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Ask HN: How common are websites that block all content if JavaScript is disabled

2 points by textman ↗ HN
here is one example: https://expeditionportal.com/ only the menu is shown and most of those do not work at all. If the Forum menu item is selected then get a javascript required message. Looks like the Store works as that brings in revenue and maybe the Podcasts work. But the main content and reason most use the website, is not available.

5 comments

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PaulHoule
I work on a subscription product that uses React and doesn't show anything if you have no Javascript... Not because there is any blocking but because it fundamentally depends on it.
textman
Are you saying React needs javascript?
PaulHoule
Yep.

The only HTML is a shell that has some <script> tags and a <div> in it. The react app is written in Javascript and writes DOM nodes into that <div>. With no Javascript you just see the empty shell.

nonrandomstring
About one in thirty (ish) - relatively rare, but still too many [1].

I can speak with some confidence as I browse almost exclusively without js. If a site needs it, I just move on [2].

Most sites still render a lot (sometimes revealing more) of their content perfectly without it.

As other HN commentators have noted, there's a strong negative correlation between sites that are js heavy and quality. Very little of value is lost by avoiding them.

[1] Too many because it seems a those that don't work without js also break legally required accessibility standards and are mainly from bigger entities who should behave better.

[2] About the only thing I can't seem to do on HN as a text-only reader is up/down vote other posters. That's also a feature.

locriacyber
It's usually those fancy sites with lagging animation and absurdly large text. They don't know server-side rendering and their entire front page is a React component.

As of how many... feels like 1 in 20.