This repository provides a best-practices start for a new HTML5 website that supports IE8+. It was created using Initializr with:
- H5BP 4.3.0 (with IE classes (modified), Google Analytics, Favicon, and an Apple Touch icon)
- Boostrap 3.3.6 (Initializr is at 3.1.1, but I've updated to the latest)
- jQuery 1.11.3
- HTML5shiv 3.6, which provides HTML5 support for Internet Explorer 8-9, Safari 4.x (and iPhone 3.x), and Firefox 3.x.
- Respond.js 1.1.0, which makes @media queries work in Internet Explorer 8.
The external assets listed above are loaded remotely using https: URLs from CDNs using subresource integrity attributes to ensure, in supported browsers, that the CDN cannot be used as an attack vector. This method is preferable in low-security environments than hosting the static resource yourself because the user will probably already have the resources in his/her cache (and why host another file?). In a high-security environment, it may be better to host everything locally to prevent a remote injection attack if the CDN is compromised.
Browser notes:
- Bootstrap only supports IE8+, but even in IE8-9 it's not perfect.
- In IE7 and earlier, the page is replaced with a note about the browser not being supported.