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Show HN: Vaev – A browser engine built from scratch (It renders google.com)

(github.com)
233 points monax | 1 comments | 18 May 25 17:54 UTC | HN request time: 0.2s | source

We’ve been working on Vaev, a minimal web browser engine built from scratch. It supports HTML/XHTML, the CSS cascade, @page rules for pagination, and print-to-PDF rendering. It even handles calc(), var(), and percentage units—and yes, it renders Google.com (mostly).

This is an experimental project focused on learning and exploration. Networking is basic (http:// and file:// only), and grid layouts aren’t supported yet, but we’re making progress fast.

We’d love your thoughts and feedback.

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mherrmann ◴[19 May 25 06:50 UTC] No.44027081[source]▶
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1. aguacaterojo ◴[19 May 25 09:28 UTC] No.44027932[source]▶
I understand what you are saying and don't fully disagree. You can allocate time & energy into immediate real world solutions while reaping the personal growth. There is certainly a balance.

The counter-point is that in the case of a web browser you are studying deeply one of the most impactful technologies to exist, and you will learn 80% of the most important lessons with a minimal working build, maybe 0.1% of the real thing. You may learn and execute much faster too because there is a clear blueprint, and you are likely riding a wave of passion that will carry your mind to places you won't have expected.

The perspective gained puts you in a much better place to identify & execute successfully more impactful work. The work may be the seed of something more important, but unseen or unknown yet.