Copy of some Draft Web Development Guidelines

Avoid using deprecated, proprietary, or outdated code

The web is full of outdated or deprecated formats and web standards, and proprietary (non-standard custom) features that have been superseded. By adhering to up-to-date and widely recognized formats and web standards, developers can ensure better compatibility, user experience, and lower environmental impact.

Criteria: Preferred code

Machine-testable

Avoid the use of deprecated, proprietary, or outdated formats and web standards. Always adopt up-to-date, widely recognized standards that offer equivalent or improved functionality. Such code may be used to meet a documented customer need only if there is a justifiable benefit that cannot otherwise be met (such as compatibility, accessibility, or emissions reduction). Also, don't serve polyfills to modern browsers.

Resources

Impact: Low, Effort: Medium

GRI Impact of Avoid using deprecated, proprietary, or outdated code
GRI Impact
materials Low
energy Low
water Low
emissions Low
Benefits of this guideline
  • Environment: Deprecated standards will not be optimized or supported by future browsers, which could lead to broken functionality or a slow experience, wasting time and visitor resources.
  • Security: Old code can potentially be exploited if security issues arise (and browsers stop supporting the features). Ensuring you maintain standards should be a part of your processes.
  • Accessibility: Deprecated web standards often have poor support in assistive technologies, avoiding them will help to provide a semantic experience that works well for everyone.
  • Performance: Modern web standards are highly optimized, avoiding deprecated or less efficient standards will increase the longevity of your product and reduce the need for a carbon-intensive redesign.

Example
  • code
  • content Avoid using the now deprecated Cross Domain format unless you have an explicit requirement for it, as Flash is deprecated.

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