Framing (World Wide Web)
A frame is a part of an HTML page, where another HTML page can be displayed. The individual segment is referred to as a frame ( frame dt ), the definition of all frames as a frameset.
Development
The frame technique was introduced by Netscape Navigator 2.0 in and is now supported by most browsers. The W3C has standardized in the versions of HTML 4.0 and XHTML 1.0 frameset. In HTML5 the frame technique is not accepted.
Benefits
One advantage is the ability to display a plurality of parallel individual documents. This makes it possible to reduce the browser transmitted from the web server dataset and it is a modularization of a website without server- side technologies possible. Thus, for example, the navigation centrally manage in an HTML document and must not be inserted on each new page.
A further advantage is that only the most current frame is just scrolled while other frames of which are unaffected. Thus, for example, scrolling a content frame, while the navigation and other important areas not scroll in their own frame.
A further advantage is that it is possible on frames easily combine content from different sources and from different Web applications with each other. How could the results of a Web application in a frame in another frame are displayed.
Disadvantages
Addressing
Normal HTML pages have only one address at which they can be reached. However, frames are composed of several sub-pages, where usually the address of the frame definition is displayed ( the frameset ) in browsers that do not change when switching to a different base in the rule. If anyone tries to link a particular subpage, bookmark it or to specify in an e -mail, it is usually a dilemma. He linked the frameset defined in the frameset Home instead of the desired base is loaded, it indicates the direct address, so missing the other components in the page such as the navigation. Especially for technically less savvy users who are accustomed to the basic principle of " An address = A side," this is confusing.
This problem can be partially circumvented by JavaScript because JavaScripts can tell if a page in the frameset is loaded or not, and can react accordingly to reload the frameset.
Detection by search engines
Search engines have trouble with frames. Although they usually capture the content on frame pages and link this, searchability of the Home of the web offer suffers, however. This is because a frameset document, no relevant content.
Accessibility
Especially when using a screen reader to read out the contents displayed by the browser frames are a problem because the user can be guided between frames only basis of their designation. Older screen readers, for example, those who work only with the browser Lynx or other text browsers, frames could not represent more modern programs can work together with the most current browsers, so that frames represent technically no longer a problem.
Associating themselves of external websites
It is possible to include a foreign website into its own frameset. The stops are usually frowned upon by the affected website operator. For this issue, there have been several court rulings, the district court Dusseldorf saw the framing of any third party sites were admissible, the Court in Steyr ( Austria ), in turn, the integration of external sites into your own frameset as anti-competitive. When Inlineframing is important to ensure the Court of Appeal 's view on foreign copyright and performance rights, which is why it is not permissible without further ado, for example, involve foreign material, as ways of framing. As far as the framing leads to an increased volume of data transfer, a liability under the aspect of interference with the right of the established and functioning business operation in question. The Federal laid in May 2013, the question on copyright admissibility of framing the European Court of Justice for decision.
You can prevent the integration of one's website in a frameset with JavaScript, similar to the addressing problem. Such JavaScripts are also referred to as a frame killer or frame buster.
Alternatively, can be set in the web server of the response header X - Frame-Options, which ensures the browser that the website does not appear in a frameset (X- Frame-Options " DENY " ) or only in a frameset that the same Web server was delivered (X- frame-Options " SAME ORIGIN "). With shared hosting providers, where access to the web server configuration is not possible, the response headers can also be. Htaccess file set ( "Header append X -FRAME -OPTIONS DENY ").
Alternatives
Using different techniques can now be all the advantages of frames also realize different. Server-side technologies, such as server-side includes can serve that page parts such as the menu together at a specific place, but can be integrated on any number of sub-pages. With Cascading Style Sheets parts of an HTML document can be made scrollable. Using Ajax, it is possible to load data from the server and reshape the side with it.
Many experts in the field of usability ( usability ) strongly advise against the use of frames. Also it can be observed that professional sites use rarely frames, but also at private websites increasingly rare frames are used.