HTML is a native image format, hear me out • Hacker News Board

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#11

Post by yeargun » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:47 AM UTC

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #8

I would rather see native browser support for the familiar MHTML ( https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40873 ) than creating a brand new format that does the same thing. The AI slop homepage is really offputting too.

Completely agree with that. But look whats the situation with MHTML.

""" Open Bug 40873 Opened 26 years ago Updated 27 days ago """

So if you need some such feature in your web app, and if you are okay with 2kb encode/decode js. Its all good.

At least the posts are pretty much not AI slop I guess.. But I'll take your feedback. Thanks!

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#12

Post by yeargun » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:49 AM UTC

beardyw wrote: post #7

Isn't this making HTML in some ways more like a PDF? Or am I missing the point?

Nope

PDF is an irreversible format in terms of editability. (btw I build the world's most performant pdf/pptx editor at https://eddocu.com , I would enjoy if you have any feedback)

Regardless, I cant find the relation in between.

It's like an abstraction that might help future genai models, or a packing strategy, or ..

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#13

Post by bjt12345 » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:50 AM UTC

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #8

I would rather see native browser support for the familiar MHTML ( https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40873 ) than creating a brand new format that does the same thing. The AI slop homepage is really offputting too.

This cute homepage provides me with nostalgic memories of Geocities spinning skull GIFs.

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#14

Post by yeargun » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:50 AM UTC

apt-apt-apt-apt wrote: post #9

There's so much text but nothing that clearly says what it is. Is it HTML and its contents (e.g. images) in a binary format?

yes exactly.

you can go devtools at https://hmml.eddocu.com

it downloads single binary that contains media assets (svg, image, video, ..) and html/css blueprint, even js (security concerns!)

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#15

Post by roywiggins » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:50 AM UTC

apt-apt-apt-apt wrote: post #9

There's so much text but nothing that clearly says what it is. Is it HTML and its contents (e.g. images) in a binary format?

Common side-effect of letting Claude write your landing page.

Apparently it's mostly this:

    // ENCODE — pack(html) → one .hmml (a Uint8Array you store or send)
    //   · lifts every data: image out of the HTML into raw bytes (no base64)
    //   · gzips the HTML/CSS/JS and frames it all as one binary blob

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#16

Post by yeargun » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:52 AM UTC

c048 wrote: post #6

You can also paint by squashing flies against a wall. Doesn't mean it's a good, or efficient, idea.

thats a great observation. In fact, I also tried how efficient wall painting is :D

https://x.com/yeargun24/status/1825516494861508943?s=20

And, yes. HTML & CSS rendering without js is doable with like max 400mb of ram? Idk. Sometimes the tradeoff worths, sometimes not

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#17

Post by Tade0 » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:53 AM UTC

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #8

I would rather see native browser support for the familiar MHTML ( https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40873 ) than creating a brand new format that does the same thing. The AI slop homepage is really offputting too.

> Opened 26 years ago Updated 27 days ago

That's a particularly long discussion.

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#18

Post by blixt » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 11:58 AM UTC

If this shows itself to be highly useful as a concept, then I would perhaps avoid reinventing the wheel on the file format side of things, and just standardize what we already have:

- Come up with a file extension (.hmml)

- Decide on an entrypoint filename and format (index.html)

- Use an existing standard for combining resources into one file (tar + zstd)

Now you have something that is usable only using pre-existing tools.

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#19

Post by mpeg » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 12:03 PM UTC

I don't understand the advantage of this vs an html file with embedded images, except the latter would work with no runtime.

Re: HTML is a native image format, hear me out

#20

Post by wewewedxfgdf » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 12:03 PM UTC

This is the sort of weird thing I would come up with - a solution without a problem perhaps, but a magnificent testament to some technical itch that had to be scratched.