3counter.com/trends|title=Web Browser Usage Trends}}}}

| {{depends|29% of browser installations (as of July 2019){{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/pictures/2019s-tech-security-and-authentication-trends/2/|last=Cimpanu|first=Catalin|access-date=2020-03-28|title=Adobe Flash Player market share going down|date=2019-07-16|publisher=CBS Interactive|work=ZDNet|url-status=live|archive-date=2020-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309173918/https://www.zdnet.com/pictures/2019s-tech-security-and-authentication-trends/2/}}}}

|-

! Vector graphics formats

| {{n/a}}

| {{yes|Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) supported on ~97% of browsers{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/svg|title=Can I use SVG|website=caniuse.com}}}}

| {{yes|SWF with embedded graphics and AS3SVGRenderer}}

|-

! Bitmap effects

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|90+%{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/css-filters|title=Can I use CSS Filter Effects|website=caniuse.com}} support of Filters in CSS3 (e.g. Glow, Blur, Drop Shadow, Sepia){{cite web|last=Danilo |first=Alex |url=http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/filters/understanding-css/ |title=Understanding CSS Filter Effects |publisher=HTML5 Rocks |date=2012-05-25 |access-date=2014-06-29}}}}

| {{yes}}, applied to text or graphics (e.g. Glow, Drop Shadow, Bevel){{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/filters/BitmapFilter.html |title=BitmapFilter - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}

|-

! Vector text display

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}, with Saffron Type System

|-

! Font support

| {{n/a}}

| {{yes|Installed fonts and custom fonts using CSS 3 web fonts}}

| {{yes|Installed fonts and embedded fonts}}{{cite web|author=Peter deHaan|title=Embedding fonts.|url=https://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/quickstart/embedding_fonts.html|access-date=July 23, 2012}}

|-

! Text anti-aliasing

| {{n/a}}

| {{yes}}, implemented in most browsers, for system and custom fonts

| {{yes}}, in most cases{{efn|name=note2}}

|-

! Text tab stops

| {{no}}

| {{depends|Only supported inside "pre" tags}}

| {{yes}}, with Text Layout Framework

|-

! Liquid text layout

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}, via "div" tag and CSS styling

| {{depends|No, but text fields can be resized in ActionScript}}

|-

! Tabular data

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}, via "table" tag

| {{depends|No, but text fields can be arranged into a grid}}

|-

! Linked text frames{{efn|name=note1}}

| {{depends|{{As of|2016}}, two specifications compete: CSS Regions{{cite web|publisher=W3C|title=CSS Regions|url=http://www.w3.org/TR/css-regions-1/|access-date=August 24, 2015}} and CSS Overflow{{cite web|publisher=W3C|title=CSS Overflow|url=https://drafts.csswg.org/css-overflow/|access-date=August 24, 2015}}}}

| {{depends|With CSS Regions, supported by Safari, IE11 and Edge}}{{cite web|publisher=Can I Use...|title=CSS Regions|url=http://caniuse.com/css-regions|access-date=February 12, 2016}}

| {{yes}}, with Text Layout Framework{{cite web|publisher=Adobe Systems|title=Working with Text Layout Framework (TLF) text|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/flash/cs/using/WSb03e830bd6f770ee-4b0db644124bbdb363d-8000.html#WSb03e830bd6f770ee39dfeb5a12f0e142ade-7fff|access-date=July 22, 2012}}

|-

! Programming languages

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|JavaScript}}

| {{yes|ActionScript, Pixel Bender}}

|-

! C++ support

| {{yes|Cross-compiling C++ code to JavaScript via Emscripten}}

| {{yes|Supported with WebAssembly}}

| {{yes|Cross-compiling C++ code to run in Flash Player via FlasCC{{cite web|url=http://gaming.adobe.com/technologies/flascc/ |title=Game creation software with Flash | Adobe Gaming |publisher=Gaming.adobe.com |access-date=2014-06-29}} AIR has AIR Native Extensions that allow loading native code, such as compiled C++ code.}}

|-

! Code delivery format

| Plaintext

| Plaintext JavaScript with limited obfuscation, WebAssembly bytecode, GLSL for GPUs, in Canvas elements

| Compiled bytecode, can be obfuscated

|-

! Data formats

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|CSS 3, HTML, XML, JSON}}{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/json |title=Browser-native |publisher=Caniuse.com |access-date=2014-06-29}}

| {{yes|JSON, XML, Subset of CSS 1}}{{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/text/StyleSheet.html |title=StyleSheet - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}

|-

! Data compression

| {{no}}

| {{yes|GZIP compression for HTML, JS and CSS files{{cite web|url=http://schroepl.net/projekte/mod_gzip/browser.htm |title=Which browsers can handle Content-Encoding: gzip ? |publisher=schroepl.net |date=2003-03-11 |access-date=2017-04-02}}}}

| {{yes|LZMA or DEFLATE for SWF files}}

|-

! Image formats

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|PNG, JPEG, SVG, Animated GIF}}SVG may be used by several ways: it may be included into an html source code or be linked as an image source to be displayed (e.g. in tag);

| {{yes|PNG, JPEG, JPEG-XR, Single-frame GIF}}{{cite web|author=Thibault Imbert|title=What's new in Flash Player 11|url=https://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/whats-new-flash-player11.html|access-date=July 23, 2012}}{{Cite book|publisher=Adobe Systems Incorporated|title=SWF File Format Specification, Version 10|year=2008|page=25|url=https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf|access-date=2014-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131083755/http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf|archive-date=2012-01-31|url-status=dead}}

|-

! Video formats

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|90+% support of H.264;{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/mpeg4 |title=Can I use the MPEG-4/H.264 video format? |publisher=Caniuse.com |access-date=2016-02-12}} varying support of WebM and Ogg Theora (see HTML video)}}

| {{yes|H.264, Sorenson Spark, and On2 VP6}}{{cite web|publisher=Adobe Systems|title=Supported Codecs|url=http://helpx.adobe.com/flash/kb/supported-codecs-flash-player.html|access-date=July 29, 2012}}

|-

! Streaming video

| {{yes}}{{cite web|author=W3C|title=Media Source Extensions|url=http://www.w3.org/TR/media-source/|access-date=August 24, 2015}}

| {{yes|Supported by IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.}}{{cite web|author=Can I Use...|title=Media Source Extensions|url=http://caniuse.com/mediasource|access-date=October 1, 2015}}

| {{yes|Flash Video, H.264 and partial support for MP4}}

|-

! Audio formats

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|~94% support of MP3,{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/mp3 |title=Can I use MP3 audio format? |publisher=Caniuse.com |access-date=2016-02-12}} AAC{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/aac |title=Can I use AAC audio file format? |publisher=Caniuse.com |access-date=2016-02-12}} and WAV PCM; varying support of Ogg Vorbis, and WebM Vorbis (see HTML audio)}}

| {{yes|MP3, WAV and AAC audio files or embedded sound}}

|-

! Fullscreen support

| {{yes}}{{cite web|author=WHATWG|title=Full Screen API Standard|url=https://fullscreen.spec.whatwg.org|access-date=August 24, 2015}}

| {{yes|Supported on all major desktop browsers, with warning displayed.{{cite web|author=Can I Use...|title=Full Screen API|url=http://caniuse.com/#feat=fullscreen|access-date=August 24, 2015}} Not yet widely supported on mobile}}

| {{yes}}, with warning displayed

|-

! Encryption DRM

| {{depends}}

| {{depends|~65% support of audio/video files.{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/eme|title=Can I use Encrypted Media Extensions|website=caniuse.com}} All other files being plaintext, except for obfuscation}}

| {{depends|No, binary formatted files can be decompiled, which is obfuscation}}

|-

! File system access

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|Single file upload, and drag and drop of files onto browser{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/fileapi|title=Can I use File API|website=caniuse.com}}}}

| {{yes|Support for single file upload and generation,{{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/net/FileReference.html |title=FileReference - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}
AIR only: full create/read/write access to file system{{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/filesystem/File.html |title=File - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}}}

|-

! Bitmap manipulation

| {{depends}}

| {{yes|~95% support for canvas element{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/canvas|title=Can I use the HTML5 canvas element|website=caniuse.com}}}}

| {{yes}}, via BitmapData class{{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/display/BitmapData.html |title=BitmapData - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}

|-

! Binary manipulation

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}, via JavaScript Typed Arrays{{cite web|url=http://caniuse.com/#feat=typedarrays|title=Typed Arrays|author=Can I Use...|access-date=August 24, 2015}}

| {{yes}}, via ByteArray class{{cite web|url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/utils/ByteArray.html |title=ByteArray - Adobe ActionScript 3 (AS3 ) API Reference |publisher=Help.adobe.com |date=2014-05-28 |access-date=2014-06-29}}

|-

! Large binary data

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Via Web Sockets to stream binary or other data}}

| {{yes}}, embedded or streaming binary data{{Cite book|publisher=Adobe Systems Incorporated|title=SWF File Format Specification, Version 10|year=2008|page=253|url=https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf|access-date=2014-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131083755/http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf|archive-date=2012-01-31|url-status=dead}}

|-

! Offline storage

| {{depends}}

| {{yes}}, via Web storage, HTTP cookie, or Indexed DB to store binary, XML or JSON data{{cite web|title=localStore|author=Can I Use...|url=http://caniuse.com/#search=localstorage|access-date=August 24, 2015}}

| {{yes}}, via Local Shared Objects to store AMF-formatted data

|-

! Metadata

| {{yes|Meta tags}}

| {{yes|Can be included in meta tags}}

| {{yes|Extensible Metadata Platform}}

|}

{{notelist|refs=

{{efn|name=note1|Allows text to overflow into other text boxes, useful for desktop publishing.}}

{{efn|name=note2|Static text created via Flash editor is automatically embedded and anti-aliased. Text fields created via ActionScript need fonts to be manually embedded for anti-aliasing to work.}}

}}

Originally, web browsers could not render Flash media themselves, and required the proprietary freeware plugin Adobe Flash Player. Until 2008, there was no official specification by which to create an alternative player. Alternative players were developed before 2008, but they supported Flash to a lesser degree than the official one.{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/manual/gnashref.html#runs-on |title=Gnash Reference Manual |publisher=Gnu.org |date=2008-05-18 |access-date=2014-06-29}} Flash support is built in to Google Chrome,{{cite web|url=https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2010/03/dev-channel-update_30.html|title=Integrated Adobe Flash Player Plug-in|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131084726/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.cz/2010/03/dev-channel-update_30.html|archive-date=2013-01-31|work=Chrome team blog}}{{cite web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2012/08/the-road-to-safer-more-stable-and.html|title=Porting Flash to sandboxed PPAPI platform|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725110647/https://blog.chromium.org/2012/08/the-road-to-safer-more-stable-and.html|archive-date=2018-07-25|work=Official Chromium Blog}} Internet Explorer 10 (and later),{{cite web|title=Flash Player issues | Windows 8|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-8.html|publisher=Adobe Systems|access-date=2016-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210445/https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-8.html|archive-date=2016-12-20|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Flash Player Issues | Windows 10 | Internet Explorer|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-10-ie.html|publisher=Adobe Systems|access-date=2016-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210544/https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-10-ie.html|archive-date=2016-12-20|url-status=live}} and Microsoft Edge.{{cite web|title=Flash Player issues | Windows 10 | Microsoft Edge|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-10-edge.html|publisher=Adobe Systems|access-date=2016-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210517/https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-issues-windows-10-edge.html|archive-date=2016-12-20|url-status=live}}

The last version of the Adobe Flash Player ran on Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, RIM, QNX and Google TV.

Earlier versions ran on Android 2.2-4.0.x (Flash was released for 4.0, but Adobe discontinued support for Android 4.1 and higher.{{cite journal

|last=Svetlik

|first=Joe

|title=Adobe Flash coming for ICS, not Android 5.0

|publisher=CNET UK

|url=http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/adobe-flash-coming-for-ics-not-android-5-0-50006177/

|date=November 21, 2011

|access-date=February 22, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122211514/http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/adobe-flash-coming-for-ics-not-android-5-0-50006177/

|archive-date=November 22, 2011

|url-status=dead

}}) (Flash 11.2), Linux (Flash 11.2, except for Pepper Flash which is maintained and distributed by Google, not Adobe), PlayStation 3 (Flash 9), PSP (Flash 6). Adobe Flash Lite runs on Wii, Symbian, Maemo Linux, Windows Mobile, and Chumby.

Apple never allowed Flash to run on iOS, the operating system which runs on iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV. Apple officially dropped support for Adobe Flash from the macOS version of Safari 14 released on September 17, 2020 for macOS 10.14 Mojave & macOS 10.15 Catalina.

In February 2012, Adobe announced it would discontinue development of Flash Player on Linux for all browsers, except Google Chrome, by dropping support for NPAPI and using only Chrome's PPAPI.{{cite web|last=Noyes |first=Katherine |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/250455/for_flash_on_linux_chrome_will_be_users_only_choice.html |title=For Flash on Linux, Chrome Will Be Users' Only Choice | PCWorld Business Center |publisher=Pcworld.com |date=April 6, 2012 |access-date=April 10, 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/12/03/31/1417245/adobe-releases-last-linux-version-of-flash-player |title=Adobe Releases Last Linux Version of Flash Player – Slashdot |publisher=Linux.slashdot.org |access-date=April 10, 2012 }} In August 2016, Adobe announced that, beginning with version 24, it would resume offering of Flash Player for Linux for other browsers.{{cite web |url=https://blogs.adobe.com/flashplayer/2016/08/beta-news-flash-player-npapi-for-linux.html |work=Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Player Team Blog |title=Beta News – Flash Player NPAPI for Linux |date=August 31, 2016 |access-date=November 17, 2016 }} Adobe stopped traditional support for the Flash platform in 2020 and both Firefox and Google Chrome phased out support of Flash.{{cite web | url=https://www.bubbleshooter.net/blog/2019/12/05/the-end-of-flash/ | title=The end of Flash – Bubble Shooter Blog }}

Almost all web browsers support HTML and other Web standards to various degree. Adobe released a tool that converts Flash to HTML5,{{cite web|website=Adobe.com|url=https://www.adobe.com/products/flash/flash-to-html5.html |title=Flash to HTML5: Learn more about the CreateJS toolkit}} and in June 2011, Google released an experimental tool that does the same.{{cite web|website=Google Labs|url=http://swiffy.googlelabs.com|title=Google Swiffy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904140637/http://swiffy.googlelabs.com/|archive-date=2011-09-04}}{{cite web|website=Linked In Groups: HTML5 Technologies |url=https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Google-just-announced-SWF-HTML5-2868882.S.59811646|title=Google just announced a SWF to HTML5 converter|author=L., Maxime}}

{{As of|2013|12}}, versions of browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari implement HTML5 to a considerable degree. However, some portions of the HTML5 specification were still being implemented by browser makers.

As of January 2015, YouTube defaults to HTML5 players to better support more devices. HTML5 needs less processing power making it run faster on all browsers. The multimedia integration with HTML5 is quite easy and creates better support for live video streaming on mobile devices also.{{cite web|work=YouTube Engineering and Developers Blog|title=YouTube now defaults to HTML5

Until 2008, the use of Flash was covered by restrictive licenses. The conditions prohibited use of the specification to develop any software (including players) which could render or read (and thus convert) SWF files, and required the output SWF files to be compatible with Adobe's players.{{cite web

| title=SWF and FLV File Format Specification License Agreement

| publisher=Adobe Systems

| date=2007-06-27

| quote=You may not use the Specification in any way to create or develop a runtime, client, player, executable or other program that reads or renders SWF files.| access-date=2008-01-05 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071222125858/http://www.adobe.com/licensing/developer/fileformat/license/ |archive-date = 2007-12-22

| url=https://www.adobe.com/licensing/developer/fileformat/license/ }}

In 2008, restrictions on use of the SWF and FLV/F4V specifications were dropped, and some specifications were released.{{cite web

| title=Open Screen Project Press Release

| url=https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200804/050108AdobeOSP.html | publisher=Adobe Systems

| date=2008-05-01

| access-date=2008-05-01}} However, the "SWF File Format Specification Version 10" allegedly did not contain all the needed information, did not contain much information that hadn't been previously known by the community,{{cite web

|title = Free Flash community reacts to Adobe Open Screen Project

|access-date = 2008-11-29

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080928202954/http://www.openmedianow.org/?q=node%2F21

|archive-date = 2008-09-28

|url = http://www.openmedianow.org/?q=node/21

|url-status = usurped

}} and itself could not be copied, printed out in more than one copy, distributed, resold or translated, without written approval of Adobe Systems Incorporated.{{cite web | title = SWF File Format Specification Version 10 | url = https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf | access-date = 2012-11-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120131083755/http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf_file_format_spec_v10.pdf | archive-date = 2012-01-31 | url-status = dead }}

Flash was not an open standard. It was controlled by one firm, Adobe Systems. In contrast, HTML5 is controlled mostly by a committee, the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG).{{cite web|last=Jobs|first=Steve|authorlink=Steve Jobs|date=April 29, 2010|title=Thoughts on Flash|url=https://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615060422/https://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/|archive-date=June 15, 2017|accessdate=March 24, 2022|website=Apple Inc.}}

Various people have praised Flash over the years for rendering consistently across platforms. Constructing sites in Flash was a way to prevent code forking, whereby different versions of a site are created for different browsers.{{cite book |author=Ka Wai Cheung and Craig Bryant |title=Flash Application Design Solutions: The Flash Usability Handbook |page= 6 |publisher=Apress |year= 2006 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=49OwlbrMc-oC&q=flash+cross+browser&pg=PA6|isbn=9781590595947 }}{{cite book |first=Rob |last=Huddleston |title=Flash Catalyst CS5 Bible |publisher=Wiley |year= 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=crN1zsYwYAYC&q=flash+cross+browser&pg=PT39|isbn=9780470767948 }}

Speaking at 'Adobe Max' in 2011, Itai Asseo likewise said that, unlike HTML5, Flash offers a way to develop applications that work across platforms. HTML5, he said, is currently implemented differently (if at all) by different browsers. Although the Flash browser plugin is not supported on the Apple iPhone OS, Flash applications can be exported to Adobe AIR, which runs on that operating system as a native application. In the same talk, Mr. Asseo lamented the return to another browser war (as seen in the late 1990s). If Flash falls out of favor, he said, web developers will either have to develop many different versions of their web sites and native applications to take into account different HTML5 implementations, deny access to browsers that do not support their version of HTML, or dramatically reduce the functionality of their sites in order to deliver content to the least-advanced browser.{{cite web|author=Itai Asseo|title=The Death of Flash|url=http://tv.adobe.com/watch/max-2011-envision/the-death-of-flash/|access-date=November 19, 2011}}

Constructing Flash websites using Adobe tools is relatively easier than with integrated development environments for CSS, HTML, and JavaScript;{{cite magazine

|last=Wayner

|first=Peter

|title=HTML5 vs. Flash: The case for Flash

|magazine=InfoWorld

|date=June 2, 2010

|url=http://www.infoworld.com/d/developer-world/html5-vs-flash-the-case-flash-721?page=0,1

|access-date=January 5, 2011

}} however, many of Adobe's tools are expensive and proprietary software.

In 2011 Adobe released a Flash-to-HTML5 conversion tool for existing content{{cite web|url=http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2011/03/wallaby-flash-to-html5-conversion-tool-now-available.html |title=John Nack on Adobe : "Wallaby" Flash-to-HTML5 conversion tool now available |publisher=Blogs.adobe.com |date=2011-03-07 |access-date=2012-06-18}}

Because HTML5 is an open format, tools like those for Flash can be built for it, too. Applications like Hype{{cite web|url=http://tumultco.com/hype/features/ |title=Hype Features |publisher=Tumultco.com |access-date=2014-06-29}} and Adobe Edge are already on the market.

{{see also|Adobe Flash#Performance}}

Flash had a better performance than HTML according to a comparison of Flash with HTML in 2010 which listed Flash as being faster than the other technologies, when used for non-video animations, although they are catching up.{{cite web|title="HTML5" versus Flash: Animation Benchmarking|url=http://themaninblue.com/writing/perspective/2010/03/22/}}{{cite web|title=Flash vs HTML5 Performance (Updated January 2012)|url=http://pacoup.com/2011/02/03/flash-vs-html5-performance/|access-date=2012-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017051052/http://pacoup.com/2011/02/03/flash-vs-html5-performance/|archive-date=2012-10-17|url-status=dead}}

Some users, more so those on macOS and Linux, complained about the relatively high CPU usage of Flash for video playback."Flash – CPU Usage – FPS – Frame Rate." [http://forums.adobe.com/thread/230334 Online posting. 10 December 2008. Reader discussions, Adobe Support Forums. 10 December 2010]{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2010}} This was partially because the Flash plugin did not use the GPU to render video. Adobe has responded to some of those criticisms in the 10.1 and 10.2 releases of the Flash plugin by offloading H.264 video decoding to dedicated hardware and by introducing a new video API called Stage Video.{{cite web

|last=Dachis

|first=Adam

|title=Adobe Releases Flash 10.2 Beta, Reduces CPU Usage During Video Playback

|date=December 1, 2010

|publisher=Lifehacker

|url=http://lifehacker.com/5702983/adobe-releases-flash-102-beta-reduces-cpu-usage-during-video-playback |access-date=December 27, 2010

}}{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2011}} The use of the newer ActionScript 3.0 inside Flash movies instead of the older ActionScript 2.0 improves code execution speed by a factor of around 10.{{cite web

|title=ActionScript 3.0 overview

|publisher=Adobe Systems

|date=27 Jun 2006

|url=https://www.adobe.com/devnet/actionscript/articles/actionscript3_overview.html

}} The software routines written by developers can also affect the performance of applications built in Flash, reasons that would affect HTML5 animations as well.{{cite conference

|last=Skinner

|first=Grant

|title=Quick as a Flash

|conference=Adobe MAX 2010

|conference-url=http://2010.max.adobe.com/

|date=October 2010

|url=http://2010.max.adobe.com/schedule/by-session/quick-as-a-flash/471c495b-7ddf-4c0c-936b-609916f11e85

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707084117/http://2010.max.adobe.com/schedule/by-session/quick-as-a-flash/471c495b-7ddf-4c0c-936b-609916f11e85

|archive-date=2011-07-07

|url-status=dead

}}

Flash included DRM support. The main HTML 5 standard does not include any digital rights management functionality directly, instead the Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) specification describes application interface (API) for communication channel between web browsers and digital rights management (DRM) agent software.

Historically, before EME introduction implementations could support DRM, for example in codecs.{{cite web|url=http://www.w3.org/html/wiki/FAQs#Is_there_support_for_digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29_in_HTML5_video.3F |title=FAQs - HTML Wiki |publisher=W3.org |date=2011-02-22 |access-date=2012-06-18}} The proposal to add DRM features to HTML5 itself has been criticized by those who consider openness and vendor-neutrality (both server- and client-side) one of the most important properties of HTML, because DRM is incompatible with free software,{{cite web

|url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2013/mar/12/tim-berners-lee-drm-cory-doctorow

|title = What I wish Tim Berners-Lee understood about DRM

|author = Cory Doctorow

|work = Technology blog at guardian.co.uk

|date = 2013-03-12

|access-date = 2013-03-20

|author-link = Cory Doctorow

}}{{cite web

|url = http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/02/bbc-attacks-the-open-web-gnulinux-in-danger/index.htm

|title = BBC Attacks the Open Web, GNU/Linux in Danger

|author = Glyn Moody

|work = Open Enterprise blog at ComputerworldUK.com

|date = 2013-02-13

|access-date = 2013-03-20

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130317050344/http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/02/bbc-attacks-the-open-web-gnulinux-in-danger/index.htm

|archive-date = 2013-03-17

|url-status = dead

|author-link = Glyn Moody

}} and in the proposed form potentially not more vendor-neutral than proprietary plug-ins like Flash.{{cite web

|url = http://www.webmonkey.com/2013/02/drm-for-the-web-say-it-aint-so/

|title = DRM for the Web? Say It Ain't So

|author = Scott Gilbertson

|work = Webmonkey

|publisher = Condé Nast

|date = 2013-02-12

|access-date = 2013-03-21

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130324134750/http://www.webmonkey.com/2013/02/drm-for-the-web-say-it-aint-so

|archive-date = 2013-03-24

|url-status = dead

}}{{cite web

|url = http://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5

|title = Tell W3C: We don't want the Hollyweb

|work = Defective by Design

|publisher = Free Software Foundation

|date = March 2013

|access-date = 2013-03-25

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130324133748/http://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5

|archive-date = 2013-03-24

|url-status = dead

}}

Both Flash and HTML text can be read by screen readers. However, special care must be taken to ensure Flash movies are read correctly. For example, if a Flash movie is set to repeat indefinitely, this can cause a screen reader to repeat the content endlessly. Selecting the "Make object accessible" check box in Adobe Flash Professional would create a text-only version of the object for screen readers and hide any motion from the screen reader.{{cite web|url=https://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/flash/animation.html|title=Adobe Flash accessibility design guidelines|publisher=Adobe Systems|access-date=May 21, 2011}} Since Flash content was usually placed on a single webpage, it appeared as a single entry in search engine result pages, unless developers utilized deep linking to provide multiple links within Flash websites and web applications. User interface widgets in Flash objects would not always behave like their host native counterparts. Keyboard, mouse and other accessibility shortcuts may not have worked unless the webpage developer explicitly added support for it.

Both Flash content and HTML content could be indexed by Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, although bi-directional text (e.g. Arabic, Hebrew) is not supported by Google.{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=72746#1|title=Flash and other rich media files|access-date=May 21, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/07/google-yahoo-spiders-can-now-crawl-through-flash-sites.ars|title=Google, Yahoo spiders can now crawl through Flash sites|work=Ars Technica|date=July 2008 |access-date=May 21, 2011}} Yahoo! added support for indexing Flash sites in 2008, although Google had been able to index them for several years before that. Bing added support for Flash sites in 2010.

{{main|Thoughts on Flash}}

Apple promoted HTML5 as an alternative to Flash for video and other content on the iOS, citing performance and security reasons for not allowing Adobe Flash Player to be installed on iOS devices, including the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Flash applications could be packaged as native iOS applications via the Adobe Integrated Runtime and the iOS Packager.{{cite web|url=http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/packagerforiphone.html |title=Adobe AIR | Adobe AIR 3 | Deploy applications |publisher=Labs.adobe.com |access-date=2012-06-18}}

{{Portal|Internet}}

• Comparison of vector graphics editors
• CSS animations
• Flash animation
• HTML5test
• Security of Adobe Flash
• SVG animation
• Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language

{{Reflist|30em|group=note}}

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{Cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/TR/SVG2/Overview.html|title=Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 2|website=www.w3.org|access-date=2019-07-05}}

}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072340/https://www.epaperflip.com/adobe-flash-vs-html-5-who-will-win-cold-war/ Infographic - The Cold War Between Adobe Flash and HTML 5]
• [https://bestvpn.org/html5demos/ Demos of browser support for HTML5]

{{Adobe Flash}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Comparison Of Html5 And Flash}}

Category:HTML5

Category:Adobe Flash

HTML5 and Flash

Html5 and Flash