Playback - IIPC
To serve the ever-changing needs of the archiving community and of users, IIPC members and the wider web archiving community are working together to support open-source versions of software used to  ‘play back’ archived websites in the user’s browser. Key replay tools used by IIPC members include
OpenWayback
(OWB),
Python Wayback
(pywb) and
SolrWayback
. While OWB used to be the main playback tool used by IIPC Members, it is gradually being replaced by pywb, with some web archives using it alongside pywb and SolrWayback.
pywb
Pywb, developed by
Webrecorder.net
, is a Python implementation of web archival replay tools. In 2020, the IIPC recommended pywb as a replay solution and worked to support IIPC members’ adoption of pywb. The project’s outcome is an openly available
Transition Guide
and use cases that IIPC members have been sharing via blog posts and technical webinars. The recommended setup is to use
OutbackCDX
, an indexing tool developed by
Alex Osborne
of the National Library of Australia, alongside pywb.
Web archives currently using pywb for replay include
Arquivo.pt
Vefsafn.is
, the
UK Web Archive
and
the Web Archive at UNT
Resources:
GitHub page
Project page
Blog posts
Using OutbackCDX with pywb
Presentations:
Sustaining Pywb Through Community Engagement and Renewal
(WAC 2023)
Maintenance Practices for Web Archives
(WAC 2023)
Migrating From Open Wayback to PyWb-SolrWayback
(WAC 2024)
Pywb Wrap-Up Webinar
(MEMBERS ONLY)
Pywb: IIPC Use Cases Webinar
(MEMBERS ONLY)
SolrWayback
The SolrWayback software bundle, developed by
Netarkivet.dk
, is an out-of-the-box solution with index workflow, a Solr and Tomcat web server, and a free text search interface with playback functionality. SolrWayback relies on real-time access to WARC files and a Solr index populated by the UK Web Archive
webarchive-discovery tool
. It has a built-in playback engine and can be integrated with pywb. Publicly available use cases include the
Hungarian Web Archive
and the IIPC
collaborative collections hosted by Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Resources:
GitHub page
Blog posts
Presentations:
Key findings and experience
(WAC 2022)
Increasing Community Interactions and the Future of SolrWayback
(WAC 2023)
OpenWayback
IIPC funded the development of OpenWayback which is still being used by some web archives. OpenWayback was subsequently maintained by the wider web archiving community under the leadership of
Lauren Ko
, University of North Texas, and while it is not currently under development, the following resources are available online:
OpenWayback 2.4.0 Release
IIPC Github homepage
Openwayback Wiki
Openwayback Issue Tracker