Even in 2026, layout isn’t always as smooth as we want. If your UI updates often, especially with text, you’ve probably seen small delays or layout shifts. You change content, and the browser has to recalculate positions and sizes again. This process (reflow) is part of how the DOM works. It’s not a bug, it’s just how browsers handle layout. But in today’s web apps, where updates happen frequently, it can become a bottleneck. What Pretext is trying to change A new approach is getting attention called Pretext, built by Cheng Lou. Instead of relying fully on the browser for layout calculations, Pretext measures text using JavaScript. The idea is to do more work before the DOM gets involved. In many cases, this can: Reduce how often layout recalculations are needed Make updates feel faster Give more control over how text behaves It’s not about removing the DOM, but about depending on it less for certain tasks.…