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Quick Overview
InstantClick is a JavaScript library that aims to provide a faster browsing experience by preloading pages as the user hovers over links. It is designed to work with traditional server-rendered websites, without requiring a single-page application (SPA) architecture.
Pros
- Faster Page Loads: InstantClick preloads pages in the background as the user hovers over links, reducing the perceived load time when the user clicks a link.
- Compatibility: InstantClick works with traditional server-rendered websites, without requiring a SPA architecture.
- Customizable: The library provides various configuration options to customize its behavior, such as disabling preloading for certain links or adjusting the preload delay.
- Open-Source: InstantClick is an open-source project, allowing developers to contribute, report issues, and customize the library to their needs.
Cons
- Potential Privacy Concerns: The preloading feature may raise privacy concerns, as it can lead to the unintended loading of content that the user may not ultimately visit.
- Compatibility Issues: While InstantClick aims to be compatible with most websites, it may not work seamlessly with all web applications, especially those that heavily rely on JavaScript-driven interactions.
- Performance Impact: The preloading feature can potentially increase the overall network and CPU usage, which may impact the performance of the website, especially on low-end devices or slow network connections.
- Maintenance Concerns: The project has not been actively maintained since 2016, which may raise concerns about its long-term viability and compatibility with newer web technologies.
Code Examples
Here are a few examples of how to use InstantClick:
- Basic Integration:
<script src="//instant.page/5.1.0" type="module" defer></script>
This code snippet includes the InstantClick library and enables the default preloading behavior.
- Disabling Preloading for Specific Links:
document.addEventListener('touchstart', function(event) {
if (event.target.tagName.toLowerCase() === 'a') {
event.target.classList.add('no-instant')
}
}, false)
This code adds a no-instant class to any link that is touched, effectively disabling preloading for those links.
- Adjusting the Preload Delay:
document.addEventListener('mousedown', function(event) {
if (event.target.tagName.toLowerCase() === 'a') {
InstantClick.preload(event.target.href)
}
}, false)
This code listens for the mousedown event on links and manually triggers the preloading process, allowing you to adjust the preload delay.
- Handling Custom Events:
document.addEventListener('instantclick:load', function() {
console.log('Page has been loaded!')
})
This code listens for the instantclick:load event, which is triggered when a new page has been loaded using InstantClick.
Getting Started
To get started with InstantClick, follow these steps:
- Include the InstantClick script in your HTML file:
<script src="//instant.page/5.1.0" type="module" defer></script>
- (Optional) Customize the behavior of InstantClick by adding event listeners and modifying the default settings:
document.addEventListener('touchstart', function(event) {
if (event.target.tagName.toLowerCase() === 'a') {
event.target.classList.add('no-instant')
}
}, false)
- (Optional) Monitor the progress of InstantClick using custom events:
document.addEventListener('instantclick:load', function() {
console.log('Page has been loaded!')
})
- That's it! With these basic steps, you can start using InstantClick to improve the perceived performance of your website.
Competitor Comparisons
Turbolinks makes navigating your web application faster
Pros of Turbolinks
- More comprehensive solution for speeding up web applications
- Integrates well with Ruby on Rails and other server-side frameworks
- Supports form submissions and redirects
Cons of Turbolinks
- Heavier and more complex implementation
- May require more configuration and setup
- Can interfere with existing JavaScript behavior if not properly managed
Code Comparison
InstantClick:
instantclick.init();
Turbolinks:
import Turbolinks from "turbolinks"
Turbolinks.start()
Key Differences
InstantClick focuses solely on preloading links and improving page load times, while Turbolinks offers a more comprehensive approach to creating single-page-like experiences. InstantClick is lighter and easier to implement, but Turbolinks provides more features and better integration with server-side frameworks.
InstantClick uses event listeners to preload pages on hover or touchstart, whereas Turbolinks replaces the entire body of the page and manages the browser history.
Both libraries aim to improve perceived performance, but Turbolinks goes further by maintaining a persistent process and replacing only changed content.
Use Cases
- InstantClick: Ideal for simple websites looking for a quick performance boost
- Turbolinks: Better suited for complex web applications, especially those built with Ruby on Rails
The speed of a single-page web application without having to write any JavaScript
Pros of Turbo
- More comprehensive framework for building modern web applications
- Supports multiple page elements and form submissions
- Integrates well with Ruby on Rails and other backend frameworks
Cons of Turbo
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex features
- Requires more setup and configuration
- May be overkill for simple websites or projects
Code Comparison
InstantClick:
InstantClick.init();
Turbo:
import { Turbo } from "@hotwired/turbo-rails"
Turbo.start()
Key Differences
InstantClick focuses solely on preloading links and improving page load times, while Turbo offers a more comprehensive solution for building modern web applications. InstantClick is simpler to implement and requires minimal setup, making it ideal for quick performance improvements on existing websites.
Turbo, on the other hand, provides a full suite of tools for creating responsive, dynamic web applications. It includes features like form handling, partial page updates, and integration with backend frameworks. This makes Turbo more suitable for complex web applications and projects built with modern web development practices.
While InstantClick can be easily added to any existing website with minimal changes, Turbo often requires a more significant architectural shift in how the application is built and structured. However, for projects that can leverage its full potential, Turbo can provide a more seamless and interactive user experience.
List of awesome CSS frameworks in 2024
Pros of awesome-css-frameworks
- Comprehensive collection of CSS frameworks, providing a wide range of options for developers
- Regularly updated with new frameworks and resources
- Includes categorization and brief descriptions for each framework
Cons of awesome-css-frameworks
- Not a functional library or tool, but rather a curated list
- Requires additional research and implementation effort to use the listed frameworks
- May overwhelm users with too many choices
Code comparison
InstantClick:
InstantClick.init();
awesome-css-frameworks:
- [Framework Name](https://example.com)
- Brief description of the framework
- Additional information or features
Summary
InstantClick is a JavaScript library that aims to make website navigation faster, while awesome-css-frameworks is a curated list of CSS frameworks and resources. The main difference lies in their purpose and functionality. InstantClick provides a specific solution for improving website performance, whereas awesome-css-frameworks offers a comprehensive collection of CSS tools and libraries for developers to choose from.
While InstantClick can be implemented directly with a single line of code, awesome-css-frameworks requires users to review the list, select a suitable framework, and then implement it separately. The choice between the two depends on the developer's specific needs: instant navigation improvement (InstantClick) or access to a wide range of CSS frameworks and resources (awesome-css-frameworks).
Automatically add a progress bar to your site.
Pros of pace
- More versatile, can be used for various loading scenarios beyond just page loads
- Offers more customization options for progress bar appearance and behavior
- Actively maintained with recent updates and a larger community
Cons of pace
- Larger file size and potentially more complex to implement
- May have a slight performance overhead due to its broader feature set
- Less focused on the specific use case of preloading pages
Code comparison
instantclick:
InstantClick.init();
pace:
Pace.start({
document: false,
ajax: false,
eventLag: false
});
Key differences
instantclick is specifically designed for preloading pages and improving perceived page load times, while pace is a more general-purpose progress indicator that can be used for various loading scenarios.
instantclick focuses on simplicity and ease of implementation, with minimal configuration required. pace offers more flexibility and customization options but may require more setup and configuration.
instantclick is lightweight and optimized for its specific use case, while pace provides a broader range of features that may be beneficial for more complex applications or diverse loading scenarios.
Both libraries aim to improve user experience during loading times, but they approach the problem from different angles and with different levels of complexity and customization.
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InstantClick
All the informations you need to use InstantClick are on the link above. This ReadMeâs purpose is about how to use and contribute to a development version of InstantClick.
Tests
Tests (in the tests folder) are PHP-generated HTML pages with which to check how InstantClick behaves on different browsers. Thatâs what I use before releasing a new version to make sure there are no obvious regressions.
To access the suite of tests, run php -S 127.0.0.1:8000 from the tests folder and head to http://127.0.0.1:8000/.
Contributing
See the Contributing.md file.
Top Related Projects
Turbolinks makes navigating your web application faster
The speed of a single-page web application without having to write any JavaScript
List of awesome CSS frameworks in 2024
Automatically add a progress bar to your site.
Convert designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot