How You Can Include a Video on Your Website Using HTML5 Embedding

HTML5 provides a native way to embed videos directly into your website without relying on external plugins or services. This method uses the standard <video> tag, which is supported by most modern web browsers.

Basic HTML5 Video Embedding Syntax

Here is the fundamental structure for embedding a video:

<video width="640" height="360" controls>
  <source src="your-video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>

Key Video Tag Attributes

width and height: Set the video dimensions
controls: Adds playback control
autoplay: Starts video automatically (use sparingly)
loop: Repeats the video continuously
muted: Starts video without sound

Multiple Format Support

To ensure maximum browser compatibility, provide multiple video formats. This is important because, in my case, I provided only the mp4 format, and on the smartphone browsers, the video just didn't work. And only after I included the webm format, the video started to work.

<video width="640" height="360" controls>
  <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <source src="video.webm" type="video/webm">
  Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>

Performance and Optimization Strategies

Video File Considerations

Compress videos before uploading
Use efficient video formats
Keep file sizes as small as possible

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Uploading uncompressed, large video files
Ignoring responsive design principles
Neglecting cross-browser compatibility
Forgetting fallback content for older browsers

Quick Implementation Checklist

Include a couple of video formats (like MP4 and WebM, and optionally another one, if there is a need for that)
Compress your video file
Test across different browsers
Implement responsive design
Add accessibility features
Optimize for performance

By following these guidelines, you can nicely embed videos directly into your website using HTML5.