Load different PHP files based on JavaScript availability

Question

I currently have the code below (PHP)

<?php
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Connect.php';
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Nojs.php';
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Main.php';
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/footer.php';
?>

I want Main.php to load only if JavaScript is enabled, and Nojs.php to load only is JavaScript is disabled.

Surrounding Nojs.php with tags does nothing (See below code)

<?php
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Connect.php';
?>
<noscript>
    <?php
        require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Nojs.php';
    ?>
</noscript>
<?php
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/Main.php';
    require_once __DIR__.'/includes/footer.php';
?>

Since I know the PHP cannot access the browser as it is done server-side, is it possible to try to use HTML (Like I attempted) or other JavaScript to get it to work? Thanks in advance.

EDIT:

Creating a new file for nojs.php and using meta refresh works, but there is a noticeable delay. The page starts loading the original URL and then redirects to the other. A visitor can quite easily cancel the page load process and stop the page load before the redirect. They will have a partly loaded page, but all the content they really need will be there. Is there a way to force an immediate redirect (Yes, "content" is set to "0" per the below anwser)?

Does this address your situation: stackoverflow.com/questions/12361321/… — Chris Strickland
– Chris Strickland, Commented Nov 20, 2021 at 0:04
As you say "PHP cannot access the browser as it is done server-side" — the <noscript> tag is processed by the browser after the PHP has finished its server-side execution. It may be possible to put the <noscript> tag in the Nojs.php file itself, and always require_once that file... kind of depends on what's in the Nojs.php file. — Stephen P
– Stephen P, Commented Nov 20, 2021 at 0:12
Does this answer your question? What is the difference between client-side and server-side programming? — gre_gor
– gre_gor, Commented Nov 20, 2021 at 1:05

owenizedd · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-20 00:59:57Z

2

Create another PHP file with no js version when first PHP loaded it will check if no js support will redirect to no js version of PHP


<noscript>
  <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=nojs-version.php">
</noscript>

Edit: It is also mentioned by W3C as technique without confusing user
https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H76.html

edited Nov 20, 2021 at 0:59

answered Nov 20, 2021 at 0:26

owenizedd

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5 Comments

Greenreader9 Over a year ago

I thought that using meta-refresh is considered bad practice and should never be used. Am I wrong?

owenizedd Over a year ago

I don’t think so, please elaborate, for what reason?

owenizedd Over a year ago

Let’s talk with official data w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H76.html It clearly states The objective of this technique is to enable redirects on the client side without confusing the user.

owenizedd Over a year ago

what do you mean? noscript tag is for checking wether browser support js or not. Im just going to let the data talks here again developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/noscript

Greenreader9 Over a year ago

Although "content" is set to 0, it takes some time (like 2 seconds) to redirect. In that time, the visitor can just cancel the page load and nothing is affected.

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