i absolutely hate how the modern web just fails to load if one has javascript turned off. i, as a user, should be able to switch off javascript and have the site work exactly as it does with javascript turned on. it’s not a hard concept, people.
but you ask candidates to explain “graceful degradation” and they’ll sit and look at you with a blank stare.
There’s a difference between “wouldn’t work” and “wouldn’t work as nicely”. That’s what this post is about :D Most websites would still work in the same basic way without js.
OP really muddled the waters by writing:
That’s obviously impossible and wouldn’t be degraded.
exactly as it does aka forms submit, logging on works, you can achieve the same thing
It’s either exactly the same, or it’s gracefully degraded. You’re asking for two opposite things at once.
For what it’s worth I support the notion that fundamental functionality should be supported without Javascript, with good old form submissions.
But I also recognise that you can’t get the exact same behaviour without javascript initiated background GETs and POSTs. Easy example: A scrollable map that streams in chunks as you move it.
form validation is dogshit without js
Why would someone spend tons of time on something that isn’t needed? Only a few people even know how to turn off JavaScript and chances are they will just turn it back on since nothing works.