Internet Archive: Difference between revisions

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=== Website no longer usable without JavaScript (2023) ===

Up until 2022, Archive.org was one of the few remaining major websites that could be browsed and searched without [[JavaScript]]. JavaScript was only used where necessary, for example to enable bottomless scrolling. This is known as progressive enhancement.

Up until 2022, Archive.org was one of the few remaining major websites that could be browsed and searched without [[JavaScript]]. JavaScript was only used where necessary, for example to enable bottomless scrolling. This is known as progressive enhancement.<ref name=jakearchibald>{{cite web |url=https://jakearchibald.com/2013/progressive-enhancement-still-important/ |title=Progressive enhancement is still important - JakeArchibald.com |date=2013-07-03 |access-date=2026-04-18 }}</ref>

Since 2023 however, the Archive.org website can no longer be browsed at all without JavaScript, because the legacy HTML-based user interface was replaced with a Google Lit web app.<ref>Before change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/3vxC8 2023-06-28]. After change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/sdLIp 2023-09-28]</ref>

Since 2023 however, large parts of the Archive.org website (including the home page, collection pages, and the search engine) can no longer be browsed at all without JavaScript, because the legacy HTML-based user interface was replaced with a Google Lit web app. As of April 2026, only individual item pages are viewable without JavaScript.<ref>Before change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/3vxC8 2023-06-28]. After change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/sdLIp 2023-09-28]</ref>

This made it impossible to ~~view~~ the site on legacy systems that do not support modern web browsers, and slowed down loading on modern web browsers because lots of code has to be executed before any content can appear on screen.

This made it impossible to browsing the site on legacy systems that do not support modern web browsers, and slowed down loading on modern web browsers because lots of code has to be executed before any content can appear on screen, because it is put at the end of the rendering path.<ref>{{cite web |title=Critical rendering path – Mozilla Developer Network |url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Performance/Guides/Critical_rendering_path |access-date=2026-04-18 }}</ref>

==References==

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 === Website no longer usable without JavaScript (2023) ===
-Up until 2022, Archive.org was one of the few remaining major websites that could be browsed and searched without [[JavaScript]]. JavaScript was only used where necessary, for example to enable bottomless scrolling. This is known as progressive enhancement.
+Up until 2022, Archive.org was one of the few remaining major websites that could be browsed and searched without [[JavaScript]]. JavaScript was only used where necessary, for example to enable bottomless scrolling. This is known as progressive enhancement.<ref name=jakearchibald>{{cite web |url=https://jakearchibald.com/2013/progressive-enhancement-still-important/ |title=Progressive enhancement is still important - JakeArchibald.com |date=2013-07-03 |access-date=2026-04-18 }}</ref>
-Since 2023 however, the Archive.org website can no longer be browsed at all without JavaScript, because the legacy HTML-based user interface was replaced with a Google Lit web app.<ref>Before change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/3vxC8 2023-06-28]. After change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/sdLIp 2023-09-28]</ref><!-- Editor note: I also know this from personal experience, but given that archive.org/details was excluded from the Wayback Machine and Archive Today converts everything to static HTML, there is not much of a historical record available for these changes. User account pages (archive.org/details/@...) were made JS-only in March 2024, but I'll have to find a source for this. -->
+Since 2023 however, large parts of the Archive.org website (including the home page, collection pages, and the search engine) can no longer be browsed at all without JavaScript, because the legacy HTML-based user interface was replaced with a Google Lit web app. As of April 2026, only individual item pages are viewable without JavaScript.<ref>Before change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/3vxC8 2023-06-28]. After change: [https://ghostarchive.org/archive/sdLIp 2023-09-28]</ref><!-- Editor note: I also know this from personal experience, but given that archive.org/details was excluded from the Wayback Machine and Archive Today converts everything to static HTML, there is not much of a historical record available for these changes. User account pages (archive.org/details/@...) were made JS-only in March 2024, but I'll have to find a source for this. -->
-This made it impossible to view the site on legacy systems that do not support modern web browsers, and slowed down loading on modern web browsers because lots of code has to be executed before any content can appear on screen.
+This made it impossible to browsing the site on legacy systems that do not support modern web browsers, and slowed down loading on modern web browsers because lots of code has to be executed before any content can appear on screen, because it is put at the end of the rendering path.<ref>{{cite web |title=Critical rendering path – Mozilla Developer Network |url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Performance/Guides/Critical_rendering_path |access-date=2026-04-18 }}</ref>
 ==References==