Facebook ditches Flash uses HTML5 by default

Those roadblocks, according to Facebook, involved getting video-data logging right, killing browser bugs, and avoiding page-load time regression. Adobe continues to plug security holes, and even though Facebook is switching over to HTML5 for its web videos, the social network said it will continue to “work together with Adobe to deliver a reliable and secure Flash experience for games” on its platform.

The Social Network explained the move by saying “Moving to HTML5 best enables us to continue to innovate quickly and at scale, given Facebook’s large size and complex needs”.

The social network has switched to HTML5 for all Facebook web video, meaning videos you upload or publish on your profile or fly through on your news feed will no longer require Flash. “We saw more errors, longer loading times, and a generally worse experience”, he said.

Facebook has been running its HTML5 player alongside the Flash version to ensure its stability for some time, and has now rolled out the new player across its entire site. Multiple micro-optimizations have also been initiated which Baulig says should accord users the desired experience.

“That’s why we waited until recently to ship the HTML5 player to all browsers by default, with the exception of a small set of them”, he added. The very first use of HTML5 video for Facebook was introduced five years ago. The transition is well overdue as Adobe has already announced plans to transition away from Flash.

Earlier this year, YouTube – the world’s biggest video website – also switched to HTML5.

Facebook engineer Daiel Baulig says they decided to make the switch after fixing a good chunk of the performance regressions.

Facebook is far from the only entity to leave Flash behind in 2015. “People like, comment, and share more on videos after the switch, and users have been reporting fewer bugs”, said Baulig.