I’m looking for a cross-platform method to preprocess large files on client machines prior to upload, using JavaScript despite browser security restrictions.
The possibility exists, but is significantly hindered by security constraints imposed by browsers. In my experience, one can process file data using APIs like FileReader in combination with Web Workers, but efficiency becomes an issue when handling large files. I have found that splitting the file into manageable chunks and processing them asynchronously helps reduce performance bottlenecks. Careful error handling is also required due to the asynchronous nature of these operations. Ultimately, while JavaScript can handle local file processing to some extent, you’ll often be trading off performance and complexity.
im not sold on using browsers for huge files. using file apis is fine for small chunks, but for heavy jobs it often lags. you might need fallback solutions, maybe even server side processing for better performance.
In my experience, leveraging browsers for local file processing through JavaScript is feasible under specific conditions, though it requires careful planning. I have used a combination of FileReader and Web Workers to manage processing tasks, which allowed me to offload work to background threads. However, managing memory and handling performance issues remain challenges, particularly with very large files and limited system resources. It was crucial to optimize the chunking process and implement robust error handling to prevent the UI from becoming unresponsive. Overall, while it’s workable, the trade-offs should be carefully considered.