history.js

history.js provides an implementation of the HTML5 history API: history.pushState and history.replaceState functions, as well as the window.onpopstate event.

Browsers that already support his event (Chrome & Safari, Firefox 4+) use native implementations, which are able to change the page URL without refreshing the page. Older browsers use location.hash in order to mimic the official behavior.

1214 bytes minified / 588 bytes gzipped

Limitations

• Does not support multiple handlers for the onpopstate event

Installation

Include the script file in your HTML file:

<!-- Include JSON if you want to support older browsers -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="json2.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="history-min.js"></script>

Usage

Same as the official HTML5 API:

// Switch to the item
window.history.pushState({ id: 35 }, 'Viewing item #35', '/item/35'});

window.onpopstate = function (e) {
  var id = e.state.id;
  load_item(id);
};

Any use allowed in the standard but not supported by this API is considered a bug.

Supported & Tested Browsers

• Chrome 5+ & Safari 5+ (Native)
• Firefox 4+ (Native)
• Firefox 3.5+
• Chrome 4+
• Safari 4+
• IE8+

Unsupported / Need to test

• Opera ?
• IE6-7
• Safari 3+ (No persitence)
• Chrome 3+ (No persitence)
• Firefox 2+ (No persitence)

TODO

• Support IE6&7
  • Use iframe for history
  • Use userData behavior for persistence
• Support FF2+
  • Use globalStorage for persistence
• Chrome < 4
  • Use Gears?
• Fallback for browsers that are unsupported