Skip to content

Shadow DOM: Contentious Bits

Travis Leithead edited this page Apr 24, 2015 · 26 revisions

A. Multiple Shadow Roots per Element

Current state: removal being discussed

Spec Bug: Consider removal of multiple shadow roots

Discussion: Aug 2011, Feb 2015

Pros:

  • enables consistent story for adding shadow trees to builtins
  • provides reasoning about subclassing DOM trees

Cons:

  • complexity: (link to trac.webkit.org patch removing the code?)
  • performance: may result in "submerged" trees that aren't rendered but still participate in style/layout

Cost/benefit of change:

Alternative ideas:

B. The default value of "closed shadow tree" flag

Current state: in need of consensus, currently spec'd as open-by-default, with strong opposition to flip to closed-by-default.

Spec bug: The default value of open/closed flag

Discussion: June 2011, Feb 2012, Oct 2012, Mar 2013, Feb 2014, Feb 2014, Feb 2015

Open-by-default Pros:

  • offers enough of a doorstep to avoid unintentional wandering across composition boundaries.
  • compatible with most of today's tooling/testing/introspection techniques in the wild

Open-by-default Cons:

  • developers are likely to ignore the doorstep in cases where they "just need stuff done", and thus negatively affect component's composition qualities (robustness, maintainability, reuse).

Closed-by-default Pros:

  • provides a more explicit barrier to prevent deliberate access (though not actively hostile attempts at gaining entry)
  • ensures that the internal structure of the component is never part of the contract between component user and component developer

Closed-by-default Cons:

Alternative Ideas:

  • Don't have the default value. Make developer choose their mode when creating a shadow root.

Feedback from Web Developers:

C. The imperative distribution API

Current state: needs working proposal

Spec bug: Specify imperative API for node distribution

Discussion: Spec bug, Feb 2014, Apr 2014

Pros:

  • Enables more flexible ways to select content into insertion points.
  • Imperative API that explains the declarative <content> element's magic is good for the platform.

Cons:

  • There are several proposals, each with its own weaknesses, with no clear winner.

Alternative Ideas:

D. Separate Event Retargeting from Style Composition

Current state: being considered

Spec bug: Make event retargeting optional

Discussion:

Pros:

  • Smaller primitives make implementation easier

Cons:

  • Event retargeting is still necessary for closed shadow trees.

E. Shadow boundary-piercing combinators

Current state: being considered for removal

Discussion: Sep 2013, Feb 2014, Jan 2015

Pros:

  • Provides somewhat mechanical workaround for existing CSS theming frameworks
  • Empowers widget consumers to tweak pre-developed widgets
  • Provides UA stylesheet equivalent.

Cons:

  • Third-party theming anti-pattern
  • Developers are tempted to put everything into their "UA stylesheet equivalent"
  • Contributes negatively to potential performance opportunities.

Research: