Gwtar: A New HTML Archival Format That Solves the Static, Single-File, Efficient Trilemma
By
theblazehen
Sesame, salt, and substance. A flagship bake.
Summary
Gwtar is an experimental new HTML archival format that solves the trilemma of creating a format that is simultaneously static (self-contained with all assets), single-file (zero additional files), and efficient (lazy-loads assets only as needed). The format uses JavaScript in the HTML header to make HTTP range requests, allowing browsers to efficiently load only necessary portions of large HTML archives while maintaining a single, self-contained file structure. It's currently used on Gwern.net for serving large HTML archives.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledArchiving HTML files faces a trilemma: it is easy to create an archival format which is any two of 'static' (self-contained ie. all assets included, no special software or server support), 'single-file' (when stored on disk, zero additional files or modifications), and 'efficient' (lazy-loads assets only as necessary to display to a user), but no known format allows all 3 simultaneously.
We introduce an experimental new format, Gwtar (logo; pronounced 'guitar', .gwtar.html extension), which achieves all 3.
Gwtar is a new polyglot HTML archival format which provides a single, self-contained, HTML file which still can be efficiently lazy-loaded by a web browser.
This is done by a header's JavaScript making HTTP range requests. It is used on Gwern.net to serve large HTML archives.
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