seirdy.one/content/notes/epub-and-web-technology.md

---
title: "EPUB and Web technology"
date: 2022-12-11T14:29:06-08:00
replyURI: "https://fosstodon.org/@RL_Dane/109497272141002333"
replyTitle: "A full webkit process and actual JS running just to view an epub"
replyType: "SocialMediaPosting"
replyAuthor: "R. L. Dane"
replyAuthorURI: "https://fosstodon.org/@RL_Dane"
syndicatedCopies:
    - title: 'The Fediverse'
      url: 'https://pleroma.envs.net/notice/AQVk1LyhgR0eoo4MWe'
---
> The fact that I have to have a full WebKit process and actual JS running just to view an EPUB is really infuriating.
>
> Can't anything just be a ruddy DOCUMENT format anymore‽

To be fair: EPUB is actually a good use-case for semantic XHTML5,  WAI-ARIA, DPUB-ARIA, MathML, and RDF serializations. This does call for some sort of web engine,  but not necessarily a complete browser engine capable of running web apps.

Most of the rest of the Web platform beyond semantic markup and simple stylesheets should probably be stripped away from a typical EPUB reader. Unfortunately, few "slim" engines actually support enough of the features I described. Engines like Ultralight (proprietary) and [litehtml](https://github.com/litehtml/litehtml) come to mind, but I don't know how good the latter's accessibility support is.

I very much agree that JavaScript support in EPUB was a mistake; fortunately, it's seldom necessary. Signed JIT-less JavaScript as part of the e-reader program should be okay, as the user consented to run it.
New note: EPUB and Web technology 2022-12-11 22:29:06 +00:00			`---`
			`title: "EPUB and Web technology"`
			`date: 2022-12-11T14:29:06-08:00`
			`replyURI: "https://fosstodon.org/@RL_Dane/109497272141002333"`
			`replyTitle: "A full webkit process and actual JS running just to view an epub"`
			`replyType: "SocialMediaPosting"`
			`replyAuthor: "R. L. Dane"`
			`replyAuthorURI: "https://fosstodon.org/@RL_Dane"`
POSSE 2022-12-11 22:29:43 +00:00			`syndicatedCopies:`
			`- title: 'The Fediverse'`
			`url: 'https://pleroma.envs.net/notice/AQVk1LyhgR0eoo4MWe'`
New note: EPUB and Web technology 2022-12-11 22:29:06 +00:00			`---`
			`> The fact that I have to have a full WebKit process and actual JS running just to view an EPUB is really infuriating.`
			`>`
			`> Can't anything just be a ruddy DOCUMENT format anymore‽`

			`To be fair: EPUB is actually a good use-case for semantic XHTML5, WAI-ARIA, DPUB-ARIA, MathML, and RDF serializations. This does call for some sort of web engine, but not necessarily a complete browser engine capable of running web apps.`

			`Most of the rest of the Web platform beyond semantic markup and simple stylesheets should probably be stripped away from a typical EPUB reader. Unfortunately, few "slim" engines actually support enough of the features I described. Engines like Ultralight (proprietary) and [litehtml](https://github.com/litehtml/litehtml) come to mind, but I don't know how good the latter's accessibility support is.`

			`I very much agree that JavaScript support in EPUB was a mistake; fortunately, it's seldom necessary. Signed JIT-less JavaScript as part of the e-reader program should be okay, as the user consented to run it.`