In Defence Of HTML

Why does software development community continue treating HTML as the unwanted, unloved redhead foster child?

Today I learned about FastHTML. I got excited because I am a big fan and a big proponent of hypermedia and HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). which is the most popular and the most widespread implementation of hypermedia.

After going quickly through the review of what is FastHTML and what it has to offer, my first impressions were positive, but I got slightly concerned that it's yet again one of those convenient tools/platforms that obfuscate/hide raw hypermedia (basically, HTML). Maybe I'm wrong, but why are we always trying to paper over HTML and wrap it up in some 'magic'? In this case, the magic is served as Python libraries provided by FastHTML creators. Those libraries seem to be doing a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes while preparing the HTML material to be shipped as HTTP responses to the clients.

Why is this rampant HTML-avoidance so concerning to me? Well, it's been like more than 30 years and still today we seem to feel the urge to 'shield' sensitive eyes from having to see, understand, and god forbid hand code HTML. We treat HTML as some retarded cousin who we are forced to secretly keep in the attic, hoping that no one will find out. Am I overdramatizing?

And also, many people for some strange reason still think that HTML is for "web browser's eyes only". Which, again, is something that kind of bothers me. Like, why is it such a big deal to let our own code parse HTML? Is writing/parsing/understanding HTML being perceived as rocket science? If yes, why?

We seem to think that our code is only capable of handling XML/JSON, but when it comes to HTML, that's like totally off limits? Why?

Isn't HTML a carrier of super important, nicely structured semantic content? Why should our code gleefully ignore that, and reroute it for human consumption only while continuously obsessing over crude Mickey Mouse JSON?

I really don’t have answers to those questions. And I must admit that I’m stumped. I remember some 20 years ago sitting down with a coworker who was apparently fond of my views on software development, and he asked me point blank: “So, when do you figure this stupid obsession with HTML is going to end? Isn’t it high time we return to normalcy and go back to coding binary UIs?” (well, he was kind of right regarding the looming avalanche of native mobile apps, I’ll give him that)

There you have it — “real programmers don’t write HTML”. Oh, the humanity!