DHTML (Dynamic HTML) refers to a type of web page that changes after downloading to the browser. It supports animation, interaction and customization.

DHTML documents will not work without an HTTP server. You can't test them locally without a server.

DHTML works through a combination of:

• HTML
• Javascript
• Cascading Style Sheets
• Document Object Model (DOM) - a way of reaching a document's parts

Two types of DHTML:

• Client-pull
  • supported by Netscape & Internet Explorer
  • created using a special <META> tag in header of HTML document
    • To refresh the same document:

      <META HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" CONTENT="#">

    • To refresh with a different document:

      <META HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" CONTENT="#; URL=http://www.depaul.edu/~hmartch/next.html">

• Server-push
  • supported only by Netscape
  • created with special programming on the server, not with HTML tags

Netscape 4.0 and IE 4.0 support DHTML, both in their own special way. Older browsers do not support DHTML.

Web sites for more info on DHTML:

• CNET
• Inside DHTML
• WebCoder
• Inside DHTML
• Macromedia's DHTML Zone