IE9 Preview 4 Out, Beta Next, Developers Get Your Sites Ready

The final developer preview of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) is here, and the clock is ticking for web developers worldwide to ensure that their websites are tailored to the next major iteration of Internet Explorer. And with IE9 Beta scheduled for availability next month, developers need to get started on building advanced web experiences leveraging the evolution of Internet Explorer. In this sense, IE9 Platform Preview 4 is a great “preview” of the Beta development milestone.

It is very important for developers to stop treating Internet Explorer differently than Firefox, Chrome, Opera or Safari. There’s actually no need for this. Forget all that you know about IE6, IE7 and IE8. Internet Explorer 9 is in a class all of its own compared to previous IE releases, and in fact, it is closer to its rivals than its predecessors.

Ryan Gavin, Senior Director of Internet Explorer emphasized over the phone that the Beta Build is equivalent to an open invitation to developers to write code for Internet Explorer 9. The Redmond company’s strong focus on driving same markup, interoperability, modern web standards support, etc. works to the benefit of developers and users everywhere. The end goal, to enable devs to build websites once and have them function seamlessly across all browsers, hasn’t been achieved yet, but certainly, there has been a lot of progress already. Developers should by all means dream big, and push for browser vendors to work together in order to achieve same markup. The seeds are already in place. Efforts now need to focus on ensuring consistent support across all browsers and on having all interested parties get actively involved in standards bodies and most importantly, collaborate.

Embracing Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) Beta

As far as I’m concerned, the most important aspect of getting websites ready for Internet Explorer 9 involves taking advantage of all the work Microsoft poured into the browser. When upgrading current content, or building new sites, developers should “go wild” with HTML5, CSS3, SVG, DOM, ES5,etc. Microsoft has already published a developer guide for IE9, which is an invaluable resource for development work.

Making the best of IE9’s evolution also means using IE9 Standards Mode in testing scenarios for websites. Use IE9 Standards Mode (HTML5 doctype) and ensure that the browser delivers the best performance and interoperability possible. Microsoft is also promising that additional benefits will be delivered with the IE9 Beta.

There are additional recommendations from Dean Hachamovitch, IE General Manager:

“• We recommend sending IE9 the same standards-based markup your site sends other browsers. More details here and here. From the feedback so far, and our experience with sites, the best way to get your site working in IE9 Standards Mode is to start from the same markup other browsers receive rather than IE6, IE7, or IE8 markup.

• Use feature detection, not browser detection to handle any cross browser differences in behavior or feature support. This keeps your site working even as browsers change.

• Please continue to report issues on Connect if your site doesn’t look or work right, and you’re giving it the same code as you’re giving to other modern browsers. With IE9 Platform Preview 4, we’ve fixed over 100 community-reported issues. We will fix even more between now and the IE9 beta and want your feedback.

• Consider the experience for IE9 Beta users if you find that sending the same markup creates more issues than you can resolve in your production site. It is possible that running your site in Compatibility View is better for your users.”

Download IE9 Beta in September 2010