Kuyawa
3 days ago
I love beautiful software and this is it
Edit: I just downloaded the html file and it still works locally as a single page app, no external libs, no fonts, icons, nothing that could break the correct functioning of the app. This is how software should be built, portable, no installation required, drop anywhere and run
Kudos on everything perfectly executed
adrianwaj
3 days ago
Good point. GlassBox also appears as single page. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49421948
I am working on an RSS reader that is also single page and location-agnostic. Issue for me right now is CORS unblocking as that does entail some complexity to workaround. Current length of the HTML is 2500 lines / 101KiB.
Moreover, just like https://theresanaiforthat.com/ - a great thing to see would be something like thereisanHTMLforthat.com - because quality vibe-coding delivers!
Also, a single HTML can easily be security audited, right? How much damage can it do?
dr_kiszonka
2 days ago
"Well, actually," it is usually not just HTML, but I am with you on liking these single-file apps. Security is complicated because these pages often rely on importing online packages, which can get poisoned in the blink of an eye.
adrianwaj
2 days ago
Great point.
The unique thing about HTML apps is that there could be a "directory download" of say the best 1000 apps every month for people to run locally with imports also downloaded and security audited beforehand. That would be ideal.
GreasyFork checks for security problems and best practices in their scripts with community moderation a large component. https://share.gemini.google/VwomSQkChNWS
How I see it, there could be a code freeze period (quarantine) and if no issues arise, the HTML is bundled into the 1000 monthly thing.
neuroticnews25
2 days ago
How are you going to work around CORS? Proxy is the only way that comes to my mind. Or maybe some XML/SVG magic?
adrianwaj
2 days ago
At the moment, there is a toggle switch between own proxy and direct (requiring CORS Unblock extension,) but really having multiple methods can work.
Other mentions were using a CloudFlare worker proxy (needing Cloudflare account and Node.js), NeutralinoJS, Electron and Tauri.
Speaking of XML, there must be a way to push items out from a server using XML. That's an interesting solution and would let a remote server do all the polling and as such would mean sharing data with it. This could end up a paid option using micropayments and give it efficient performance in an ideal world.
chintler
2 days ago
Would you mind testing this tool I'm writing? I'm building it as a proxy for some streamlit apps and MCP but you can try and put any webapp/API behind it. Do raise issues if you find any.
adrianwaj
11 hours ago
I got my reader going by running Caddy and pointing my browser at: http://localhost:8080/reader.html
Imported about 750 feeds. Still buggy.
A lot of fiddling. Have to run PHP, PHP-FHM, install CURL, and messed around with configuration files.
Also needs a PHP proxy script to run alongside the HTML and ensure URI encoding.
Not easy done but can now disable CORS Unblock in the browser. Yet now these extra things have to run as services all the time.
Sidepage doesn't seem quite right for me at this stage but thanks for the ideas. It looks like it could do the same job, though. As long as an AI can provide detailed instructions and troubleshooting, it'll lower the barriers-to-entry.
I think the future may well be a modified browser with CORS Unblocking built-in (or some type of proxy alternative.) Have it offer 1000s of free "page-apps" from the get-go. Easy development and ubiquitous platform is the key. Offline button clearly marked and traffic/bandwidth data collection and window.
P2P and micropayments stuff could be interesting.
Overall, the downfall of feeds has either pulled people into the walled gardens or pushed them offline completely. Look at the new Commodore minimalist phone.
Yet having 1GB+ databases possible in browsers by default is something that could pave the way for some cool stuff. https://rxdb.info/articles/indexeddb-max-storage-limit.html
user
13 hours ago
momojo
3 days ago
Ditto on the lovelyness of single-file, zero-dep, standalones. In my day job I'm stripping out hundreds of megabytes from one of our main docker containers, but running into little projects like this that make me smile. Beautiful
analog_daddy
3 days ago
Yep! And it works well on iOS too. Safari sucks and stutters with some of these single file html and I haven’t been able to figure out why, but my god this is awesome and also fun to play with!
throwawayffffas
3 days ago
Like i get what you are saying, but
> no external libs, no fonts...
It needs an entire browser.
drfloyd51
3 days ago
I get what you are saying. But… if it didn’t need a browser, it still needs a runtime, and a computer, and electricity, and technology to print CPUs and and and
A browser is just a drop in the bucket.
Kuyawa
2 days ago
No it doesn't, you can use a local web viewer, less than 2mb. I made one in rust, but don't use it since I have my browser open all the time