![Cover image for 😲 ZERO CSS and just a single image to build a fully interactive SPA???!!?? 😱 Abusing the internet once more! [Extreme SSR!]](https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=1000,height=420,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fdub7efz0g9kza89bao0w.gif)
I am back at it again, abusing the internet and this one should really blow you away.
This time I really do think I have outdone myself.
I present to you:
A 3 page SPA with an interactive poll and a contact form, with no CSS and one DOM element - just a single image! (go on, inspect the page!)
I call it "Extreme Server Side Rendering (SSR)" 🤣
PLEASE NOTE: - if using a mobile you cannot use the contact form, I couldn't find a way of opening the keyboard without an <input> I am afraid! Try it on PC instead!
FINAL THING: Due to the round-trip time to the server the page feels "laggy", if you are on a 3G connection it might be unusable so wait until you are on a better connection before trying it!
> > > > Try the single image SPA here! (best viewed on PC) < < < <
What can I do in the SPA?
There are some fun bits for you to try:
It kind of works with a keyboard
Well, you can Tab to elements to highlight them. You can even activate them with "Enter".
Just don't expect a smooth experience (and I have only tested it in Chrome so it may not work in other browsers!)
The home page is responsive
Yup, if you try it on your mobile the home page actually has two different versions, a mobile one and a desktop one.
On mobile you can even open and close the menu!
I sadly didn't have time to make the other two pages responsive (this silly project took ages already!).
The poll actually works!
Cast your vote on the SPA as to what you think of my silly experiments!
The current results are as follows:
This has to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen - I love it!
62%
Quite silly, being rick rolled by ASCII text was sillier though!
20%
This is silly? I thought this was what server side rendering was!
18%
The contact form "works"
It is one of if not the worst experiences you will ever have on the web, but it works!
In fact you can see the messages people have posted via the SPA in the final section!
What is actually going on here?
Oh loads!
Essentially every interaction with the page is being tracked with JavaScript and cookies.
I am then sending that to a script on my server that renders an image based on mouse position, current focused item, keys pressed and more. I then send the constructed image back so you can view it!
Needless to say I now have a much greater appreciation for browser developers as there are so many little things that I just take for granted!
To give you an idea of how difficult this is, from the X and Y coordinates of the mouse I calculate if an item is hovered. To do that I need the X, Y, width and Height of each item on the page. I also need to know what state to turn that button to.
Now if you click, I have to check if the click is within the bounds of a button and what action should be performed!
Multiply that by 3 pages worth of buttons and inputs and a few other features and there is an awful lot I had to plumb together!
Final words before the comments
As with all of my silly experiments, there is no real point to this, just a bit of fun for you on a Friday!
Have a fantastic weekend!
User comments submitted via the contact page (may be disabled if people cannot behave 😋)
Here are a few comments that people have added via the single image SPA!
InHuOfficial - 17:11 21/05/2021
I look forward to seeing the messages you all post! Don't forget that you have to wait one minute before refreshing this page to see your comment!
asdfsadf - 17:40 21/05/2021
asdfasdfasdfasdfsaf
testt - 17:41 21/05/2021
est
55 - 18:30 21/05/2021
55
dakujem - 18:38 21/05/2021
serus
gghh - 19:08 21/05/2021
yyyyyyyy - 19:37 21/05/2021
yyyyyyyy
this is a test - 20:19 21/05/2021
wow wtf
gwdsdg - 20:25 21/05/2021
gggewgg sd mdgkgj sdkjgsodj g12 jr128 jdg sdg sdg jo sdjgojidsgdsg sodj g
gwdsdg - 20:25 21/05/2021
gggewgg sd mdgkgj sdkjgsodj g12 jr128 jdg sdg sdg jo sdjgojidsgdsg sodj g
sdg - 20:25 21/05/2021
dsgsdgsdgdgsdg
fhfjfjgjj - 21:28 21/05/2021
fgjfgjfgjfgjgj
DEVusedToBeGoodNowItSucks - 21:45 21/05/2021
This sucks What a waste of time DEV to has gone to shit in the last year
hi there - 22:46 21/05/2021
this is some text
fds - 00:56 22/05/2021
sdfhg dgdrfg dfg
Losh531 - 03:23 22/05/2021
um hello
hehe - 03:25 22/05/2021
g
kkklmmm - 04:07 22/05/2021
nnnnnn
F5 - 09:55 22/05/2021
lol this is wired as fukc but idea is fkced as well its not even fast s and no accesabiltity
Arkentias - 14:47 22/05/2021
Good job !
bingus - 16:43 22/05/2021
haha yes
dqsqsqds - 17:05 22/05/2021
qsd
dillir07 - 17:25 22/05/2021
Wow!!!
JulCzar - 18:35 22/05/2021
let tringSomthingNew eq true semicolumn while (tryingSomthingNew) learn() semicolumn
JulCzar - 18:35 22/05/2021
let tringSomthingNew eq true semicolumn while (tryingSomthingNew) learn() semicolumn
Nicolas - 21:22 22/05/2021
Test
3321321321 - 06:54 23/05/2021
321321321321321
xczxcxcvxvxvxvxcv - 07:34 23/05/2021
xcvxcvxcvxcvxcv
bcrypt - 01:51 24/05/2021
This is a work of art
**** - 04:09 24/05/2021
s
test - 10:51 24/05/2021
lolw
ffghfghfghfg - 11:13 24/05/2021
hfgh
gggggggggggggggggg - 11:48 24/05/2021
gggggggggggggggggggggggg
daadadad - 13:59 25/05/2021
asdasdasdasdasd
# Foobar - 14:38 25/05/2021
This is pretty nifty I know it says letters numbers and spacesbut what about emojis although I guess those wont work if you cant use a keyboard here
jumanji - 18:32 25/05/2021
Boop Bap!
sidchaudhary04 - 21:04 25/05/2021
Hi This is witchcraft wow
sidchaudhary04 - 21:04 25/05/2021
Hi This is witchcraft wow
sidchaudhary04 - 21:04 25/05/2021
Hi This is witchcraft wow
crycx - 07:24 26/05/2021
Love it!
piyush - 17:03 26/05/2021
Hello World
piyush - 17:03 26/05/2021
Hello World
**** - 08:09 27/05/2021
hfhfghgf
**** - 15:46 27/05/2021
**** - 16:31 27/05/2021
This works maybe
test one two three - 01:28 28/05/2021
i like chicken i like liver meow mix meow mix plz deliver
sdsdsdd232322 - 13:53 28/05/2021
ddddddd
collegewap - 15:15 28/05/2021
Hello
pelayo - 20:20 01/06/2021
That was awesome
fsdkfdskjfksdjfaksda - 10:28 11/06/2021
burger and fries!!!! - 19:23 17/09/2021
trololololo hehheheheHOhohoho i am the silly man!!!!
Ahmed Magdy - 14:35 31/12/2021
Hey bud how is it
This is a test - 11:52 14/01/2022
This website is too damn slow
**** - 08:57 22/02/2022
**** - 12:37 22/02/2022
**** - 17:49 22/02/2022
**** - 17:49 22/02/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 17:49 22/02/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
125 - 19:45 22/02/2022
22515
hmmm - 03:25 23/02/2022
oh my god you implemented navigating the inputs with tab thats ridiculous I love it
**** - 03:35 23/02/2022
**** - 03:35 23/02/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 07:24 23/02/2022
inhu - 08:13 23/02/2022
Hey testing
qwe - 13:01 23/02/2022
qweqweqw
u - 13:21 23/02/2022
u
**** - 16:27 23/02/2022
!!!!@@S - 17:16 23/02/2022
!!!!SQ@S@SW@@S@W@ @
**** - 20:23 23/02/2022
**** - 05:48 24/02/2022
**** - 08:31 25/02/2022
**** - 08:31 25/02/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 11:30 25/02/2022
**** - 23:24 25/02/2022
nmfdhdfgh - 14:20 28/02/2022
dgfddfff
**** - 22:06 28/02/2022
**** - 13:27 01/03/2022
sex - 12:29 02/03/2022
sex sex sex sex sex sxe
sex - 12:29 02/03/2022
sex sex sex sex sex sxe
lkjll - 12:48 03/03/2022
kjljljlmkjmlj
**** - 12:48 03/03/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 21:30 03/03/2022
wow - 03:43 04/03/2022
This is incredible
kijiihu - 10:12 04/03/2022
uyigyg
CapitaineToinon - 14:11 17/03/2022
Anime is trash and so am I
the picific ocean - 23:21 04/06/2022
locean picifique
**** - 23:22 04/06/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 23:22 04/06/2022
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
gdxg - 11:09 27/06/2022
fff
Vercte - 00:50 05/10/2022
hi i found this after a while it is neat and very not laggy
**** - 21:47 14/03/2023
**** - 21:47 14/03/2023
Your Message Has Been Sent! Go back to the article after 1 minute and refresh the page to see your comment within the article!
**** - 04:01 17/03/2023
GrahamTheDev - 22:26 26/04/2023
Still works
Hello - 22:34 26/04/2023
World!
For the Algo!
If you enjoyed this article, give it a ❤🦄 and don't forget:
Leave a comment for the algorithm! (even if it is just to say how silly I am 😋!)
Top comments (29)
Yeah but if you inspect your page there are hundreds of html elements inserted via JS, inspect this page there is still only one element! 😋
Don't get my wrong, Gooie is cool but you did things properly and that is just cheating! 🤣
haha! I know, just for fun. I think you learn alot by experimenting with unconventional (incorrect) ways to code. Great read!
I am having fun exploring gooie! Fun project!
@cklek Did you delete your original comment?
Whoops I hoped it would delete the whole thread. I didn't want to divert attention from your cool project by plugging my own! You can keep exploring gooie via the link in my bio ☺️
It was fine, thanks for the consideration but I had no issue with it! ❤️
OMG!!.... I was laughing so hard...this is so awesome.
Instead of reading the whole thread I directly jumped to the demo. The first thing I did was inspect the element and then I was like okay...image... That means you must have used the clipping property (or slicing) well when I saw the whole JS I was like omg...this is mind-blowing.
RIP accessibility. Please do not give such ideas to developers :p
Accessa-what-now? It is the down side of all these silly experiments, there is no way to make them enjoyable for everyone.
I have bookmarked your accessibility interview questions for when I have chance to have a look at them and do my normal long comment 😁
haha...indeed...fun-friday-project.
Yeah, I am waiting for your comment and then I will share it in my network.
It might be tomorrow just so you know, don't hang on for me got a busy evening on!
Such a dangerous develpoer idea, 🔥burn it with fire 😂
You don’t think fire is a little bit weak against such a threat? We have nukes, if they aren’t for this what are they for? 😄
I know I should stop - but breaking the internet is just too much fun! 🤣🤣
Let me know if you are enjoying the series (or if this is the first time you have seen an article in this series go check out the others!)!
Oh and if anyone knows a way I can make the keyboard pop up on a mobile without focusing an input (as that would then be two DOM elements 😋) I would love to hear it so I can make it work on a mobile too!
So I can simply DDOS you by moving my mouse cursor 😜
Haha, No that’s why it’s laggy it only requests an image every 250ms.
You could probably trigger DDOS protection by hitting that end point hard with a custom script but you would probably need several computers at once as the server is pretty monstrous and the DDOS settings are quite forgiving (I turned them right down when I did that rick roll video with ASCII text as I locked myself out when I was testing that 🤣🤣)
Oh and I just realised I didn’t put a warning on the article that there was no CSS again, are you OK? 😜
I got used now, I take a deep breath of my CSS work before entering. 😝
🤣🤣 I do the same with your articles, I always have to remind myself that using two
<div>s is sometimes OK! 😋DEVusedToBeGoodNowItSucks - 21:45 21/05/2021
Uses DEV
I missed that comment, it is so eloquently written it is obvious that they are functioning at a higher state than us mere mortals 😜🤣🤣
The fact they had to comment that this article, part of a series on stupid experiments on the web, was a waste of time just says it all 🤣
I see we have found the only person who follows instructions 😜😂.
I hope you enjoyed the silliness!
Sweet! I actually thought about this once as well, as a way for supporting really old browsers 😄 It’s not more than fair that you get a slow experience when using an old browser like IE
You see you hit a nerve there as I advocate for supporting IE due to the number of people who use a screen reader who still rely on it. But at the same time I wish I could kill IE with 🔥! 😜🤣
This is illegal
Technically you are correct as it doesn’t pass WCAG 😜 I know that wasn’t what you meant but I thought it was funny!
Whaha you always came up with crazy idea 🤣
Well that is what Fridays are for 😜