The HTML5 specification as a single document will not be the document that serves front-end developers directly. It won’t be the go-to reference in the way that HTML4.01 is. Once HTML5 is stable (perhaps when it reaches Last Call in October) separate, companion documents will be produced. “HTML5 for Content Authors”, you might call it. It will cover the content of HTML5 at the correct depth and breadth for developers.

My comment on Eric Meyer’s “Nine Into Five”

Quoting myself, as since writing that comment a couple of developer-centric guides have come to my attention.

Most relevant is the work-in-progress “HTML 5: The Mark-up Language” by Michael Smith. This is the document that I had in mind when I commented, as I knew that writing something for this audience was in the HTML5 group’s long term plan. I hadn’t realised that it already existed, though. It’s not finished, lots of it is missing vital detail (what is the command element?!), but this will be the go-to mark-up reference.

Also worth a handy look is Jeremy Keith’s HTML5 Pocketbook. Also very handy. Via: meyerweb.com.