Difference Between Hypertext and Hypermedia

The main difference between hypertext and hypermedia is that hypertext is a text that contains links to other blocks of text while hypermedia is an extension of hypertext including text, audio, image, video and still or moving graphics.

With the evolution of the internet, programmers have developed more sophisticated ways to read webpages. One such method is hypertext. Hypertext is made up of nonlinear links that connect to text in the same document or other documents. It connects documents together to create a network using hyperlinks. Hypermedia is similar to hypertext but it is not limited to text elements. It refers to different media such as audio, images, video and animation in addition to text.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Hypertext
     – Definition, Functionality
2. What is Hypermedia
     – Definition, Functionality
3. Difference Between Hypertext and Hypermedia
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

 Hypertext, Hypermedia, Webpages, Website, Internet

What is Hypertext

Hypertext connects the links to other text using hyperlinks. Hypertext is different from a normal text. It is non-linear and multi sequential. In other words, it does not follow any logical order or a specific sequence.  Hypertext allows the user to select the information they require and to read it on the screen. Therefore, the user can access the information of their interest with the help of hypertext.

Figure 1: Hypertext

News websites and social media networks use hypertext to link pages. This allows going back and forth through the pages. Overall, hypertext is widely used in World Wide Web and it helps to make the webpages more interactive.  

What is Hypermedia

Hypermedia is an extension of hypertext. The structure of hypermedia is similar to hypertext but it is not limited only to text like hypertext. It provides facilities such as text, animations, sound, etc. Hypermedia expands the capabilities of hypertext. It creates clickable links to connect the web pages to create a network with multimedia elements.

One good example to illustrate hypermedia is the YouTube. It combines hypertext with video entries. In the videos, there are hyperlink buttons. Clicking on these buttons will take the user to the video owners blog. Overall, Hypermedia provides access to the information with better multimedia experience.

Difference Between Hypertext and Hypermedia

Definition

Hypertext refers to text which links to other blocks of text within the same document or a different document. Hypermedia is an extension of hypertext but not limited to text elements.

Representation

Hypertext represents text elements. Hypermedia represents different media such as text, audio, image, video and still or moving graphics.

Usage

Hypertext allows the users to navigate through text in a non-linear way. Hypermedia includes multimedia elements to improve the multimedia experience. 

Conclusion

In brief, hypertext and hypermedia provide users with the information they require. These help to connect users to the World Wide Web to find any piece of information. The difference between hypertext and hypermedia is that hypertext is a text that contains links to other blocks of text while hypermedia is an extension of hypertext including text, audio, image, video and still or moving graphics.

Reference:

1. “Hypertext & Hypermedia”, Kristen Sacky, 21 Apr. 2015, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Sistema hipertextual” By Andreariverac – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia