<![CDATA[Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content?]]>Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? The JavaScript dependency is a security risk and user hostile. Visitors should not be required to enable JavaScript when simply visiting a Mastodon server. Plus, the recommendation to use a native app doesn't even work for all Mastodon/ActivityPub instances.

Also, the requirement for JavaScript makes the Mastodon development team seem incompetent. They can't even make a basic web site that doesn't require JavaScript. I could do that when I was in middle school.

>To use the Mastodon web application, please enable JavaScript. Alternatively, try one of the native apps for Mastodon for your platform.

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]]>https://citiverse.it/topic/0532ed8a-552e-4f7b-9677-8cb64490fac4/does-anyone-have-recommendations-for-a-mastodon-fork-that-doesn-t-require-visitors-to-enable-javascript-to-view-basic-contentRSS for NodeSun, 24 May 2026 09:01:17 GMTFri, 15 May 2026 15:29:00 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 16:34:44 GMT]]>@seanm Since you're obviously smarter than the Masto team, why don't you code that up? The API is stable and well documented.

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://cosocial.ca/users/timbray/statuses/116579558015059543https://citiverse.it/post/https://cosocial.ca/users/timbray/statuses/116579558015059543Fri, 15 May 2026 16:34:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:50:08 GMT]]>@smallcircles @erick thank you. I'll take a look at those. I appreciate that the site doesn't require JavaScript just to view.

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579382649068423https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579382649068423Fri, 15 May 2026 15:50:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:47:32 GMT]]>@erick it's crazy that this is such a problem. Old Reddit, Twitter, Gmail, and most every popular website started as HTML/CSS functional. There are frontends like Nitter (for Twitter) that show this functionality is still possible.

Why is there such a drive to be so hostile to users and increase the risk to visitors?

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579372377609776https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579372377609776Fri, 15 May 2026 15:47:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:45:26 GMT]]>@erick @seanm

I am not sure either, but for a good overview I can point you to the delightful fediverse experience curated list I maintain at:

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delightful fediverse experience

Delightful curated lists of free software, open science and information sources.

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(delightful.coding.social)

There are 2 other fedi related list, see.. https://delightful.coding.social/

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://social.coop/users/smallcircles/statuses/116579364148375615https://citiverse.it/post/https://social.coop/users/smallcircles/statuses/116579364148375615Fri, 15 May 2026 15:45:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:44:03 GMT]]>@jerry unfortunately, it is just a blank page with JavaScript disabled.

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579358698912182https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579358698912182Fri, 15 May 2026 15:44:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:43:17 GMT]]>Just to be clear, I think JavaScript is fine for authenticated or more complex content. If I'm a user of a server, it seems acceptable that I should trust it and enable JavaScript.

However, if I am some random visitor to your instance and just trying to view a post or user profile, that should not require JavaScript.

The JavaScript ecosystem (e.g., npm) is rife with supply chain hacks. Plus, there are many poorly maintained Mastodon instances (e.g., mastodon.social, I think?). Although, I guess those poorly maintained instances are not pulling down the latest backdoored npm packages... Regardless, it is a security risk to require visitors run JavaScript from every instance they visit for simple content.

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579355682495395https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/seanm/statuses/116579355682495395Fri, 15 May 2026 15:43:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:34:26 GMT]]>@seanm more than a fork, sounds that what you are looking for is an alternative front end that can be configure as the default on your site.

Unfortunately I have no idea if the is such thing. I know there are plenty of alternative web clients, but again, as far as I can tell that is now what you are looking for.

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://social.erick.sh/users/erick/statuses/01KRP4CMRJGT7JEEJW685JRMB8https://citiverse.it/post/https://social.erick.sh/users/erick/statuses/01KRP4CMRJGT7JEEJW685JRMB8Fri, 15 May 2026 15:34:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Does anyone have recommendations for a Mastodon fork that doesn't require visitors to enable JavaScript to view basic content? on Fri, 15 May 2026 15:31:38 GMT]]>@seanm I am not 100% sure it works without javascript, but try: https://elk.infosec.exchange/

]]>https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/jerry/statuses/116579309877513326https://citiverse.it/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/jerry/statuses/116579309877513326Fri, 15 May 2026 15:31:38 GMT