The Text-Based Browser Renaissance

• by Petabite
webterminalaccessibilityminimalism

The Text-Based Browser Renaissance

In an era of bloated web applications and JavaScript-heavy frameworks, there’s a quiet resurgence happening in the world of text-based browsers. Tools like Lynx, w3m, and newer entrants like Browsh are finding new audiences among developers who value speed, simplicity, and accessibility.

Why Text Browsers Still Matter

Text-based browsers strip away the cruft and force websites to expose their actual content structure. They’re invaluable for:

  • Accessibility testing: If your site works in Lynx, it probably works well with screen readers
  • Performance debugging: See exactly what content is essential vs. decorative
  • Remote work: SSH into a server and browse documentation without leaving the terminal
  • Bandwidth constraints: Perfect for slow connections or data-limited environments

The Modern Landscape

While Lynx (1992) remains the classic, newer projects are pushing boundaries:

w3m (1995)

Supports tables, frames, and even inline images in capable terminals. My daily driver for quick documentation lookups.

Browsh (2018)

Renders modern websites by running headless Firefox and streaming the result as text. Surprisingly usable for complex sites.

Carbonyl (2023)

Chromium running in the terminal with support for canvas, WebGL, and video. The future is weird and I’m here for it.

Building for Text Browsers

Here are some practical tips for text-browser compatibility:

<!-- Semantic HTML is your friend -->
<nav aria-label="Main navigation">
  <a href="/">Home</a>
  <a href="/blog">Blog</a>
</nav>

<!-- Proper heading hierarchy -->
<h1>Main Title</h1>
<h2>Section</h2>
<h3>Subsection</h3>

<!-- Alt text matters -->
<img src="chart.png" alt="Revenue increased 40% year over year">

The Philosophy

Text browsers embody a philosophy: content first, presentation second. This isn’t about rejecting progress—it’s about maintaining perspective. The web is a document platform that learned to do applications, not the other way around.

When your site works in Lynx, it works everywhere.