https://alternativeto.net/ search tool...

[f-117]

When I go to https://alternativeto.net/ and try to use their search function (Find alternative to...), nothing happens.

I put my search words in the box and press enter. Nothing happens. No search results display.

It does the same thing in safe mode and in Basilisk. The search does not work.

Scott

[ron_1]

Error console:

Timestamp: 12/27/2025 12:16:13 PM
Error: Error: Invariant: Expected document.currentScript to be a <script> element. Received null instead. This is a bug in Next.js.
Source File: undefined
Line: 1

[Gemmaugr]

I sent a mail to them at hello@alternativeto.net

I'll post back if the response is forthcoming.

Quick reply back: "I passed on the info to the crew, we will talk about this and fix it as soon as possible if it's a bug."

[f-117]

Thanks everyone!

It's good to hear that someone on their end will look into this and try to fix it.

Scott

[adoxa]

I think currentScript is a red herring; the actual problem is that the search button is disabled and never gets enabled. Didn't try and track that down. If you inspect the search field/magnifying glass you'll see a button element with disabled="" - remove that bit and search will work.

[Gemmaugr]

I think currentScript is a red herring; the actual problem is that the search button is disabled and never gets enabled. Didn't try and track that down. If you inspect the search field/magnifying glass you'll see a button element with disabled="" - remove that bit and search will work.

Tried it and so it is. It seems you can't actually click on anything else non-link either, hearts, thumbs, etc. It's also broken in more ways, like strange lines around various objects.

[ron_1]

remove that bit and search will work.

You are right. But if it's disabled, why does it still work in Chrome and it's knock-offs?

[vannilla]

Purely speculating, but I think some code somewhere "unlocks" the search function and the currentScript error prevents execution of those instructions.
There is a high chance the "bug in next.js" is something deep inside the framework that makes use of something the browser does not support and at some point this error is overwritten with the message we see in the console.
In short, there is something missing in the browser that is hidden by unhelpful error messages and that results in a non-interactive user interface.

[adoxa]

I called currentScript a red herring, because I used a userScript (adapted from a previously-posted one) to implement it; the errors disappeared, but the disabled state remained. I'm afraid I'm not keen enough to keep trying to track it down.

[Moonchild]

The situation is most likely that it is loaded in a disabled state and then enabled via scripting. That in turn makes all of it reliant on the scripting completing without aborting at any point in time, meaning "if even a single bit of API that is expected isn't there, it will not enable". Basically enforcing only the test collection of features will allow use of the function even if Pale Moon could otherwise perform the searches just fine.

[f-117]

Just to let you know they fixed the search tool on the site. It now works on PM, FF and WF.

Scott

[Gemmaugr]

Indeed. I got this email just after I checked that mail yesterday, go figure:

Hello there.

I want to inform you that, as a first step, we have fixed the searchbox on AlternativeTo homepage: writing the name of an app and clicking Enter, you now get a search result page.
This at least lets Pale Moon users browse our website again.

We are still working on improving support for Pale Moon browser. Hopefully we'll be able to release some new fixes in the next future.

Best regards,
Danilo

—
AlternativeTo - crowd-sourced software recommendations

Awesome. They also did a little Firefox-based (shrug) article, mentioning Pale Moon and Basilisk: https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/1/o ... omization/