3.14 Use Standards-based JavaScript and APIs

Web Development

Use JavaScript in an energy-efficient and accessible way, only using APIs and making external calls when this enhances a project’s sustainability.

Criteria

• Sustainable JavaScript: Machine-testable
  Improve sustainability through accessible and performant code.Related Resources
  • A handful of reasons JavaScript won’t be available
  • Accessible JavaScript
  • CanIUse
  • Common Causes of Memory Leaks in JavaScript
  • Comparing the Energy Efficiency of WebAssembly and JavaScript in Web Applications on Android Mobile Devices (PDF)
  • Degree of internet freedom in selected countries according to the Freedom House Index in 2022
  • Everyone has JavaScript, right?
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 1.9 – Strategy (Interoperable Technologies)
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 6.6 – Front-End (Sensor Requests)
  • Hidden cost of frontend frameworks
  • How To Test Your Website With JavaScript Disabled
  • How Web Content Can Affect Power Usage
  • Internet censorship and surveillance by country
  • JavaScript dos and donts
  • JavaScript isn’t always available and it’s not the user’s fault
  • JavaScript for Web Designers
  • JS Free
  • Memory leaks: the forgotten side of web performance
  • Optimizing Javascript for fun and for profit
  • The Performance Inequality Gap
  • W3C Web Performance Working Group
  • WebAssembly versus JavaScript: Energy and Runtime Performance
  • Why care about the no-JS experience?
• Sustainable APIs: Machine-testable
  Integrate energy-relevant APIs – such as Battery Status, Compression Streams, Page Visibility, or Vibration – where these can reduce energy consumption.Related Resources
  • API Green Score
  • Battery Status API
  • CanIUse
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 1.10 – Strategy (Documented APIs)
  • Page Visibility API
  • Vibration API
  • Web APIs
  • What Web Can Do Today?
• API requests: Human-testable
  Call client- or server-side APIs only when necessary. Equally, ensure an API is optimized to only send data that is actually required.Related Resources
  • 9 Proven Strategies to Improve API Performance
  • API Security Best Practices
  • Common API mistakes and how to avoid them
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 1.10 – Strategy (Documented APIs)
  • Green API Design 1/5: Rates limiting for Sustainable APIs
  • Green APIs: Developing Sustainable API’s with a Low Carbon Footprint

Benefits

• Conversion
  Creating fallbacks for technology that might fail can ‘enable sales you would otherwise miss out on.
• Economic
  Providing easier, reliable access in more situations allows you to sell to more people.
• Environment
  Reducing unnecessary visual effects – such as animations – when a page is not visible, helps to prevent wasted processing in background tabs. This can potentially help users who leave multiple tabs open conserve battery.
• Performance
  Using low-impact scripting can reduce heavy codebase sizes. Providing fallbacks for unavailable JavaScript ensures older or less capable devices can still access your content.
• Privacy
  Allowing script-free users to easily access your content can protect the privacy of users with increased privacy needs.

GRI

• Materials: High
• Energy: High
• Water: High
• Emissions: High

View the Guideline

Tags

AccessibilityJavaScriptSecurity