Gemini
Gemini is a lightweight application-layer Internet protocol for accessing remote documents. You may think of Gemini as stripped-down HTTP or souped-up Gopher. Quoting the Gemini FAQ:
Both the protocol and the format are deliberately limited in capabilities and scope, and the protocol is technically conservative, being built on mature, standardised, familiar, "off-the-shelf" technologies like URIs, MIME media types and TLS. Simplicity and finite scope are very intentional design decisions motivated by placing a high priority on user autonomy, user privacy, ease of implementation in diverse computing environments, and defensive non-extensibility.
...
Gemini is not intended to replace either Gopher or the web, but to co-exist peacefully alongside them as one more option which people can freely choose to use if it suits them.
Geminispace is accessed via the non-standard gemini:// URL/URI scheme. Most pages are written with a special Markdown-like markup called Gemtext, and served with the unofficial MIME type text/gemini.
Available software
Some of the software listed in this section is provided via the GURU repository:
root #eselect repository enable guru
root #emaint sync -r guru
Browsers
- app-emacs/elpher - Practical and friendly Gopher and Gemini client for GNU Emacs
- net-client/amfora::guru - A fancy terminal browser for the Gemini protocol
- net-client/castor::guru - A graphical browser for plain-text protocols
- net-client/kristall::guru - Visual cross-platform gemini browser
- net-client/lagrange::guru - Desktop GUI client for browsing Geminispace
- net-client/offpunk::guru - Offline-First Gemini/Web/Gopher/RSS reader and browser
- net-client/starfish::guru - A Gemini browser for elementary OS
- net-client/telescope::guru - w3m-like browser for Gemini
If eix has been installed and configured to search remote repositories, available Gemini browsers can be listed by running:
user $eix -RC net-clientThe Amfora, AV-98 and Bombadillo terminal-based browsers can be tried out by accessing the Gemini kiosk via ssh:
user $ssh kiosk@gemini.circumlunar.spaceKDE support
Konqueror can become a Gemini browser, and all applications that utilize KIO and KParts frameworks can support Gemini as well.
Enable the GURU repository, as described above, and install the relevant plugins:
root #emerge --ask kde-misc/geminipart kde-misc/kio-geminiServers
- net-misc/gemserv::guru (Rust)
- net-misc/gmid::guru (C)
Utilities
- app-vim/gemini-vim::guru - Vim syntax highlighting for Gemtext.
- app-text/lowdown - Translate Markdown to Gemtext.
- net-news/comitium::guru - Feed aggregator for Gemini supporting many formats and protocols.
- net-misc/gemget::guru - Command line downloader for the Gemini protocol.
- md2gemini - Markdown-to-Gemtext converter written in Python.
- mdbook-gemini - Simple Perl script to convert mdBook to Gemtext using md2gemini.
Some starting points in Geminispace
Search engines
Aggregators
Directories
See also
- Usenet — a federated and decentralized worldwide Internet forum and the world's oldest digital social network
External resources
- awesome-gemini - A collection of awesome things regarding the Gemini protocol ecosystem.
- Gemini Server of the Day