ShopTalk 668: Jake Archibald on Native HTML Includes
Jun 9, 2025
Jake Archibald, an engineer at Shopify with a background in web performance and standards advocacy at Google, dives into the world of HTML includes. He discusses the limitations of current HTML in importing content and the complexities of using iframes. The conversation explores potential security concerns, performance implications, and community feedback. Archibald also sheds light on the evolution of web standards, backward compatibility, and the future of HTML enhancements, making it a fascinating listen for web developers.
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HTML Can't Import Itself
- HTML cannot import itself like CSS and JavaScript can. - Iframes and object tags can embed content but don't behave as inclusive HTML imports.
Limits of Responsive Iframes Proposal
- Responsive iframes proposal allows height adjustment only once at load event. - It does not solve dynamic content resizing like form validation layout changes.
Demand for Native HTML Includes
- Developers want HTML includes to avoid repetition of common elements. - Current solutions use tooling or repeats, but a native approach could improve developer experience.