Safari Saga: Debugging ReadableStream with Axios not working in Safari, but working in Chrome and Firefox

Are you frustrated with your ReadableStream with Axios setup working flawlessly in Chrome and Firefox, but refusing to cooperate in Safari? You’re not alone! In this article, we’ll embark on a troubleshooting adventure to identify the root cause of this browser-specific issue and provide you with actionable solutions to get your code working across all three browsers.

What is ReadableStream?

Before diving into the debugging process, let’s quickly revisit what ReadableStream is and its importance in modern web development.

ReadableStream is a part of the WHATWG Streams API, which provides a way to handle asynchronous streams of data. It allows developers to write efficient, scalable, and modular code for handling large datasets, network requests, and more. In the context of Axios, ReadableStream enables streaming responses, enabling your application to process data as it arrives, reducing memory usage and improving performance.

The Problem: Safari Inconsistencies

So, what’s going on with Safari? Why does your ReadableStream with Axios setup work seamlessly in Chrome and Firefox, but fails to do so in Safari? There are a few potential culprits to investigate:

• Stream API Support:** Safari has limited support for the Streams API, which might lead to compatibility issues.
• Blob Handling:** Safari’s implementation of Blobs and streaming responses differs from Chrome and Firefox, causing potential conflicts.
• Axios Configuration:** Axios settings, such as response type and encoding, might not be correctly configured for Safari.

Debugging Safari-Specific Issues

Let’s get down to business and debug this Safari-specific issue step-by-step!

1. Verify Safari Version and Compatibility

First, ensure you’re running the latest version of Safari (at least Safari 14.1) and check the compatibility of ReadableStream and Axios with your Safari version. You can use the following code snippet to test ReadableStream compatibility:

<script>
  if ('ReadableStream' in window) {
    console.log('ReadableStream is supported!');
  } else {
    console.log('ReadableStream is NOT supported!');
  }
</script>

If ReadableStream is not supported, you might need to explore alternative solutions or polyfills for older Safari versions.

2. Inspect Axios Configuration and Response Handling

Review your Axios configuration and verify that the `responseType` is set to `’stream’` and `encoding` is set to `’utf-8’` or `’ binary’`:

import axios from 'axios';

axios.create({
  responseType: 'stream',
  encoding: 'utf-8', // or 'binary'
});

const response = await axios.get('https://example.com/api/data');

if (response.status === 200) {
  const reader = response.data.getReader();
  while (true) {
    const { done, value } = await reader.read();
    if (done) break;
    console.log(`Received chunk:`, value);
  }
}

Double-check that your Axios instance is correctly configured for streaming responses in Safari.

3. Investigate Blob Handling and Conversion

Safari has a different Blob implementation than Chrome and Firefox. Try converting the response data to a Blob using the following approach:

const response = await axios.get('https://example.com/api/data', {
  responseType: 'arraybuffer',
});

const blob = new Blob([response.data], { type: 'application/octet-stream' });

const reader = new FileReader();
reader.onload = () => {
  const chunk = reader.result;
  console.log(`Received chunk:`, chunk);
};
reader.readAsArrayBuffer(blob);

This conversion might help Safari understand the response data correctly.

4. Utilize Polyfills and Fallbacks

If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, consider using polyfills or fallbacks to ensure compatibility across browsers:

• WHATWG Streams API Polyfill: includes polyfills for ReadableStream, WritableStream, and more.
• Axios Debug Log: enables logging for Axios requests and responses, helping you identify issues.
• Fallback to older Axios versions or alternative libraries, such as axios-debug, if necessary.

Safari-Specific Solutions and Workarounds

In some cases, you might need to employ Safari-specific solutions or workarounds to ensure your ReadableStream with Axios setup functions correctly:

Use Safari’s Native Blob Support

If you’re dealing with large files or binary data, you can utilize Safari’s native Blob support:

const blob = new Blob([response.data], { type: 'application/octet-stream' });
const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
const a = document.createElement('a');
a.href = url;
a.download = 'filename.txt';
a.click();

Employ Safari’s ReadableStream Implementation

If you’re stuck with an older Safari version, you can try using Safari’s built-in ReadableStream implementation:

const stream = new ReadableStream({
  async pull(controller) {
    const chunk = await response.data.getReader().read();
    controller.enqueue(chunk);
    if (chunk.done) {
      controller.close();
    }
  },
});

Conclusion

Debugging ReadableStream with Axios issues in Safari can be a challenge, but by following these steps and exploring Safari-specific solutions, you should be able to identify and resolve the root cause of the problem. Remember to:

1. Verify Safari version and compatibility.
2. Inspect Axios configuration and response handling.
3. Investigate Blob handling and conversion.
4. Utilize polyfills and fallbacks.
5. Employ Safari-specific solutions and workarounds.

By being proactive and methodical in your debugging approach, you’ll be able to overcome the Safari hurdles and ensure your ReadableStream with Axios setup works seamlessly across all three browsers.

BROWSER	READABLESTREAM SUPPORT
Chrome	Supported ( Chrome 63+)
Firefox	Supported (Firefox 65+)
Safari	Partially supported (Safari 14.1+)

Keep in mind that browser support and compatibility may change over time. Always check the latest documentation and release notes for each browser and library to ensure the best possible experience for your users.

Frequently Asked Question

Having trouble with ReadableStreams using Axios in Safari, but it works like a charm in Chrome and Firefox? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!