The Digital Press

The URL parser has quirks from its early design days, including one where non-conforming inputs produce different URLs depending on the base URL used, especially with special schemes like http and https.

Why it matters: This quirk can cause inconsistent URL results and behavior across different contexts or platforms.

The big picture: URL parsing evolved with legacy dependencies, balancing theoretical correctness against widespread web compatibility.

The other side: Users can work around the quirk by parsing URLs twice, though it may conflict with web platform behaviors.

Commenters say: Many note the tension between strict standards and real-world usage, emphasizing practical compatibility over ideal parsing rules.