Short version: Flash still wins, but browsers are catching up.

Long version: At the moment I can see 3 viable alternatives to Flash for animation: HTML, Canvas and SVG. Only Canvas is strictly HTML5, but since everyone’s getting all hot about making web apps on the iPad with “HTML5″ I thought I’d lump them all under that buzzword.

Short story…don’t let Apple convince you that HTML5 will make Flash obsolete (boy Apple just can’t win *1* *2* *3*), at least not any time soon. Sites will have to be redesigned and browsers improved to take full advantage; but as for now and some time to come, Flash seems to be clearly superior by leaps and bounds. I’m personally getting over 5X the framerate for the Flash test vs the Canvas (using FF 3.6.3) and don’t even get me started on the HTML and SVG tests. Not completely sure how accurate these tests are but there are obvious speed benefits to Flash.

Try it for yourself: http://www.themaninblue.com/writing/perspective/2010/03/22/

Results using the links provided:

  • Firefox 3.6.3
    • HTML= 7.73-16 FPS
    • Canvas=19.4-19.6 FPS
    • SVG=2.12-2.15 FPS
    • Flash= 97-107 FPS
  • Chrome 5.0.375.70
    • HTML=19.7-22 FPS (blocks generated instead of balls)
    • Canvas=26.5-27 FPS
    • SVG=17.7-19 FPS
    • Flash=46-50 FPS
  • IE6
    • HTML=20-21 FPS (blocks generated instead of balls)
    • Canvas=1.02-1.04 FPS
    • SVG=N/A
    • Flash=54-62 FPS