HN
Today

A tiny, decentralised tool to explore the small web

Wander is a clever, client-side web console designed to help users explore the 'small web' of personal sites by creating a decentralized network. It allows individual sites to recommend pages and link to other consoles, letting visitors 'wander' through interconnected personal content. This project appeals to the Hacker News crowd with its emphasis on decentralization, minimal setup, and a nostalgic approach to web discovery.

16
Score
0
Comments
#3
Highest Rank
3h
on Front Page
First Seen
Mar 18, 4:00 PM
Last Seen
Mar 18, 6:00 PM
Rank Over Time
335

The Lowdown

Wander offers a minimalist, decentralized solution for navigating the vast and often-overlooked 'small web' of personal websites. It functions as a self-hosted web console that connects individual sites into a user-driven discovery network, all while operating entirely on the client-side.

  • Concept: A small, client-side web console enabling visitors to discover random pages from a curated community of personal websites.
  • Decentralized Network: Each Wander console can link to others, forming a lightweight, interconnected network for browsing.
  • Client-Side Operation: Requires no server-side components; users simply host index.html and wander.js files on their webserver.
  • Two-Fold Functionality: It either loads a random page from the current console's recommendations or directs the visitor to another linked Wander console.
  • User Experience: Visitors click a 'Wander' button to navigate. Each click can lead deeper into the network, jumping between consoles and their recommended pages.
  • Setup: Involves configuring wander.js to specify recommended pages and consoles to link to, fostering community integration.

By providing a simple, open-source mechanism for discovery, Wander aims to rekindle the spirit of a more connected, personal, and less centralized web browsing experience.