readability

Introduction to Readability.js

Readability.js is a comprehensive tool designed to enhance the reading experience by simplifying web content. It is a standalone version of the readability library employed in Firefox's Reader View. This project is particularly aimed at developers who want to integrate readability improvements into their applications or websites.

Installation

Readability.js is available as a package on npm, making it easy for developers to include it in their projects. It can be installed using a simple command:

npm install @mozilla/readability

Developers can then require it in their Node.js projects or load the Readability.js script directly in a web-based project.

Basic Usage

To make use of Readability.js, a developer must create a new Readability object from a DOM document object and then call its parse() method. This process extracts and organizes content into a clean, readable format. Here's a basic example:

var article = new Readability(document).parse();

This approach is beneficial when using the library in a web browser, where a document reference is typically accessible through various methods. For Node.js applications, an external DOM library is required to use this functionality.

API Reference

The Readability API offers several options and methods:

• Instantiation: new Readability(document, options) allows for customization through various optional properties such as debug, maxElemsToParse, charThreshold, among others. These options allow developers to fine-tune how the library handles and processes web content.

• Parsing: By calling parse(), the library returns an object with properties like title, content, textContent, and more. These properties provide a structured format of the article's details, making it easier to access and manipulate.

• Reader Suitability Check: The isProbablyReaderable(document, options) method offers a quick way to determine whether the content is likely to be successfully parsed, helping avoid unnecessary processing.

Node.js Usage

In a Node.js environment, since it lacks a built-in DOM, the library relies on tools like jsdom to simulate a DOM. This setup allows developers to parse content just as they would in a browser, with the added benefit of being able to manipulate web content from server-side code.

Security Considerations

It is crucial to handle Readability.js with care when dealing with untrusted content. The library recommends using a sanitizer like DOMPurify to prevent script injection attacks. The use of Content Security Policy (CSP) further protects the processed content by setting restrictions on what the content is allowed to do once it's rendered.

Contribution and Licensing

The project welcomes contributions from developers. It is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, which ensures that the library can be freely used and integrated into applications while maintaining open-source standards.

Readability.js is a robust and versatile library that simplifies the web reading experience, offering developers a powerful tool to improve content accessibility and presentation for users.