Web browsers have long been recognized as potential platforms for remote macromolecule visualization. However, the difficulty in transferring large-scale data to clients and the lack of native support for hardware-accelerated applications in the local browser undermine the feasibility of such utilities. With the introduction of WebGL and HTML5 technologies in recent years, it is now possible to exploit the power of a graphics-processing unit (GPU) from a browser without any third-party plugin. Many new tools have been developed for biological molecule visualization and modern drug discovery. In contrast to traditional offline tools, real-time computing, interactive data analysis, and cross-platform analyses feature WebGL- and HTML5-based tools, facilitating biological research in a more efficient and user-friendly way.

To maximize the potential of WebGL in drug discovery, many online tools have been developed for macromolecule visualization.

Recent progress in WebGL and HTML5 technologies has facilitated online computational biology fpr various uses. It has also significantly improved the efficiency of modern computational drug discovery.

Using WebGL and HTML5 will also benefit other areas of research in the foreseeable future.