What is a benefit of using HTML5 in web development?

Using HTML5 in web development offers the significant benefit of enabling multimedia applications without the need for additional plugins. This is a crucial advancement compared to earlier versions of HTML, where embedding multimedia elements like audio and video often required third-party plugins such as Flash. HTML5 introduced native support for these media types through the use of specific HTML5 elements like <audio> and <video>, making it easier for developers to integrate and control multimedia content directly in the web browser.

This functionality leads to a more seamless user experience, as it simplifies the process of accessing and interacting with multimedia content, reduces the reliance on external technologies that may not be consistently supported across all devices, and promotes faster loading times since the browser can handle multimedia natively. Consequently, developers can create more dynamic and engaging websites that leverage rich media without compromising accessibility or performance.