A five-year retrospective on the Gemini protocol, a simple HTTP-like document retrieval protocol designed to be non-commercial and privacy-respecting. Gemini has grown from a few hundred to ~6,000 capsules (sites), and better clients like Lagrange now exist. However, core criticisms remain unaddressed: mandatory TLS excludes minimal computing enthusiasts, the Gemtext format is too limited, and proposals for improvement have been rejected by the core community. New problems include fragile hobbyist-run services, lack of commercial virtual hosting, and awkward authentication via TLS client certificates. Alternative protocols (Spartan, Scorpion, Nex) have emerged but further fragment an already small community. The author concludes it's better to support Gemini despite its flaws than to splinter further, and is beginning to publish content on their own Gemini capsule.
Table of contents
What’s improved in the last five years?What hasn’t improved?What new problems have come to light?Gemini alternativesSo what to do?Closing remarksSort: