Proposal: JSON + Markdown as a Viability Study for Sustainable Web Development

*Proposal: JSON + Markdown as a Viability Study for Sustainable Web
Development**To the W3C Sustainable Web Interest Group,*

I am reaching out to propose a forward-thinking study on the
feasibility of *JSON
+ Markdown* as a lightweight and efficient alternative to traditional HTML
for web page structuring. As web applications grow increasingly complex,
optimizing rendering speed and reducing resource consumption have become
critical objectives for sustainable web development.
*Key Benefits of JSON + Markdown*

Adopting JSON for web structure while utilizing Markdown for content
formatting could provide several advantages:

   -

   *Improved Performance*: JSON parsing is significantly faster and more
   structured than traditional HTML document processing.
   -

   *Reduced Resource Consumption*: Rendering a JSON-based structure
   requires fewer computations compared to handling large DOM trees, resulting
   in lower CPU and memory usage.
   -

   *Enhanced Readability & Maintainability*: JSON's hierarchical structure
   simplifies data representation, while Markdown streamlines content
   formatting, making code more accessible for developers.
   -

   *Modern API Integration*: JSON is natively supported by most web
   frameworks and APIs, enabling seamless integration with backend services.

*Comparison Example: HTML vs. JSON + Markdown*

A simple HTML structure:
html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Sample Page</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome</h1>
    <p>This is a sample paragraph.</p>
  </body>
</html>

Equivalent JSON + Markdown representation:
json

{
  "_hjmdl_spec": { "version": "1.0", "content_type": "application/hjmdl+json" },
  "document": {
    "doctype": "HJMDL/1.0",
    "html": {
      "head": { "title": "Sample Page" },
      "body": { "content": "# Welcome\n\nThis is a sample paragraph." }
    }
  }
}

*Potential for Standardization*

Given its efficiency, this concept could be explored as a *new web standard*
under organizations such as:

   -

   *W3C* (World Wide Web Consortium)
   -

   *WHATWG* (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group)
   -

   *ECMA International*

A structured feasibility study could analyze compatibility with existing
browsers, security implications, and adaptation methods for modern web
ecosystems.
*Call to Action*

I invite the W3C Sustainable Web Interest Group to *evaluate JSON +
Markdown as a potential direction for sustainable web development*. If this
approach proves viable, it could provide a foundational shift toward *faster,
leaner, and more resource-efficient* web technologies.

Looking forward to your thoughts and insights on this matter.

*Best regards,* Marlon L de Albuquerque

Received on Monday, 5 May 2025 03:24:08 UTC