Web Tech Newsletter - July 2023
Check out this month's newsletter for new Webkit features, new Array methods, the uproar about the Web Environment Integrity proposal, and more!
Welcome to the Web Tech Newsletter, where each month I share my favorite news and blog posts on the web platform.
Web Environment Integrity
There's been an uproar this month on an experimental proposal from Google. It's called the Web Environment Integrity (WEI) proposal, and I think it's fair to say the feedback on this one has not been positive.
From what I understand, it would allow websites to deny access to the site based on the attributes of a user's browser or device. 😱 One major concern is the impact on the use of ad blockers.
I am still researching this topic, but am including it this month so that we can follow along as events unfold. I've included the Wikipedia entry and a very informative blog post from Interpeer that is getting updated regularly.
Contributors to Wikimedia projects
Jens Finkhaeuser
New Webkit Features
The Webkit team at Apple has been on a tear in 2023. They officially added web push notifications earlier this year, and now have shipped Web Apps for Safari 17 and macOS Sonoma. You can already install PWAs on macOS with other browsers like Google Chrome, but I expect web apps installed from Safari will enjoy a tighter integration with the OS.
The Webkit team is also hard at work on new web technologies to support "the spatial web" and the upcoming Vision Pro. Exciting!
WebTransport API
The WebTransport API is now supported in all major browsers. It's a new realtime Web API based on HTTP that is faster and more reliable than WebSockets.
Jeff Posnick
New Array Methods
The new array methods Array.toReversed(), Array.toSorted(), Array.toSpliced(), Array.with(), TypedArrays.toReversed(), TypedArrays.toSorted(), and TypedArrays.with() all hit broad browser support during July as well. All methods return copies of the original array. I'd have to say I'm most excited for Array.toSorted(). The sort in place behavior of .sort() has always been a disappointment, and now there's no longer a need for funny work arounds like arr.slice().sort(...)!
Arc Browser Now Available
I've been eager to try Arc, and I'll probably be posting a blog with my thoughts on it soon. I like all the new features like Boosts, Membership Cards, and general freshness that The Browser Company is creating here.
