Show HN: Dillo 3.1.0 released after 9 years

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A long-dormant lightweight web browser, Dillo, has been revived with version 3.1.0 after a nine-year gap, sparking renewed interest in fast, low-resource browsing on old or constrained hardware. Commenters highlight its minimal CSS support, deliberate lack of JavaScript, plugin ecosystem (for protocols like Gopher and Spartan), and modern TLS support as key design choices aimed at security and speed rather than full “modern web” compatibility. The release is seen as part of a broader resurgence of alternative browser engines such as Netsurf, Servo, and Ladybird, and prompts debate over HTML validity, niche browser support, and the trade-offs between standards compliance and extreme performance.

Performance and Design Goals

  • Dillo is praised for extreme speed and low resource use; users report ~20 tabs under 1 MB RAM and “instant” page loads.
  • Intended mainly for low-bandwidth, high-latency, and resource‑constrained systems, not for full “modern web” compatibility.
  • Many like it as a documentation browser or for simple, text‑centric sites.

JavaScript, CSS, and “Lite Web”

  • Dillo has minimal CSS support; lack of JS is the main incompatibility with modern sites.
  • Maintainers explicitly state they do not plan JS support due to performance and security concerns.
  • Some commenters brainstorm “JS‑lite” or WASM‑only approaches, but others argue that the real issue is the Web platform APIs, not the JS language itself.
  • Dillo’s minimal CSS sometimes makes pages “less broken” than in other small browsers that attempt fuller CSS.

Features, Limitations, and Roadmap

  • 3.1.0 focuses on bugfixes; many features (especially fonts and CJK coverage) are still pending.
  • HTTPS now supports OpenSSL, LibreSSL, and mbedTLS, selectable at link time.
  • Desired features include better Unicode, external media handling (audio/video via system player), and improved font handling.

Compatibility, Platforms, and Packaging

  • Runs on a wide range of OSes, including NetBSD and older hardware (e.g., netbooks, vintage laptops, even e‑readers and old phones).
  • Arch Linux: a -git AUR package existed; later, a repo package dillo appeared.
  • macOS builds can be finicky; a “dillo-plus” fork and XQuartz/ Homebrew recipe are shared as a practical path, with a suggestion for brew packages.

Plugins and Alternative Protocols

  • Plugins exist for Spartan, Gopher, Gemini, man pages, and more; some quirks/bugs are noted (e.g., Gopher URLs without selector, mandoc flag).
  • Dillo’s easy extensibility and custom protocols are highlighted as strengths.

Comparisons to Other Browsers

  • Frequently compared with Netsurf, Links, Ladybird, Carbonyl, and a TUI browser (Chawan).
  • Netsurf generally renders closer to mainstream browsers but is seen as slower/less stable; Dillo often wins on speed and robustness.
  • Ladybird is viewed as heavier and aimed at full modern web support, unlike Dillo’s minimalist scope.

HN Markup and Web Standards Discussion

  • Dillo’s CSS/HTML parsing exposed HN’s invalid markup and a CSS bug, which were quickly fixed.
  • Debate around whether sites should maintain invalid but stable markup for scrapers vs. following HTML specs and possibly user‑agent–based workarounds.

Website, Domains, and Longevity

  • Project now uses GitHub Pages due to losing control of the old dillo.org domain; this is described as a temporary but stable hosting choice.
  • Some argue for owning an independent domain pointing to GitHub to avoid long‑term namespace dependency.

Sentiment and Nostalgia

  • Strong positive nostalgia for Dillo and earlier, lighter web eras (pre‑heavy JS/CSS, fewer trackers).
  • Several users intend to retest sites against Dillo and integrate it into low‑resource or retro setups.