This technology, supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer, allows creating new html elements or extending existing ones and is used as a tool for expanding the capabilities of the browser. The technology differs from ActiveX because the control created with this technology becomes an integral part of the HTML document, instead of remaining isolated from the other part of the HTML. Some of the capabilities which such a control provides are:

• New tags – new controls can be created which can be added to the document as any other tag
• Extending the capabilities of other existing tags – for example a context menu or a gradient background can be added to the regular P tag. Additional features and methods can be added to the tags, the way they are drawn on the screen can be modified etc.
• Viewlink – with controls compiled by HTML, the code can be capsulated in such a way, that the external document will recognize it as a single tag. This provides the opportunity to easily manipulate and create such controls real-time and to also lighten the structure of the main document.
• To take part in the submission of forms just as any other input tag. This allows creating controls which substitute existing input controls of the browser, without the need to depend on hidden fields to send the data to the server
• Take part in defining the document layout
• Access the Print system of Internet Explorer and personalize the print and its preview.
• Provides its own focus rectangle
• Creates own JavaScript related events and interface
• Personally defines the visualization of the interface, instead of relying on HTML elements for that. This capability also offers
  • A considerable increase in the efficiency of these controls.
  • Freedom of defining the interface. As it directly uses GDI and GDI+, the control can literally „draw” whatever is needed on the screen, without being subject to the capability limitations of HTML tags and the language in general.
• Using browser standard key combinations for other purposes (e.g. F5 or Ctrl+R can refresh the data in the lists)
• Full utilization of the functionality of the mshtml editing engine. Internet Explorer offers special interfaces to create HTML editors whose capabilities surpass those of the JavaScript option. The combination of Rendering Behaviors (components that draw their own interface) and the use of mshtml editing render the possibilities of WYSIWYG editors literally endless.