we used to have java applets and clientside perl a long time ago iirc
Yes, and we moved away from that because of Macromedia Flash having more security holes then colanders
But that was something that had to be installed on the system and integrated into the browser, not quite what i'm asking as it wasn't an alternative browser per se
there were plans for multiple scripting languages for the web, hence the type="javascript" attribute on the <script> tag. the thing that became javascript was originally more like a lisp, but netscape wanted to cash in on the popularity of java applets so they made the language look more java-y.
the bones are there, there's just no sense in implementing it in mainstream browsers now.
Microsoft had a Visual Basic variant (VBScript) in IE that got some attention back in the 90s; it's probably just as well that JS won instead of that...
In modern webdev type="module" is used to indicate an ES6 module and type="importmap" to include a JSON table of paths to modules. Still basically JS, but the parameter is still used in a meaningful way.
i think they've even retired the original function of the attribute. sad.
Personally, I think it's particularly stupid that you can't use it for GLSL shaders from external files...
WebAssembly? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebAssembly?wprov=sfti1
it isn’t specifically interpreted though
It still suffers from not having access to the DOM and other APIs the browser supplies. That's being worked on, I believe.
Without that, you still need a JavaScript layer in-between at the very least. At that point, you're not gaining much from running in WASM.
I mean, at least that JavaScript layer can be provided by a library, so as a dev, you don't have to type any JavaScript.
Doesn't a browser need to have javascript enabled to even run WASM? That beats the entire point of getting rid of js
yeah, correct. I had misunderstood what you were specifically asking for.
The network effect makes this unlikely to take off. But in theory it's possible, and I suppose somebody probably has created/will create one as a hobby project/prototype that a small number of people will use.
Sure but then you are basically creating an alternate web which is incompatible with the current one. Your browser wouldn't be able to load any js based sites and current browsers would not be able to load your python/lua based sites.
Your browser wouldn't be able to load any js based sites
You could make a browser capable of loading both, and I think it already happened. The problem is, that a browser supporting more languages than necessary, was never successful enough to get mass adoption and on the internet you need mass adoption to survive.
I see that as mostly positive 😆
You might like Gemini then: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_(protocol)
It doesn't have a scripting language to begin with, just a Markdown-like syntax for the content.
It is mostly blog posts from and for nerds, though...
Arguably typescript fits, it is converted to JS for runtime, but the developer writes TS. You theoretically could transpile python or lua to JS, no idea if it exists yet though.
Otherwise WASM would be the main contender, dunno if lua or python can compile to wasm, but lots of languages can.
Microsoft tried it with internet explorer. It supported VB Script as an alternative to JS. Alongside their ActiveX.
And now it's just chrome like almost all other web browsers
yes, but there's no demand for it
Says Gooegl
Interesting. Too bad it only supports HTML4. The ELinks fork doesn't mention whether it supports HTML5 (canvas and other more recent stuff), so I suppose it doesn't
!nostupidquestions is a community dedicated to being helpful and answering each others' questions on various topics.
The rules for posting and commenting, besides the rules defined here for lemmy.world, are as follows:
Rule 1- All posts must be legitimate questions. All post titles must include a question.
All posts must be legitimate questions, and all post titles must include a question. Questions that are joke or trolling questions, memes, song lyrics as title, etc. are not allowed here. See Rule 6 for all exceptions.
Rule 2- Your question subject cannot be illegal or NSFW material.
Your question subject cannot be illegal or NSFW material. You will be warned first, banned second.
Rule 3- Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here.
Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here. Breaking this rule will not get you or your post removed, but it will put you at risk, and possibly in danger.
Rule 4- No self promotion or upvote-farming of any kind.
That's it.
Rule 5- No baiting or sealioning or promoting an agenda.
Questions which, instead of being of an innocuous nature, are specifically intended (based on reports and in the opinion of our crack moderation team) to bait users into ideological wars on charged political topics will be removed and the authors warned - or banned - depending on severity.
Rule 6- Regarding META posts and joke questions.
Provided it is about the community itself, you may post non-question posts using the [META] tag on your post title.
On fridays, you are allowed to post meme and troll questions, on the condition that it's in text format only, and conforms with our other rules. These posts MUST include the [NSQ Friday] tag in their title.
If you post a serious question on friday and are looking only for legitimate answers, then please include the [Serious] tag on your post. Irrelevant replies will then be removed by moderators.
Rule 7- You can't intentionally annoy, mock, or harass other members.
If you intentionally annoy, mock, harass, or discriminate against any individual member, you will be removed.
Likewise, if you are a member, sympathiser or a resemblant of a movement that is known to largely hate, mock, discriminate against, and/or want to take lives of a group of people, and you were provably vocal about your hate, then you will be banned on sight.
Rule 8- All comments should try to stay relevant to their parent content.
Rule 9- Reposts from other platforms are not allowed.
Let everyone have their own content.
Rule 10- Majority of bots aren't allowed to participate here. This includes using AI responses and summaries.
Our breathtaking icon was bestowed upon us by @Cevilia!
The greatest banner of all time: by @TheOneWithTheHair!