(pronounced as separate letters) Short for compact HTML, a subset of HTML for small information devices, such as smart phones and PDAs. cHTML is essentially a pared down version of regular HTML over the Internet. Because small devices such as cellular phones have hardware restrictions such as small memory, low power CPUs, limited or no storage capabilities, small mono-color display screens, single-character font and restricted input methods (the absence of a keyboard or a mouse), there is a need for a simpler form of HTML.
Because of the limitations of small information devices, cHTML does not support JPEG images, tables, image maps, multiple fonts and styles of fonts, background colors and images, frames, style sheets and more than two colors, typically black and white.
cHTML is defined so that all the basic operations can be done by a combination of four buttons and not by two-dimensional cursor movement: cursor forward, cursor backward, select, and back/stop. The functions that require two-dimensional cursor pointing, like "image map" and "table," are excluded from cHTML.
cHTML was created by Japan-based Access Company, Ltd. for use in i-mode devices, and was accepted by the W3CM in 1998. cHTML has been fading into obsolescence as XHTML gains acceptance and replaces cHTML.
Compact HTML for Small Information Appliances This document is a note made available by the W3 Consortium for discussion only. This indicates no endorsement of its content, nor that the Consortium has had any editorial control in it preparation, nor that the Consortium has, is, or will be allocating any resources to the issues addressed by the note.
