Escaping the Bloat: Why We Built MarkReply
How we replaced 500KB of ad-tracking JavaScript with a 14KB HTMX and Rust commenting engine.
Modern static site generators like Astro make it effortless to ship blazing-fast, zero-JS websites. Then, you embed a traditional commenting widget at the bottom of your post, and everything falls apart.
We built MarkReply because we were tired of watching our Lighthouse scores plummet just to let readers leave a comment.
💰 The Cost of “Free” Widgets
Traditional platforms like Disqus have dominated the commenting space for years, but that convenience comes with a massive hidden cost to your readers:
- Massive Payloads: A standard widget injects roughly 500 KB of client-side JavaScript into your page before the user even scrolls down.
- Aggressive Tracking: You are trading your users’ privacy for a comment box. These platforms load dozens of third-party trackers and ad networks.
- Data Lock-in: You don’t own your comments. If the platform shuts down or changes its pricing, your community history vanishes.
We needed a system that respected both the developer and the reader.
🏆 The Rust + HTMX Approach
Instead of shipping a massive React or Vue application to the browser, MarkReply shifts the heavy lifting to the server.
Our core engine is written in Rust using the Axum framework, backed by a lightweight SQLite database. When a user interacts with the comment section, we use HTMX to swap out pre-rendered HTML snippets directly over the wire.
The result? The entire client-side footprint of MarkReply is just 14 KB.
⚖️ Head-to-Head Comparison
Here is how MarkReply stacks up against traditional, ad-supported engines:
| Feature | Disqus / Others | MarkReply (Self-Hosted) | MarkReply (Managed Cloud) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client-side JS size | ~500 KB | 14 KB (HTMX) | 14 KB (HTMX) |
| Ad-free & Privacy first | No | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic Dark Mode | No | Yes | Yes |
| Automated SSL | Yes | You handle it | Yes (via Caddy) |
| Monthly Cost | “Free” (Ads) | Free | $29 / month |
👑 Own Your Data
MarkReply is a Commercial Open-Source product. That means you always have a choice.
If you like managing infrastructure, the core engine is entirely open-source. We provide the docker-compose files so you can spin up the Rust API and SQLite database on your own VPS in minutes.
If you want zero-touch provisioning, our Managed Cloud handles everything. Powered by a native Rust control plane and Caddy dynamic routing, it automatically provisions On-Demand TLS for your custom domain the moment your first visitor hits the page.
Your site is fast. Your comment section should be, too.
Try leaving a comment below using the MarkReply engine to see it in action.