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Mastering Keyboard Navigation: Your Essential Guide to Accessible Web Browsing
Master essential keyboard shortcuts like Tab, Space, and Enter to navigate websites efficiently. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic navigation to advanced shortcuts, helping both users and developers create more accessible web experiences for everyone.
Amanda Foster
2 days ago4 min read


Secure Your External Links: Prevent Tabnabbing and Privacy Leaks
When you add target="_blank" to external links, you might be creating security vulnerabilities and exposing user privacy. Here's how to fix it and test your site in just a few minutes. The Problem External links that open in new tabs create two critical issues: 1. Tabnabbing Attacks : The new page gets access to window.opener , allowing malicious sites to manipulate your original page or redirect users to convincing phishing sites. 2. Privacy Leaks : External sites receive d
Amanda Foster
2 days ago3 min read


Ensuring Inclusivity Through Website Accessibility Audits
Creating a website that welcomes everyone is no longer optional. It is essential to ensure that people with disabilities can access and navigate your site with ease. Inclusive website audits play a crucial role in identifying barriers and improving digital accessibility. This process helps businesses and organizations build a more inclusive online presence, reaching a wider audience and complying with legal standards. What Are Inclusive Website Audits? Inclusive website audit
eitan802
2 days ago4 min read


When Migration Isn't Migration: Transforming Legacy Digital Humanities Sites
Your digital humanities site is a decade old. It was cutting-edge when it launched—custom-built to showcase a unique collection with features no off-the-shelf platform could provide. Now the security warnings are piling up, the original developers are long gone, and every Rails upgrade feels like defusing a bomb. You need to modernize. But here's what nobody tells you: for many legacy DH sites, "migration" is the wrong word entirely. What you actually need is a complete data
Nick Steinwachs
2 days ago9 min read


Digital Repository RFP Best Practices: How to Write Requirements for Institutional Repository Software (with template!)
Many RFP templates weren't designed for the complexity of academic digital infrastructure. They assume you're buying a commodity—something with fixed features and predictable costs. But digital repositories aren't commodities. They're strategic platforms that must evolve with your institution's research output, adapt to changing preservation standards, and integrate with an ecosystem of academic technologies.
Nick Steinwachs
Sep 11, 20257 min read


From Cluster Chaos to Clarity: My Wild Ride Upgrading Azure AKS
When a "quick upgrade" becomes a masterclass in cloud resilience An image of a roller coaster with text overlay "From Cluster Chaos to...
April Rieger
Sep 5, 20253 min read


Join Us for Open Office Hours with Team Violet: A Deep Dive into Hyku
Join Team Violet's weekly Hyku Office Hours—where developers, repository managers, and curious minds gather to troubleshoot, learn, and shape Hyku's future. Topics range from Bulkrax imports to the exciting 6.2 release with flexible metadata. These community sessions drive real product improvements. Coming soon: in-person office hours at Samvera Connect Mexico City. Drop by Wednesdays via Samvera Slack.
Nick Steinwachs
Aug 25, 20253 min read


Hyku vs Hyrax: Frequently Asked Questions for Academic Institutions
Choosing between Hyku and Hyrax? This quick Q&A answers the most common questions from librarians and digital repository teams. Learn the key differences in customization, metadata, hosting, and scalability, plus how HykuUP, Notch8’s managed service, simplifies adoption. Perfect for institutions evaluating open-source repository options in a straightforward, no-fluff format.
Eitan Steinberg-Tatman
Aug 1, 20253 min read


Understanding Hyku vs Hyrax: What Academic Institutions Should Know Before Choosing a Digital Repository Solution
Trying to choose between Hyku and Hyrax for your institutional repository? This guide breaks down key differences, including customization, multi-tenancy, metadata flexibility, and hosting options. Learn when to choose Hyrax’s deep flexibility or Hyku’s turnkey power, and how managed services like Notch8’s HykuUP can simplify your path forward. Perfect for libraries and digital scholarship teams exploring open-source repository solutions.
Eitan Steinberg-Tatman
Aug 1, 20256 min read


Self-Hosting vs Managed Repositories: Hyrax, Hyku, and HykuUP Explained
This post compares Samvera Hyrax and Hyku, explores the trade-offs of hosting models, and highlights how Notch8’s hykuUP offers a fully managed Hyku solution ideal for institutions without in-house tech teams. Learn how to align your digital repository strategy with your team’s capacity and goals.
Eitan Steinberg-Tatman
Aug 1, 20257 min read


3 Key Takeaways From the Open Repository Conference
Our team attended Open Repository 2025 at University of Chicago and gained crucial insights: the code we write democratizes knowledge as a human right, AI is revolutionizing discovery interfaces while creating new challenges like bot traffic surging to 80% of web activity, and we must balance customization with long-term sustainability. These insights remind us we're building infrastructure that serves researchers and preserves knowledge for future generations.
Eitan Steinberg-Tatman
Jul 31, 20253 min read


What Makes React Native a Versatile Business Solution?
Choosing the Right Framework for Your Business’s Mobile App: Why React Native Stands Out ================================================...
Kevin Kochanksi
Jun 13, 20254 min read


Navigating Cert-Manager Upgrades in Our Kubernetes Clusters
Upgrading our Kubernetes clusters and the associated tooling like cert-manager requires a careful approach to avoid disruptions and...
April Rieger
Feb 6, 20243 min read


Containerizing Your Applications With Docker
Docker and Kubernetes are pathways to more efficient development cycles and smoother, more reliable deployment for your application....
Kevin Kochanksi
Jun 19, 20234 min read


Diving Into Open Source Software
Working with open source software and contributing to open source communities is something that the Notch8 team takes a lot of pride in....
Kevin Kochanksi
Feb 10, 20237 min read


Understanding the 404 Not Found Error: How to Customize Your Response
What is a 404 Error? The meaning of a 404 status error (according to Wikipedia) is: "The requested resource could not be found but may be...
Alisha Evans
Apr 12, 20213 min read


Globus Download in Hyrax
Globus Integration for Hyrax Globus is a tool for transferring very large datasets. It has many advantages over older systems for...
Bess Sadler
Mar 1, 20214 min read


Adding blacklight_advanced_search to Hyku
I was recently asked to add Blacklight Advanced Search to a Hyku app for the US Department of Transportation. It was a little tricky, so...
Bess Sadler
Nov 17, 20205 min read


Bug Hunting in Hyrax
I recently had to find a bug in a Hyrax application, and I thought it might be helpful if I documented the process. 1. Define the problem...
Bess Sadler
Oct 25, 20207 min read
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