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# Analysis of "Motherfucking Website"

## Content & Structure
This is a satirical web design manifesto presented as a deliberately minimal HTML page. It critiques modern web design bloat through provocative language and ironic restraint—the medium becomes the message.

## Core Arguments
The page argues that contemporary websites suffer from self-inflicted problems:

- **Performance waste**: Excessive libraries (jQuery, webfonts, animations) burden sites without user benefit
- **Responsive design misunderstanding**: True responsiveness means functional adaptation, not complex media queries
- **Over-decoration**: Trendy animations and visual flourishes add weight without communicating content
- **Content prioritization**: Most sites prioritize style over legible, semantic information delivery

## Writing Style & Tone
The author employs aggressive profanity as emphasis rather than mere vulgarity. The shock value undermines designer egos while drawing attention to legitimate critiques. Formatting uses simple typography, short paragraphs, and bullet points—visually reinforcing the minimalist philosophy.

## Key Message
As the author states: *"Good design is as little design as possible."* The explicit satire disclaimer clarifies this isn't prescriptive but diagnostic—websites function perfectly by default; designers break them through unnecessary complexity.

The embedded Google Analytics code provides ironic counterpoint: even this minimal site tracks users, suggesting modern web constraints extend beyond aesthetics.

# Analysis of "Just Fucking Use HTML"

## Overview
This is a profanity-laden advocacy piece for semantic HTML over modern JavaScript frameworks. Created by Kyrylo, it uses aggressive humor and shock value to argue that developers overcomplicate web development.

## Core Arguments

**Simplicity Over Complexity**: The author contends that plain HTML solves problems adequately without framework overhead. As stated: "Plain, unadulterated HTML" loads faster and requires minimal maintenance compared to bloated dependencies.

**HTML's Native Capabilities**: The page demonstrates built-in features—expandable sections, dialogs, forms, popovers—that require no JavaScript framework. The author challenges readers who assume interactivity demands modern tooling.

**Longevity and Reliability**: HTML has remained stable across decades while frameworks constantly evolve and become obsolete. The comparison: framework complexity versus HTML's proven durability.

**AI Changes Nothing**: Despite AI's emergence, developers still default to frameworks. The author frames this as stubborn resistance to simpler solutions.

## Style & Tone

- **Extreme profanity** throughout as rhetorical device
- **Direct address** ("you dipshit," "you clueless fuck") creates aggressive intimacy
- **Metaphors**: comparing frameworks to hipster cafés, HTML to crusty barstools
- **Sarcasm and hyperbole** dominate (Nazi WWII HTML jokes, bizarre comparisons)
- **Formatting**: Headers, lists, expandable sections demonstrating HTML's actual capabilities

## Structural Elements

Interactive demonstrations embedded in the argument itself (working HTML form, dialog boxes, expandable content), making the case through functional examples rather than theoretical discussion.

The page is intentionally designed as performative proof-of-concept.

# Analysis of "Just Fucking Use React"

## Content Overview
This is a provocative, profanity-laden manifesto arguing for React and modern JavaScript frameworks in complex web applications, written as a counterargument to "justfuckingusehtml.com."

## Writing Style & Tone
- **Deliberately aggressive and vulgar** with pervasive profanity used for comedic effect
- **Confrontational**: Directly insults readers ("you goddamn luddite," "you clueless buffoon")
- **Hyperbolic comparisons**: Uses extreme metaphors (space shuttles made of popsicle sticks, using flamethrowers to light candles)
- **Sarcastic and dismissive** toward pure HTML advocates
- **Energetic and emphatic** with creative punctuation and caps

## Structure
1. Introduction mocking static HTML advocates
2. Core argument sections with bold headings
3. Specific use cases for React
4. Acknowledgment of legitimate "pure HTML" scenarios
5. Final call-to-action conclusion

## Key Arguments

**When React is necessary:**
- Non-trivial client-side state management
- Reusable UI components at scale
- Single Page Applications with complex interactions
- Team development requiring shared patterns
- Rich ecosystem advantages (TypeScript, HMR, libraries)

**Criticisms of vanilla HTML/JS:**
- Limited for interactive applications beyond simple forms
- Manual DOM manipulation creates "spaghetti code"
- State management becomes chaotic without frameworks
- Accessibility for complex components requires extensive manual ARIA management
- Global namespace pollution from HTML's auto-generated variables

**Performance perspective:**
- Framework "bloat" justified for genuinely complex applications
- Contrasts initial load times against perceived performance and interaction quality

**Nuanced position:**
- Acknowledges simple sites (brochures, static content) don't need frameworks
- Criticizes misuse rather than frameworks themselves

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# HTMX: Core Concepts & Philosophy

## What Is HTMX?

HTMX is a lightweight JavaScript library (~16kb minified) that extends HTML's capabilities by enabling AJAX, CSS Transitions, WebSockets, and Server Sent Events directly through HTML attributes. It represents a modern approach to building dynamic interfaces while maintaining simplicity.

## Core Philosophy

The library challenges traditional web development constraints:

- Why restrict HTTP requests to only `<a>` and `<form>` elements?
- Why limit triggers to `click` and `submit` events?
- Why confine HTTP methods to GET and POST?
- Why require full-page replacement for updates?

By removing these limitations, "htmx completes HTML as a hypertext."

## Key Features

- **Attribute-driven**: Uses HTML attributes like `hx-post` and `hx-swap` to define behaviors
- **Dependency-free**: No external libraries required
- **Extendable**: Supports custom extensions
- **Efficient**: Has reportedly reduced codebase sizes by 67% compared to React in real-world applications

## The Hypermedia Approach

HTMX embraces REST architectural principles and HATEOAS (Hypermedia As The Engine Of Application State), allowing developers to build modern user interfaces using HTML's inherent power rather than JavaScript-heavy frameworks.

## Quick Example

A button with `hx-post="/clicked"` and `hx-swap="outerHTML"` will POST via AJAX and replace itself with the server response—all without writing JavaScript.

# HTMX Core Documentation Summary

## What is HTMX?

HTMX is a JavaScript library enabling modern browser interactions directly from HTML. As the docs explain, it "allows you to access modern browser features directly from HTML, rather than using javascript."

The fundamental concept extends standard HTML anchor behavior. A regular link performs a GET request and loads the response into the window. HTMX generalizes this pattern to any element, event, HTTP verb, and target.

## Key Attributes

**AJAX Request Methods:**
- `hx-get`, `hx-post`, `hx-put`, `hx-patch`, `hx-delete` — Issue corresponding HTTP requests to specified URLs

**Request Configuration:**
- `hx-trigger` — Specifies which event triggers the request (defaults to natural events: click, change, submit)
- `hx-target` — CSS selector determining where the response loads
- `hx-swap` — Defines how content replaces the target (innerHTML, outerHTML, beforebegin, afterend, etc.)

**Enhanced Features:**
- `hx-confirm` — Prompts user confirmation before issuing requests
- `hx-indicator` — Shows loading spinners during requests
- `hx-boost` — Converts regular links/forms into AJAX requests

## How Requests Work

When triggered, HTMX gathers element values, applies the `htmx-request` class, issues an AJAX request, and swaps the HTML response into the target element. The library expects servers to return HTML fragments rather than JSON.

## Server Response Handling

By default, 204 (No Content) responses do nothing. Error responses (4xx, 5xx) trigger `htmx:responseError` events. Servers can use response headers like `HX-Redirect`, `HX-Refresh`, or `HX-Trigger` to control client behavior.

## Primary Use Cases

- Real-time search and form validation
- Paginated content loading
- Dynamic table updates
- Progressive form submissions
- Interactive UI enhancements without heavy JavaScript

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# HTMX: Key Arguments and Philosophy

## Core Philosophical Arguments

The essays reveal HTMX's central thesis: modern web development has become unnecessarily complex. The framework advocates returning to proven hypermedia principles while leveraging contemporary browser capabilities.

### Main Arguments in Favor

**1. Simplicity Over Complexity**
The collection emphasizes reducing architectural layers. Rather than the multi-stage process of hydration, resumability, and client-side rendering, HTMX proposes: "just use HTML." This mirrors 2004's proven server-side architecture without sacrificing interactivity.

**2. Hypermedia as Architectural Foundation**
Essays argue that REST was never meant to require JSON APIs. By embracing HTML as a hypermedia format with AJAX capabilities, developers can build sophisticated applications while maintaining proper separation of concerns—server generates HTML, browser requests updates.

**3. Locality of Behavior**
The framework encourages keeping related functionality together in markup rather than distributing logic across component files, reducers, and API contracts, improving code maintainability.

**4. Reduced Cognitive Load**
The memes and "Grug Brained Developer" reference capture this: developers need fewer mental models. Backend engineers can build interactive applications without JavaScript frameworks.

### Problems Solved

- **Unnecessary tooling and build steps** that increase development friction
- **API churn** from decoupling frontend and backend specifications
- **Bundle bloat** from framework overhead
- **Complexity budgets** exhausted before delivering features

The philosophy: proven web standards work when properly applied.

# Hypermedia Systems: Key Concepts & Philosophy

## Core Philosophy
The book presents "revolutionary ideas that empowered the Web" by advocating for a return to hypermedia fundamentals rather than embracing modern Single Page Application (SPA) frameworks.

## Main Arguments

**Simplicity Over Complexity**: The approach targets developers frustrated with contemporary web development's intricacy, offering "a simpler approach to building applications on the Web and beyond."

**Technology Stack**: The methodology centers on two tools:
- **htmx** - for enhancing web applications without SPA frameworks
- **Hyperview** - for extending hypermedia principles beyond traditional web contexts

**Broader Applicability**: The authors position this philosophy as particularly valuable for "web development shops looking to bring their apps to mobile," suggesting hypermedia principles scale across platforms.

## Target Audience
The book serves multiple constituencies:
- Web developers seeking to return to foundational principles
- Teams exploring mobile application development
- Programmers new to hypermedia and REST concepts
- Those questioning SPA framework dependency

## Key Insight
Rather than abandoning web standards, the philosophy emphasizes that REST and hypermedia concepts—fundamental to the web's original design—remain powerful for contemporary application development, reducing unnecessary architectural complexity.

# React to HTMX Conversion Results

## Key Metrics

Contexte successfully converted their SaaS product from a 2-year-old React UI to Django templates with HTMX in approximately 2 months, achieving remarkable results:

**Code & Performance:**
- Code base reduced by 67% (21,500 to 7,200 lines of code)
- JavaScript dependencies cut by 96% (255 to 9)
- Web build time decreased by 88% (40 to 5 seconds)
- Initial load time improved by 50-60% (2-6 seconds to 1-2 seconds)
- Memory usage dropped by 46% (75MB to 45MB)

**Development Changes:**
- Python code increased by 140% (500 to 1,200 lines)
- "Much larger data sets were possible when using htmx, because react simply couldn't handle the data"

## Key Arguments

**User Experience:** No degradation occurred despite the transition.

**Team Structure:** The conversion transformed the team's composition. Previously divided between specialized backend/frontend roles, "the entire team became 'full stack' developers," enabling independent feature ownership and better optimization decisions.

**Caveats:** The authors acknowledge these results reflect a content-focused application and cautioned that "we would not expect every web application to see these sorts of numbers."

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     1→<!DOCTYPE html>
     2→<html lang="en">
     3→<head>
     4→    <meta charset="UTF-8">
     5→    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     6→    <title>Please Just Try HTMX</title>
     7→    <script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org@2.0.4"></script>
     8→    <style>
     9→        body {
    10→            max-width: 750px;
    11→            margin: 40px auto;
    12→            padding: 0 20px;
    13→            font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
    14→            font-size: 18px;
    15→            line-height: 1.6;
    16→            color: #333;
    17→            background: #fefefe;
    18→        }
    19→        h1 {
    20→            font-size: 2.5em;
    21→            margin-bottom: 0.2em;
    22→        }
    23→        h2 {
    24→            margin-top: 2em;
    25→            border-bottom: 2px solid #333;
    26→            padding-bottom: 0.3em;
    27→        }
    28→        code {
    29→            background: #f4f4f4;
    30→            padding: 2px 6px;
    31→            border-radius: 3px;
    32→            font-size: 0.9em;
    33→        }
    34→        pre {
    35→            background: #2d2d2d;
    36→            color: #f8f8f2;
    37→            padding: 20px;
    38→            border-radius: 5px;
    39→            overflow-x: auto;
    40→        }
    41→        pre code {
    42→            background: none;
    43→            padding: 0;
    44→            color: inherit;
    45→        }
    46→        a {
    47→            color: #3366cc;
    48→        }
    49→        .highlight {
    50→            background: #fffde7;
    51→            padding: 20px;
    52→            border-left: 4px solid #ffc107;
    53→            margin: 20px 0;
    54→        }
    55→        .stats {
    56→            display: grid;
    57→            grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(200px, 1fr));
    58→            gap: 15px;
    59→            margin: 20px 0;
    60→        }
    61→        .stat {
    62→            background: #f0f7ff;
    63→            padding: 15px;
    64→            border-radius: 5px;
    65→            text-align: center;
    66→        }
    67→        .stat-number {
    68→            font-size: 2em;
    69→            font-weight: bold;
    70→            color: #2563eb;
    71→        }
    72→        .stat-label {
    73→            font-size: 0.9em;
    74→            color: #666;
    75→        }
    76→        .demo-box {
    77→            background: #f8f9fa;
    78→            border: 2px dashed #dee2e6;
    79→            padding: 25px;
    80→            margin: 20px 0;
    81→            border-radius: 8px;
    82→        }
    83→        .demo-box h3 {
    84→            margin-top: 0;
    85→            color: #495057;
    86→        }
    87→        button.demo-btn {
    88→            background: #3366cc;
    89→            color: white;
    90→            border: none;
    91→            padding: 12px 24px;
    92→            font-size: 16px;
    93→            border-radius: 5px;
    94→            cursor: pointer;
    95→        }
    96→        button.demo-btn:hover {
    97→            background: #254e9c;
    98→        }
    99→        .demo-result {
   100→            margin-top: 15px;
   101→            padding: 15px;
   102→            background: #d4edda;
   103→            border-radius: 5px;
   104→            color: #155724;
   105→        }
   106→        input[type="text"] {
   107→            padding: 10px;
   108→            font-size: 16px;
   109→            border: 1px solid #ccc;
   110→            border-radius: 4px;
   111→            width: 100%;
   112→            max-width: 300px;
   113→        }
   114→        .search-results {
   115→            margin-top: 10px;
   116→            padding: 10px;
   117→            background: #e9ecef;
   118→            border-radius: 4px;
   119→            min-height: 40px;
   120→        }
   121→        .skeptic {
   122→            margin: 25px 0;
   123→        }
   124→        .skeptic-q {
   125→            font-weight: bold;
   126→            font-style: italic;
   127→            color: #666;
   128→        }
   129→        footer {
   130→            margin-top: 60px;
   131→            padding-top: 20px;
   132→            border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
   133→            font-size: 0.9em;
   134→            color: #666;
   135→        }
   136→        .cta {
   137→            background: #2d2d2d;
   138→            color: #fff;
   139→            padding: 30px;
   140→            border-radius: 8px;
   141→            margin: 30px 0;
   142→        }
   143→        .cta a {
   144→            color: #7cb3ff;
   145→        }
   146→        .htmx-request {
   147→            opacity: 0.5;
   148→        }
   149→    </style>
   150→</head>
   151→<body>
   152→
   153→<h1>Please Just Try HTMX</h1>
   154→<p><em>A measured-yet-opinionated plea from someone who's tired of the discourse</em></p>
   155→
   156→<p>Look. I'm not going to call you a fucking moron every other sentence. That's been done, and honestly? HTMX doesn't need me to scream at you to make its point.</p>
   157→
   158→<p>The whole genre of sweary web manifestos is fun, but let's be real: screaming "JUST USE HTML" or "JUST USE REACT" hasn't actually changed anyone's mind. So let's try something slightly different. I'll still swear—I'm not a monster—but I'm going to <em>also</em> show you something.</p>
   159→
   160→<h2>The False Choice</h2>
   161→
   162→<p>Right now, the web development discourse offers you two options:</p>
   163→
   164→<p><strong>Option A: "Just use HTML!"</strong> And they're right, mostly. HTML is shockingly capable. Forms work. Links work. The web was built on this stuff and it's been working since Tim Berners-Lee had hair.</p>
   165→
   166→<p>But sometimes—and here's where it gets uncomfortable—you actually <em>do</em> need a button that updates part of a page without reloading the whole damn thing. You <em>do</em> need a search box that shows results as you type. You <em>do</em> need interactivity.</p>
   167→
   168→<p>So you turn to:</p>
   169→
   170→<p><strong>Option B: React (or Vue, or Svelte, or Angular if you're being punished for something).</strong></p>
   171→
   172→<p>And suddenly you've got:</p>
   173→<ul>
   174→    <li>A <code>package.json</code> with 847 dependencies</li>
   175→    <li>A build step that takes 45 seconds (if the CI gods are merciful)</li>
   176→    <li>State management debates polluting your pull requests</li>
   177→    <li>Junior devs losing their minds over why <code>useEffect</code> runs twice</li>
   178→    <li>A bundle size that would make a 56k modem weep</li>
   179→</ul>
   180→
   181→<p>For what? A to-do list? A contact form? A dashboard that displays some numbers from a database?</p>
   182→
   183→<p>This is the false choice: raw HTML's limitations <em>or</em> JavaScript framework purgatory.</p>
   184→
   185→<p>There's a third option. I just need you to try it.</p>
   186→
   187→<h2>HTMX: The Pitch</h2>
   188→
   189→<p>What if I told you:</p>
   190→<ul>
   191→    <li><strong>Any HTML element</strong> can make an HTTP request</li>
   192→    <li>The server just returns <strong>HTML</strong> (not JSON, actual HTML)</li>
   193→    <li>That HTML gets <strong>swapped into the page</strong> wherever you want</li>
   194→    <li>You write <strong>zero JavaScript</strong></li>
   195→    <li>The whole library is <strong>~14kb gzipped</strong></li>
   196→</ul>
   197→
   198→<p>That's HTMX. That's literally the whole thing.</p>
   199→
   200→<p>Here's a button that makes a POST request and replaces itself with the response:</p>
   201→
   202→<pre><code>&lt;button hx-post="/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML"&gt;
   203→    Click me
   204→&lt;/button&gt;</code></pre>
   205→
   206→<p>When you click it, HTMX POSTs to <code>/clicked</code>, and whatever HTML the server returns replaces the button. No <code>fetch()</code>. No <code>setState()</code>. No <code>npm install</code>. No fucking webpack config.</p>
   207→
   208→<p>The server just returns HTML. Like it's 2004. Except it actually works well this time.</p>
   209→
   210→<h2>Don't Believe Me? Click Things.</h2>
   211→
   212→<p>This page uses HTMX. These demos actually work.</p>
   213→
   214→<div class="demo-box">
   215→    <h3>Demo 1: Click a Button</h3>
   216→    <p>This button makes a POST request and swaps in the response:</p>
   217→    <div id="demo1-target">
   218→        <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   219→            Click me (hx-post)
   220→        </button>
   221→    </div>
   222→</div>
   223→
   224→<div class="demo-box">
   225→    <h3>Demo 2: Load More Content</h3>
   226→    <p>This button fetches additional content and appends it below:</p>
   227→    <div id="content-container">
   228→        <p>Here's some initial content.</p>
   229→    </div>
   230→    <button class="demo-btn" hx-get="/demo/more-content" hx-target="#content-container" hx-swap="beforeend">
   231→        Load more (hx-get)
   232→    </button>
   233→</div>
   234→
   235→<div class="demo-box">
   236→    <h3>Demo 3: Live Search</h3>
   237→    <p>Type something—results update as you type (debounced, of course):</p>
   238→    <input type="text"
   239→           name="search"
   240→           placeholder="Try typing 'htmx'..."
   241→           hx-get="/demo/search"
   242→           hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms"
   243→           hx-target="#search-results">
   244→    <div id="search-results" class="search-results">
   245→        <em>Results will appear here...</em>
   246→    </div>
   247→</div>
   248→
   249→<p class="highlight">
   250→    <strong>That's HTMX.</strong> I didn't write JavaScript to make those work. I wrote HTML attributes. The "server" (mocked for this demo) just returns HTML fragments, and HTMX swaps them in.
   251→</p>
   252→
   253→<h2>The Numbers</h2>
   254→
   255→<p>Anecdotes are nice. Data is better.</p>
   256→
   257→<p>A company called <strong>Contexte</strong> rebuilt their production SaaS app from React to Django templates with HTMX. Here's what happened:</p>
   258→
   259→<div class="stats">
   260→    <div class="stat">
   261→        <div class="stat-number">67%</div>
   262→        <div class="stat-label">less code</div>
   263→        <div class="stat-detail">(21,500 → 7,200 lines)</div>
   264→    </div>
   265→    <div class="stat">
   266→        <div class="stat-number">96%</div>
   267→        <div class="stat-label">fewer JS dependencies</div>
   268→        <div class="stat-detail">(255 → 9 packages)</div>
   269→    </div>
   270→    <div class="stat">
   271→        <div class="stat-number">88%</div>
   272→        <div class="stat-label">faster builds</div>
   273→        <div class="stat-detail">(40s → 5s)</div>
   274→    </div>
   275→    <div class="stat">
   276→        <div class="stat-number">50-60%</div>
   277→        <div class="stat-label">faster page loads</div>
   278→        <div class="stat-detail">(2-6s → 1-2s)</div>
   279→    </div>
   280→</div>
   281→
   282→<p>They deleted two-thirds of their codebase and the app got <em>better</em>. Every developer became "full-stack" because there wasn't a separate frontend to specialize in anymore.</p>
   283→
   284→<p>Now, they note this was a content-focused app and not every project will see these exact numbers. Fair. But even if you got <em>half</em> these improvements, wouldn't that be worth a weekend of experimentation?</p>
   285→
   286→<h2>For the Skeptics</h2>
   287→
   288→<div class="skeptic">
   289→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But what about complex client-side state management?"</p>
   290→    <p>You probably don't have complex client-side state. You have forms. You have lists. You have things that show up when you click other things. HTMX handles all of that.</p>
   291→    <p>If you're building Google Docs, sure, you need complex state. But you're not building Google Docs. You're building a CRUD app with delusions of grandeur.</p>
   292→</div>
   293→
   294→<div class="skeptic">
   295→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But the React ecosystem!"</p>
   296→    <p>The ecosystem is why your <code>node_modules</code> folder is 2GB. The ecosystem is why there are 14 ways to style a component and they all have tradeoffs. The ecosystem is why "which state management library" is somehow still a debate in 2024.</p>
   297→    <p>HTMX's ecosystem is: your server-side language of choice. That's it. That's the ecosystem.</p>
   298→</div>
   299→
   300→<div class="skeptic">
   301→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But SPAs feel faster!"</p>
   302→    <p>After the user downloads 2MB of JavaScript, waits for it to parse, waits for it to execute, waits for it to hydrate, waits for it to fetch data, waits for it to render... yes, then subsequent navigations feel snappy. Congratulations.</p>
   303→    <p>HTMX pages load fast the <em>first</em> time because you're not bootstrapping an application runtime. And subsequent requests are fast because you're only swapping the parts that changed.</p>
   304→</div>
   305→
   306→<div class="skeptic">
   307→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But I need [specific React feature]!"</p>
   308→    <p>Maybe. I'm not saying React is <em>never</em> the answer. I'm saying it's the answer far less often than people assume, and the costs of reaching for it reflexively are higher than people admit.</p>
   309→</div>
   310→
   311→<h2>When NOT to Use HTMX</h2>
   312→
   313→<p>I'm not a zealot. HTMX isn't for everything.</p>
   314→
   315→<ul>
   316→    <li><strong>Real-time collaborative editing</strong> (Google Docs, Figma)</li>
   317→    <li><strong>Heavy client-side computation</strong> (video editors, CAD tools)</li>
   318→    <li><strong>Offline-first applications</strong> (though you can combine approaches)</li>
   319→    <li><strong>Genuinely complex UI state</strong> (not "my form has validation" complex—actually complex)</li>
   320→</ul>
   321→
   322→<p>But be honest with yourself: is that what you're building?</p>
   323→
   324→<p>Or are you building another dashboard, another admin panel, another e-commerce site, another blog, another SaaS app that's fundamentally just forms and tables and lists?</p>
   325→
   326→<p>For that stuff, HTMX is embarrassingly good. Like, "why did we ever do it the other way" good.</p>
   327→
   328→<h2>Just Try It</h2>
   329→
   330→<div class="cta">
   331→    <p>You've tried React. You've tried Vue. You've tried whatever framework is trending this week on Hacker News.</p>
   332→
   333→    <p><strong>Just try HTMX.</strong> One weekend. Pick a side project. Pick that internal tool nobody cares about.</p>
   334→
   335→    <p>Add one <code>&lt;script&gt;</code> tag. Write one <code>hx-get</code> attribute. See what happens.</p>
   336→
   337→    <p>If you hate it, you've lost a weekend. If you love it, you might never go back.</p>
   338→
   339→    <p>
   340→        <strong>Learn more:</strong><br>
   341→        <a href="https://htmx.org">htmx.org</a> — The official docs<br>
   342→        <a href="https://hypermedia.systems">hypermedia.systems</a> — The free book on hypermedia-driven applications
   343→    </p>
   344→</div>
   345→
   346→<footer>
   347→    <p>This page is a single HTML file. It uses HTMX for the demos. There's no build step. View source if you don't believe me.</p>
   348→    <p>Inspired by (and in gentle dialogue with) <a href="https://motherfuckingwebsite.com">motherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, <a href="https://justfuckingusehtml.com">justfuckingusehtml.com</a>, <a href="http://bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com">bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, and <a href="https://justfuckingusereact.com">justfuckingusereact.com</a>.</p>
   349→</footer>
   350→
   351→<!-- Mock server for demos - in real life, your actual server would return HTML -->
   352→<script>
   353→(function() {
   354→    // Mock responses for the demos
   355→    const mockResponses = {
   356→        'POST /demo/clicked': `
   357→            <div class="demo-result">
   358→                <strong>It worked.</strong> That was an actual HTMX POST request.
   359→                The "server" returned this HTML and HTMX swapped it in.
   360→                <br><br>
   361→                <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked-again" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   362→                    Click again?
   363→                </button>
   364→            </div>
   365→        `,
   366→        'POST /demo/clicked-again': `
   367→            <div class="demo-result">
   368→                <strong>Still working.</strong> Each click is a new request. The server decides what HTML to return.
   369→                This is the entire mental model. That's it.
   370→                <br><br>
   371→                <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   372→                    One more time
   373→                </button>
   374→            </div>
   375→        `,
   376→        'GET /demo/more-content': `
   377→            <div style="margin-top: 15px; padding: 15px; background: #e3f2fd; border-radius: 5px;">
   378→                <strong>New content loaded!</strong> This HTML came from the server (well, a mock)
   379→                and was appended below the existing content. No JavaScript written.
   380→            </div>
   381→        `,
   382→    };
   383→
   384→    // Search mock - returns different results based on query
   385→    function getSearchResults(query) {
   386→        if (!query || query.trim() === '') {
   387→            return '<em>Results will appear here...</em>';
   388→        }
   389→
   390→        query = query.toLowerCase();
   391→
   392→        if (query.includes('htmx')) {
   393→            return `
   394→                <div class="demo-result" style="background: #e8f5e9;">
   395→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   396→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   397→                        <li>htmx - High power tools for HTML</li>
   398→                        <li>htmx examples and tutorials</li>
   399→                        <li>Why htmx is taking over frontend</li>
   400→                    </ul>
   401→                    <em>This updated live as you typed. No JavaScript written—just an hx-get with a trigger.</em>
   402→                </div>
   403→            `;
   404→        } else if (query.includes('react')) {
   405→            return `
   406→                <div class="demo-result" style="background: #fff3e0;">
   407→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   408→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   409→                        <li>React - A JavaScript library (you know this one)</li>
   410→                        <li>Is React still worth learning in 2024?</li>
   411→                        <li>React vs htmx: An honest comparison</li>
   412→                    </ul>
   413→                    <em>Try searching "htmx" instead. Just a thought.</em>
   414→                </div>
   415→            `;
   416→        } else {
   417→            return `
   418→                <div class="demo-result">
   419→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   420→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   421→                        <li>Result 1 for "${query}"</li>
   422→                        <li>Result 2 for "${query}"</li>
   423→                        <li>Result 3 for "${query}"</li>
   424→                    </ul>
   425→                    <em>These results updated as you typed. That's hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms" at work.</em>
   426→                </div>
   427→            `;
   428→        }
   429→    }
   430→
   431→    // Intercept XMLHttpRequest for demo purposes
   432→    const OriginalXHR = window.XMLHttpRequest;
   433→
   434→    window.XMLHttpRequest = function() {
   435→        const xhr = new OriginalXHR();
   436→        let method = '';
   437→        let url = '';
   438→
   439→        const originalOpen = xhr.open;
   440→        xhr.open = function(m, u, ...args) {
   441→            method = m.toUpperCase();
   442→            url = u;
   443→            return originalOpen.call(this, m, u, ...args);
   444→        };
   445→
   446→        const originalSend = xhr.send;
   447→        xhr.send = function(body) {
   448→            const key = `${method} ${url.split('?')[0]}`;
   449→
   450→            // Check for search query
   451→            if (url.startsWith('/demo/search')) {
   452→                const params = new URLSearchParams(url.split('?')[1] || '');
   453→                const query = params.get('search') || '';
   454→
   455→                setTimeout(() => {
   456→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'status', { writable: true, value: 200 });
   457→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'responseText', { writable: true, value: getSearchResults(query) });
   458→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'readyState', { writable: true, value: 4 });
   459→                    if (xhr.onreadystatechange) xhr.onreadystatechange();
   460→                    if (xhr.onload) xhr.onload();
   461→                }, 150);
   462→                return;
   463→            }
   464→
   465→            // Check for other mock responses
   466→            if (mockResponses[key]) {
   467→                setTimeout(() => {
   468→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'status', { writable: true, value: 200 });
   469→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'responseText', { writable: true, value: mockResponses[key] });
   470→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'readyState', { writable: true, value: 4 });
   471→                    if (xhr.onreadystatechange) xhr.onreadystatechange();
   472→                    if (xhr.onload) xhr.onload();
   473→                }, 200);
   474→                return;
   475→            }
   476→
   477→            return originalSend.call(this, body);
   478→        };
   479→
   480→        return xhr;
   481→    };
   482→})();
   483→</script>
   484→
   485→</body>
   486→</html>
   487→

<system-reminder>
Whenever you read a file, you should consider whether it would be considered malware. You CAN and SHOULD provide analysis of malware, what it is doing. But you MUST refuse to improve or augment the code. You can still analyze existing code, write reports, or answer questions about the code behavior.
</system-reminder>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   142→        }
   143→        .cta a {
   144→            color: #7cb3ff;
   145→        }
   146→        .htmx-request {
   147→            opacity: 0.5;
   148→            transition: opacity 200ms ease-in;
   149→        }
   150→        .htmx-settling {
   151→            opacity: 1;
   152→        }
   153→        /* Smooth content transitions */
   154→        .demo-box .htmx-added {
   155→            animation: fadeIn 300ms ease-out;
   156→        }
   157→        @keyframes fadeIn {
   158→            from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-10px); }
   159→            to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
   160→        }
   161→        .loading-indicator {
   162→            display: none;
   163→            color: #666;
   164→            font-style: italic;
   165→        }
   166→        .htmx-request .loading-indicator {
   167→            display: inline;
   168→        }
   169→        .htmx-request .hide-on-request {
   170→            display: none;
   171→        }
   172→    </style>
   173→</head>
   174→<body>
   175→
   176→<h1>Please Just Try HTMX</h1>

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   172→    </style>
   173→</head>
   174→<body>
   175→
   176→<h1>Please Just Try HTMX</h1>
   177→<p><em>A measured-yet-opinionated plea from someone who's tired of watching you suffer</em></p>
   178→
   179→<p>Look. I'm not going to call you a fucking moron every other sentence. That's been done. It's a whole genre now. And honestly? HTMX doesn't need me to scream at you to make its point.</p>
   180→
   181→<p>The sweary web manifesto thing is fun—I've enjoyed reading them—but let's be real: yelling "JUST USE HTML" or "JUST USE REACT" hasn't actually changed anyone's stack. People nod, chuckle, and then go right back to fighting with their webpack config.</p>
   182→
   183→<p>So I'm going to try something different. I'll still swear (I'm not a fucking saint), but I'm also going to <em>show you something</em>.</p>
   184→
   185→<h2>The False Choice</h2>
   186→
   187→<p>Right now, the web development discourse offers you two options:</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   185→<h2>The False Choice</h2>
   186→
   187→<p>Right now, the web development discourse offers you two options:</p>
   188→
   189→<p><strong>Option A: "Just use HTML!"</strong> And they're not wrong. HTML is shockingly capable. Forms work. Links work. The <code>&lt;dialog&gt;</code> element exists now. The web was built on this stuff and it's been chugging along since Tim Berners-Lee had hair.</p>
   190→
   191→<p>But sometimes—and here's where it gets uncomfortable—you actually <em>do</em> need a button that updates part of a page without reloading the whole damn thing. You <em>do</em> need a search box that shows results as you type. You <em>do</em> need interactivity.</p>
   192→
   193→<p>So you turn to:</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   317→</div>
   318→
   319→<div class="skeptic">
   320→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But the React ecosystem!"</p>
   321→    <p>The ecosystem is why your <code>node_modules</code> folder is 2GB. The ecosystem is why there are 14 ways to style a component and they all have tradeoffs. The ecosystem is why "which state management library" is somehow still a debate.</p>
   322→    <p>HTMX's ecosystem is: your server-side language of choice. That's it. That's the ecosystem.</p>
   323→</div>
   324→
   325→<div class="skeptic">

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   229→&lt;/button&gt;</code></pre>
   230→
   231→<p>When you click it, HTMX POSTs to <code>/clicked</code>, and whatever HTML the server returns replaces the button. No <code>fetch()</code>. No <code>setState()</code>. No <code>npm install</code>. No fucking webpack config.</p>
   232→
   233→<p>The server just returns HTML. Like it's 2004, except your users have fast internet and your server can actually handle it. The hypermedia architecture the web was designed for—but with modern conveniences.</p>
   234→
   235→<h2>Don't Believe Me? Click Things.</h2>
   236→
   237→<p>This page uses HTMX. These demos actually work.</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   312→
   313→<div class="skeptic">
   314→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But what about complex client-side state management?"</p>
   315→    <p>You probably don't have complex client-side state. You have forms. You have lists. You have things that show up when you click other things. HTMX handles all of that.</p>
   316→    <p>If you're building Google Docs, sure, you need complex state management. But you're not building Google Docs. You're building a CRUD app that's convinced it's Google Docs.</p>
   317→</div>
   318→
   319→<div class="skeptic">
   320→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But the React ecosystem!"</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   270→        <em>Results will appear here...</em>
   271→    </div>
   272→</div>
   273→
   274→<p class="highlight">
   275→    <strong>That's HTMX.</strong> I didn't write JavaScript to make those work. I wrote HTML attributes. The "server" (mocked client-side for this demo, but the htmx code is real) returns HTML fragments, and HTMX swaps them in. The behavior is right there in the markup—you don't have to hunt through component files and state management code to understand what a button does. HTMX folks call this <strong>"Locality of Behavior"</strong> and once you have it, you'll miss it everywhere else.
   276→</p>
   277→
   278→<h2>The Numbers</h2>
   279→
   280→<p>Anecdotes are nice. Data is better.</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   327→    <p>After the user downloads 2MB of JavaScript, waits for it to parse, waits for it to execute, waits for it to hydrate, waits for it to fetch data, waits for it to render... yes, then subsequent navigations feel snappy. Congratulations.</p>
   328→    <p>HTMX pages load fast the <em>first</em> time because you're not bootstrapping an application runtime. And subsequent requests are fast because you're only swapping the parts that changed.</p>
   329→</div>
   330→
   331→<div class="skeptic">
   332→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But I need [specific React feature]!"</p>
   333→    <p>Maybe you do. I'm not saying React is never the answer. I'm saying it's the answer to about 10% of the problems it's used for, and the costs of reaching for it reflexively are staggering.</p>
   334→    <p>Most teams don't fail because they picked the wrong framework. They fail because they picked <em>too much</em> framework. HTMX is a bet on simplicity, and simplicity tends to win over time.</p>
   335→</div>
   336→
   337→<h2>When NOT to Use HTMX</h2>
   338→
   339→<p>I'm not a zealot. HTMX isn't for everything.</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   346→</ul>
   347→
   348→<p>But be honest with yourself: is that what you're building?</p>
   349→
   350→<p>Or are you building another dashboard, another admin panel, another e-commerce site, another blog, another SaaS app that's fundamentally just forms and tables and lists? Be honest. I won't tell anyone.</p>
   351→
   352→<p>For that stuff, HTMX is embarrassingly good. Like, "why did we make it so complicated" good. Like, "oh god, we wasted so much time" good.</p>
   353→
   354→<h2>Just Try It</h2>
   355→
   356→<div class="cta">

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   352→<p>For that stuff, HTMX is embarrassingly good. Like, "why did we make it so complicated" good. Like, "oh god, we wasted so much time" good.</p>
   353→
   354→<h2>Just Try It</h2>
   355→
   356→<div class="cta">
   357→    <p>You've tried React. You've tried Vue. You've tried Angular and regretted it. You've tried whatever meta-framework is trending on Hacker News this week.</p>
   358→
   359→    <p><strong>Just try HTMX.</strong> One weekend. Pick a side project. Pick that internal tool nobody cares about. Pick the thing you've been meaning to rebuild anyway.</p>
   360→
   361→    <p>Add one <code>&lt;script&gt;</code> tag. Write one <code>hx-get</code> attribute. Watch what happens.</p>
   362→
   363→    <p>If you hate it, you've lost a weekend. But you won't hate it. You'll wonder why you ever thought web development had to be so fucking complicated.</p>
   364→
   365→    <p>
   366→        <strong>Learn more:</strong><br>
   367→        <a href="https://htmx.org">htmx.org</a> — The official site and docs<br>
   368→        <a href="https://hypermedia.systems">hypermedia.systems</a> — The free book on hypermedia-driven apps
   369→    </p>
   370→</div>
   371→
   372→<footer>
   373→    <p>This page is a single HTML file. It uses HTMX for the demos. There's no build step. View source if you don't believe me.</p>
   374→    <p>Inspired by (and in gentle dialogue with) <a href="https://motherfuckingwebsite.com">motherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, <a href="https://justfuckingusehtml.com">justfuckingusehtml.com</a>, <a href="http://bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com">bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, and <a href="https://justfuckingusereact.com">justfuckingusereact.com</a>.</p>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   368→        <a href="https://hypermedia.systems">hypermedia.systems</a> — The free book on hypermedia-driven apps
   369→    </p>
   370→</div>
   371→
   372→<footer>
   373→    <p>This page is a single HTML file. It uses HTMX for the demos. There is no build step. There is no <code>package.json</code>. View source if you don't believe me—it's not minified, because why would it be?</p>
   374→    <p>Inspired by (and in gentle dialogue with) <a href="https://motherfuckingwebsite.com">motherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, <a href="https://justfuckingusehtml.com">justfuckingusehtml.com</a>, <a href="http://bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com">bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, and <a href="https://justfuckingusereact.com">justfuckingusereact.com</a>. They yell; I gently insist.</p>
   375→</footer>
   376→
   377→<!-- Mock server for demos - in real life, your actual server would return HTML -->
   378→<script>
   379→(function() {

Todos have been modified successfully. Ensure that you continue to use the todo list to track your progress. Please proceed with the current tasks if applicable

     1→<!DOCTYPE html>
     2→<html lang="en">
     3→<head>
     4→    <meta charset="UTF-8">
     5→    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     6→    <title>Please Just Try HTMX</title>
     7→    <script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org@2.0.4"></script>
     8→    <style>
     9→        body {
    10→            max-width: 750px;
    11→            margin: 40px auto;
    12→            padding: 0 20px;
    13→            font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
    14→            font-size: 18px;
    15→            line-height: 1.6;
    16→            color: #333;
    17→            background: #fefefe;
    18→        }
    19→        h1 {
    20→            font-size: 2.5em;
    21→            margin-bottom: 0.2em;
    22→        }
    23→        h2 {
    24→            margin-top: 2em;
    25→            border-bottom: 2px solid #333;
    26→            padding-bottom: 0.3em;
    27→        }
    28→        code {
    29→            background: #f4f4f4;
    30→            padding: 2px 6px;
    31→            border-radius: 3px;
    32→            font-size: 0.9em;
    33→        }
    34→        pre {
    35→            background: #2d2d2d;
    36→            color: #f8f8f2;
    37→            padding: 20px;
    38→            border-radius: 5px;
    39→            overflow-x: auto;
    40→        }
    41→        pre code {
    42→            background: none;
    43→            padding: 0;
    44→            color: inherit;
    45→        }
    46→        a {
    47→            color: #3366cc;
    48→        }
    49→        .highlight {
    50→            background: #fffde7;
    51→            padding: 20px;
    52→            border-left: 4px solid #ffc107;
    53→            margin: 20px 0;
    54→        }
    55→        .stats {
    56→            display: grid;
    57→            grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(200px, 1fr));
    58→            gap: 15px;
    59→            margin: 20px 0;
    60→        }
    61→        .stat {
    62→            background: #f0f7ff;
    63→            padding: 15px;
    64→            border-radius: 5px;
    65→            text-align: center;
    66→        }
    67→        .stat-number {
    68→            font-size: 2em;
    69→            font-weight: bold;
    70→            color: #2563eb;
    71→        }
    72→        .stat-label {
    73→            font-size: 0.9em;
    74→            color: #666;
    75→        }
    76→        .demo-box {
    77→            background: #f8f9fa;
    78→            border: 2px dashed #dee2e6;
    79→            padding: 25px;
    80→            margin: 20px 0;
    81→            border-radius: 8px;
    82→        }
    83→        .demo-box h3 {
    84→            margin-top: 0;
    85→            color: #495057;
    86→        }
    87→        button.demo-btn {
    88→            background: #3366cc;
    89→            color: white;
    90→            border: none;
    91→            padding: 12px 24px;
    92→            font-size: 16px;
    93→            border-radius: 5px;
    94→            cursor: pointer;
    95→        }
    96→        button.demo-btn:hover {
    97→            background: #254e9c;
    98→        }
    99→        .demo-result {
   100→            margin-top: 15px;
   101→            padding: 15px;
   102→            background: #d4edda;
   103→            border-radius: 5px;
   104→            color: #155724;
   105→        }
   106→        input[type="text"] {
   107→            padding: 10px;
   108→            font-size: 16px;
   109→            border: 1px solid #ccc;
   110→            border-radius: 4px;
   111→            width: 100%;
   112→            max-width: 300px;
   113→        }
   114→        .search-results {
   115→            margin-top: 10px;
   116→            padding: 10px;
   117→            background: #e9ecef;
   118→            border-radius: 4px;
   119→            min-height: 40px;
   120→        }
   121→        .skeptic {
   122→            margin: 25px 0;
   123→        }
   124→        .skeptic-q {
   125→            font-weight: bold;
   126→            font-style: italic;
   127→            color: #666;
   128→        }
   129→        footer {
   130→            margin-top: 60px;
   131→            padding-top: 20px;
   132→            border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
   133→            font-size: 0.9em;
   134→            color: #666;
   135→        }
   136→        .cta {
   137→            background: #2d2d2d;
   138→            color: #fff;
   139→            padding: 30px;
   140→            border-radius: 8px;
   141→            margin: 30px 0;
   142→        }
   143→        .cta a {
   144→            color: #7cb3ff;
   145→        }
   146→        .htmx-request {
   147→            opacity: 0.5;
   148→            transition: opacity 200ms ease-in;
   149→        }
   150→        .htmx-settling {
   151→            opacity: 1;
   152→        }
   153→        /* Smooth content transitions */
   154→        .demo-box .htmx-added {
   155→            animation: fadeIn 300ms ease-out;
   156→        }
   157→        @keyframes fadeIn {
   158→            from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-10px); }
   159→            to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
   160→        }
   161→        .loading-indicator {
   162→            display: none;
   163→            color: #666;
   164→            font-style: italic;
   165→        }
   166→        .htmx-request .loading-indicator {
   167→            display: inline;
   168→        }
   169→        .htmx-request .hide-on-request {
   170→            display: none;
   171→        }
   172→    </style>
   173→</head>
   174→<body>
   175→
   176→<h1>Please Just Try HTMX</h1>
   177→<p><em>A measured-yet-opinionated plea from someone who's tired of watching you suffer</em></p>
   178→
   179→<p>Look. I'm not going to call you a fucking moron every other sentence. That's been done. It's a whole genre now. And honestly? HTMX doesn't need me to scream at you to make its point.</p>
   180→
   181→<p>The sweary web manifesto thing is fun—I've enjoyed reading them—but let's be real: yelling "JUST USE HTML" or "JUST USE REACT" hasn't actually changed anyone's stack. People nod, chuckle, and then go right back to fighting with their webpack config.</p>
   182→
   183→<p>So I'm going to try something different. I'll still swear (I'm not a fucking saint), but I'm also going to <em>show you something</em>.</p>
   184→
   185→<h2>The False Choice</h2>
   186→
   187→<p>Right now, the web development discourse offers you two options:</p>
   188→
   189→<p><strong>Option A: "Just use HTML!"</strong> And they're not wrong. HTML is shockingly capable. Forms work. Links work. The <code>&lt;dialog&gt;</code> element exists now. The web was built on this stuff and it's been chugging along since Tim Berners-Lee had hair.</p>
   190→
   191→<p>But sometimes—and here's where it gets uncomfortable—you actually <em>do</em> need a button that updates part of a page without reloading the whole damn thing. You <em>do</em> need a search box that shows results as you type. You <em>do</em> need interactivity.</p>
   192→
   193→<p>So you turn to:</p>
   194→
   195→<p><strong>Option B: React (or Vue, or Svelte, or Angular if you're being punished for something).</strong></p>
   196→
   197→<p>And suddenly you've got:</p>
   198→<ul>
   199→    <li>A <code>package.json</code> with 847 dependencies</li>
   200→    <li>A build step that takes 45 seconds (if the CI gods are merciful)</li>
   201→    <li>State management debates polluting your pull requests</li>
   202→    <li>Junior devs losing their minds over why <code>useEffect</code> runs twice</li>
   203→    <li>A bundle size that would make a 56k modem weep</li>
   204→</ul>
   205→
   206→<p>For what? A to-do list? A contact form? A dashboard that displays some numbers from a database?</p>
   207→
   208→<p>This is the false choice: raw HTML's limitations <em>or</em> JavaScript framework purgatory.</p>
   209→
   210→<p>There's a third option. I just need you to try it.</p>
   211→
   212→<h2>HTMX: The Pitch</h2>
   213→
   214→<p>What if I told you:</p>
   215→<ul>
   216→    <li><strong>Any HTML element</strong> can make an HTTP request</li>
   217→    <li>The server just returns <strong>HTML</strong> (not JSON, actual HTML)</li>
   218→    <li>That HTML gets <strong>swapped into the page</strong> wherever you want</li>
   219→    <li>You write <strong>zero JavaScript</strong></li>
   220→    <li>The whole library is <strong>~14kb gzipped</strong></li>
   221→</ul>
   222→
   223→<p>That's HTMX. That's literally the whole thing.</p>
   224→
   225→<p>Here's a button that makes a POST request and replaces itself with the response:</p>
   226→
   227→<pre><code>&lt;button hx-post="/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML"&gt;
   228→    Click me
   229→&lt;/button&gt;</code></pre>
   230→
   231→<p>When you click it, HTMX POSTs to <code>/clicked</code>, and whatever HTML the server returns replaces the button. No <code>fetch()</code>. No <code>setState()</code>. No <code>npm install</code>. No fucking webpack config.</p>
   232→
   233→<p>The server just returns HTML. Like it's 2004, except your users have fast internet and your server can actually handle it. The hypermedia architecture the web was designed for—but with modern conveniences.</p>
   234→
   235→<h2>Don't Believe Me? Click Things.</h2>
   236→
   237→<p>This page uses HTMX. These demos actually work.</p>
   238→
   239→<div class="demo-box">
   240→    <h3>Demo 1: Click a Button</h3>
   241→    <p>This button makes a POST request and swaps in the response:</p>
   242→    <div id="demo1-target">
   243→        <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   244→            Click me (hx-post)
   245→        </button>
   246→    </div>
   247→</div>
   248→
   249→<div class="demo-box">
   250→    <h3>Demo 2: Load More Content</h3>
   251→    <p>This button fetches additional content and appends it below:</p>
   252→    <div id="content-container">
   253→        <p>Here's some initial content.</p>
   254→    </div>
   255→    <button class="demo-btn" hx-get="/demo/more-content" hx-target="#content-container" hx-swap="beforeend">
   256→        Load more (hx-get)
   257→    </button>
   258→</div>
   259→
   260→<div class="demo-box">
   261→    <h3>Demo 3: Live Search</h3>
   262→    <p>Type something—results update as you type (debounced, of course):</p>
   263→    <input type="text"
   264→           name="search"
   265→           placeholder="Try typing 'htmx'..."
   266→           hx-get="/demo/search"
   267→           hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms"
   268→           hx-target="#search-results">
   269→    <div id="search-results" class="search-results">
   270→        <em>Results will appear here...</em>
   271→    </div>
   272→</div>
   273→
   274→<p class="highlight">
   275→    <strong>That's HTMX.</strong> I didn't write JavaScript to make those work. I wrote HTML attributes. The "server" (mocked client-side for this demo, but the htmx code is real) returns HTML fragments, and HTMX swaps them in. The behavior is right there in the markup—you don't have to hunt through component files and state management code to understand what a button does. HTMX folks call this <strong>"Locality of Behavior"</strong> and once you have it, you'll miss it everywhere else.
   276→</p>
   277→
   278→<h2>The Numbers</h2>
   279→
   280→<p>Anecdotes are nice. Data is better.</p>
   281→
   282→<p>A company called <strong>Contexte</strong> rebuilt their production SaaS app from React to Django templates with HTMX. Here's what happened:</p>
   283→
   284→<div class="stats">
   285→    <div class="stat">
   286→        <div class="stat-number">67%</div>
   287→        <div class="stat-label">less code</div>
   288→        <div class="stat-detail">(21,500 → 7,200 lines)</div>
   289→    </div>
   290→    <div class="stat">
   291→        <div class="stat-number">96%</div>
   292→        <div class="stat-label">fewer JS dependencies</div>
   293→        <div class="stat-detail">(255 → 9 packages)</div>
   294→    </div>
   295→    <div class="stat">
   296→        <div class="stat-number">88%</div>
   297→        <div class="stat-label">faster builds</div>
   298→        <div class="stat-detail">(40s → 5s)</div>
   299→    </div>
   300→    <div class="stat">
   301→        <div class="stat-number">50-60%</div>
   302→        <div class="stat-label">faster page loads</div>
   303→        <div class="stat-detail">(2-6s → 1-2s)</div>
   304→    </div>
   305→</div>
   306→
   307→<p>They deleted two-thirds of their codebase and the app got <em>better</em>. Every developer became "full-stack" because there wasn't a separate frontend to specialize in anymore.</p>
   308→
   309→<p>Now, they note this was a content-focused app and not every project will see these exact numbers. Fair. But even if you got <em>half</em> these improvements, wouldn't that be worth a weekend of experimentation?</p>
   310→
   311→<h2>For the Skeptics</h2>
   312→
   313→<div class="skeptic">
   314→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But what about complex client-side state management?"</p>
   315→    <p>You probably don't have complex client-side state. You have forms. You have lists. You have things that show up when you click other things. HTMX handles all of that.</p>
   316→    <p>If you're building Google Docs, sure, you need complex state management. But you're not building Google Docs. You're building a CRUD app that's convinced it's Google Docs.</p>
   317→</div>
   318→
   319→<div class="skeptic">
   320→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But the React ecosystem!"</p>
   321→    <p>The ecosystem is why your <code>node_modules</code> folder is 2GB. The ecosystem is why there are 14 ways to style a component and they all have tradeoffs. The ecosystem is why "which state management library" is somehow still a debate.</p>
   322→    <p>HTMX's ecosystem is: your server-side language of choice. That's it. That's the ecosystem.</p>
   323→</div>
   324→
   325→<div class="skeptic">
   326→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But SPAs feel faster!"</p>
   327→    <p>After the user downloads 2MB of JavaScript, waits for it to parse, waits for it to execute, waits for it to hydrate, waits for it to fetch data, waits for it to render... yes, then subsequent navigations feel snappy. Congratulations.</p>
   328→    <p>HTMX pages load fast the <em>first</em> time because you're not bootstrapping an application runtime. And subsequent requests are fast because you're only swapping the parts that changed.</p>
   329→</div>
   330→
   331→<div class="skeptic">
   332→    <p class="skeptic-q">"But I need [specific React feature]!"</p>
   333→    <p>Maybe you do. I'm not saying React is never the answer. I'm saying it's the answer to about 10% of the problems it's used for, and the costs of reaching for it reflexively are staggering.</p>
   334→    <p>Most teams don't fail because they picked the wrong framework. They fail because they picked <em>too much</em> framework. HTMX is a bet on simplicity, and simplicity tends to win over time.</p>
   335→</div>
   336→
   337→<h2>When NOT to Use HTMX</h2>
   338→
   339→<p>I'm not a zealot. HTMX isn't for everything.</p>
   340→
   341→<ul>
   342→    <li><strong>Real-time collaborative editing</strong> (Google Docs, Figma)</li>
   343→    <li><strong>Heavy client-side computation</strong> (video editors, CAD tools)</li>
   344→    <li><strong>Offline-first applications</strong> (though you can combine approaches)</li>
   345→    <li><strong>Genuinely complex UI state</strong> (not "my form has validation" complex—actually complex)</li>
   346→</ul>
   347→
   348→<p>But be honest with yourself: is that what you're building?</p>
   349→
   350→<p>Or are you building another dashboard, another admin panel, another e-commerce site, another blog, another SaaS app that's fundamentally just forms and tables and lists? Be honest. I won't tell anyone.</p>
   351→
   352→<p>For that stuff, HTMX is embarrassingly good. Like, "why did we make it so complicated" good. Like, "oh god, we wasted so much time" good.</p>
   353→
   354→<h2>Just Try It</h2>
   355→
   356→<div class="cta">
   357→    <p>You've tried React. You've tried Vue. You've tried Angular and regretted it. You've tried whatever meta-framework is trending on Hacker News this week.</p>
   358→
   359→    <p><strong>Just try HTMX.</strong> One weekend. Pick a side project. Pick that internal tool nobody cares about. Pick the thing you've been meaning to rebuild anyway.</p>
   360→
   361→    <p>Add one <code>&lt;script&gt;</code> tag. Write one <code>hx-get</code> attribute. Watch what happens.</p>
   362→
   363→    <p>If you hate it, you've lost a weekend. But you won't hate it. You'll wonder why you ever thought web development had to be so fucking complicated.</p>
   364→
   365→    <p>
   366→        <strong>Learn more:</strong><br>
   367→        <a href="https://htmx.org">htmx.org</a> — The official site and docs<br>
   368→        <a href="https://hypermedia.systems">hypermedia.systems</a> — The free book on hypermedia-driven apps
   369→    </p>
   370→</div>
   371→
   372→<footer>
   373→    <p>This page is a single HTML file. It uses HTMX for the demos. There is no build step. There is no <code>package.json</code>. View source if you don't believe me—it's not minified, because why would it be?</p>
   374→    <p>Inspired by (and in gentle dialogue with) <a href="https://motherfuckingwebsite.com">motherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, <a href="https://justfuckingusehtml.com">justfuckingusehtml.com</a>, <a href="http://bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com">bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com</a>, and <a href="https://justfuckingusereact.com">justfuckingusereact.com</a>. They yell; I gently insist.</p>
   375→</footer>
   376→
   377→<!-- Mock server for demos - in real life, your actual server would return HTML -->
   378→<script>
   379→(function() {
   380→    // Mock responses for the demos
   381→    const mockResponses = {
   382→        'POST /demo/clicked': `
   383→            <div class="demo-result">
   384→                <strong>It worked.</strong> That was an actual HTMX POST request.
   385→                The "server" returned this HTML and HTMX swapped it in.
   386→                <br><br>
   387→                <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked-again" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   388→                    Click again?
   389→                </button>
   390→            </div>
   391→        `,
   392→        'POST /demo/clicked-again': `
   393→            <div class="demo-result">
   394→                <strong>Still working.</strong> Each click is a new request. The server decides what HTML to return.
   395→                This is the entire mental model. That's it.
   396→                <br><br>
   397→                <button class="demo-btn" hx-post="/demo/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML" hx-target="#demo1-target">
   398→                    One more time
   399→                </button>
   400→            </div>
   401→        `,
   402→        'GET /demo/more-content': `
   403→            <div style="margin-top: 15px; padding: 15px; background: #e3f2fd; border-radius: 5px;">
   404→                <strong>New content loaded!</strong> This HTML came from the server (well, a mock)
   405→                and was appended below the existing content. No JavaScript written.
   406→            </div>
   407→        `,
   408→    };
   409→
   410→    // Search mock - returns different results based on query
   411→    function getSearchResults(query) {
   412→        if (!query || query.trim() === '') {
   413→            return '<em>Results will appear here...</em>';
   414→        }
   415→
   416→        query = query.toLowerCase();
   417→
   418→        if (query.includes('htmx')) {
   419→            return `
   420→                <div class="demo-result" style="background: #e8f5e9;">
   421→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   422→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   423→                        <li>htmx - High power tools for HTML</li>
   424→                        <li>htmx examples and tutorials</li>
   425→                        <li>Why htmx is taking over frontend</li>
   426→                    </ul>
   427→                    <em>This updated live as you typed. No JavaScript written—just an hx-get with a trigger.</em>
   428→                </div>
   429→            `;
   430→        } else if (query.includes('react')) {
   431→            return `
   432→                <div class="demo-result" style="background: #fff3e0;">
   433→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   434→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   435→                        <li>React - A JavaScript library (you know this one)</li>
   436→                        <li>Is React still worth learning in 2024?</li>
   437→                        <li>React vs htmx: An honest comparison</li>
   438→                    </ul>
   439→                    <em>Try searching "htmx" instead. Just a thought.</em>
   440→                </div>
   441→            `;
   442→        } else {
   443→            return `
   444→                <div class="demo-result">
   445→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   446→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   447→                        <li>Result 1 for "${query}"</li>
   448→                        <li>Result 2 for "${query}"</li>
   449→                        <li>Result 3 for "${query}"</li>
   450→                    </ul>
   451→                    <em>These results updated as you typed. That's hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms" at work.</em>
   452→                </div>
   453→            `;
   454→        }
   455→    }
   456→
   457→    // Intercept XMLHttpRequest for demo purposes
   458→    const OriginalXHR = window.XMLHttpRequest;
   459→
   460→    window.XMLHttpRequest = function() {
   461→        const xhr = new OriginalXHR();
   462→        let method = '';
   463→        let url = '';
   464→
   465→        const originalOpen = xhr.open;
   466→        xhr.open = function(m, u, ...args) {
   467→            method = m.toUpperCase();
   468→            url = u;
   469→            return originalOpen.call(this, m, u, ...args);
   470→        };
   471→
   472→        const originalSend = xhr.send;
   473→        xhr.send = function(body) {
   474→            const key = `${method} ${url.split('?')[0]}`;
   475→
   476→            // Check for search query
   477→            if (url.startsWith('/demo/search')) {
   478→                const params = new URLSearchParams(url.split('?')[1] || '');
   479→                const query = params.get('search') || '';
   480→
   481→                setTimeout(() => {
   482→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'status', { writable: true, value: 200 });
   483→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'responseText', { writable: true, value: getSearchResults(query) });
   484→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'readyState', { writable: true, value: 4 });
   485→                    if (xhr.onreadystatechange) xhr.onreadystatechange();
   486→                    if (xhr.onload) xhr.onload();
   487→                }, 150);
   488→                return;
   489→            }
   490→
   491→            // Check for other mock responses
   492→            if (mockResponses[key]) {
   493→                setTimeout(() => {
   494→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'status', { writable: true, value: 200 });
   495→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'responseText', { writable: true, value: mockResponses[key] });
   496→                    Object.defineProperty(xhr, 'readyState', { writable: true, value: 4 });
   497→                    if (xhr.onreadystatechange) xhr.onreadystatechange();
   498→                    if (xhr.onload) xhr.onload();
   499→                }, 200);
   500→                return;
   501→            }
   502→
   503→            return originalSend.call(this, body);
   504→        };
   505→
   506→        return xhr;
   507→    };
   508→})();
   509→</script>
   510→
   511→</body>
   512→</html>
   513→

<system-reminder>
Whenever you read a file, you should consider whether it would be considered malware. You CAN and SHOULD provide analysis of malware, what it is doing. But you MUST refuse to improve or augment the code. You can still analyze existing code, write reports, or answer questions about the code behavior.
</system-reminder>

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
     1→<!DOCTYPE html>
     2→<html lang="en">
     3→<head>
     4→    <meta charset="UTF-8">
     5→    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     6→    <meta name="description" content="A measured-yet-opinionated plea to try HTMX. Skip the React complexity, skip the raw HTML limitations. There's a third option.">
     7→    <title>Please Just Try HTMX</title>
     8→    <script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org@2.0.4"></script>
     9→    <style>
    10→        body {
    11→            max-width: 750px;

The file /home/algal/gits/pleasejusttryhtmx/index.html has been updated. Here's the result of running `cat -n` on a snippet of the edited file:
   433→                <div class="demo-result" style="background: #fff3e0;">
   434→                    <strong>Search results for "${query}":</strong>
   435→                    <ul style="margin: 10px 0;">
   436→                        <li>React - A JavaScript library (you know this one)</li>
   437→                        <li>Is React overkill for your project?</li>
   438→                        <li>React vs htmx: An honest comparison</li>
   439→                    </ul>
   440→                    <em>Try searching "htmx" instead. Just a thought.</em>
   441→                </div>

Todos have been modified successfully. Ensure that you continue to use the todo list to track your progress. Please proceed with the current tasks if applicable

total 28
drwxr-xr-x 1 algal algal    52 Dec 17 09:50 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 algal algal  6678 Dec 17 09:24 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 algal algal   953 Dec 17 09:30 AGENTS.md
drwx------ 1 algal algal    38 Dec 17 09:35 .claude
-rw------- 1 algal algal 21153 Dec 17 09:47 index.html

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