Brief Comparison of WML, and HTML

        The WAP standard, which includes WML, is designed to integrate smoothly with existing Web technology and standards. This smooth integration is partially ensured by the similarity of many of the components used by both protocols. In the case of the content-display languages (WML and HTML), this bond is in part derived from common ancestry: Both WML and HTML are eXtensible Markup Language (XML) applications. To vastly simplify, HTML creates XML-based output for standard-sized screens, while WML creates XML for small screens.

(1) Similarities:

As XML-based languages, WML and HTML share Significant characteristics:

• WML and HTML are mark-up languages that provide tags that are used to define language elements.

• WML's deck metaphor parallels the concept of the HTML page on the Web. A deck is the organizing unit of smaller elements called cards. A card typically approximates the content displayed on a single wireless device screen.

• Both languages support the use of URLs. In WML, URLs are used when hyperlinking and when referencing external resources such as graphics files or WMLScript scripts. Relative URLs are also used to link cards within a deck.

(2) Differences

• WML supports definitions for elements for navigation and task invocation control.

• WML offers a mechanism via WSP for maintaining state or session objects within the microbrowser (for example, a history stack and variables). In contrast, HTML do not support state management within the browser Note: However, to provide secure session management, developers still need a typical Internet CGI/server-side implementation of state management.

•HMTL can support the inclusion of scripts. In contrast,WML references WMLScript scripts by URL.