Why Your Interactive JavaScript Tools Break on Blog Platforms And How to Fix Them

Have you ever created a beautiful HTML/JavaScript tool that works perfectly on your local machine, but falls apart when you embed it in your blog? You're not alone. This is one of the most frustrating issues developers face when trying to share interactive tools online.

The Problem: When Code Becomes Plain Text

Recently, while working on a Google Apps Script Dialog Generator, I encountered this exact issue. The tool worked flawlessly as a standalone HTML file, but when embedded in a blog post, the JavaScript code would display as plain text instead of executing properly.

Here's what was happening:

javascript

// This BREAKS in blog posts:

const code = // Clickable items dialog

function showDialog

const html = HtmlService.createHtmlOutput

// This  tag ends everything prematurely!

;

;

The result? Instead of a functioning tool, visitors saw a broken interface with JavaScript code scattered across the page as plain text.

Why This Happens: The Technical Culprits

1. Template Literal Conflicts

Blog platforms often have their own templating systems that conflict with JavaScript template literals backticks. When you use:

javascript

const myString = Hello $variable;

The blog platform may try to process the $ syntax, breaking your code.

2. Script Tag Termination

The biggest culprit is nested script tags. When your JavaScript generates HTML containing , it prematurely closes the parent script:

javascript

// This breaks everything:

const html = alert'hello';;

3. Security Filtering

Many blog platforms strip or escape JavaScript for security reasons, turning your executable code into harmless text.

4. Quote Escaping Issues

Complex nested quotes can confuse parsers:

javascript

// Problematic:

onclick="myFunction'value with "quotes"'"

The Solution: BlogSafe JavaScript Patterns

Here's how to fix these issues:

❌ Wrong Way Breaks in blogs:

javascript

function generateCode

const stockSheet = document.getElementById'stockSheet'.value;

const code = // Generated code

function showDialog

const html = HtmlService.createHtmlOutput\

function loadItems

// This $stockSheet breaks everything

\;

;

document.getElementById'output'.value = code;

✅ Right Way Blogsafe:

javascript

function generateCode

var stockSheet = document.getElementById'stockSheet'.value;

var code = '// Generated code\n'

'function showDialog \n'

'  var html = HtmlService.createHtmlOutput\'\\\n'

'    \\\n'

'      function loadItems \\\n'

'        // Safe variable insertion: '  stockSheet  '\\\n'

'      \\\n'

'    \\\n'

'  \';\n'

'';

document.getElementById'output'.value = code;

Key Techniques for Blog Compatibility

1. Replace Template Literals with String Concatenation

javascript

// Instead of: Hello $name

// Use: 'Hello '  name

2. Split Script Tags

javascript

// Instead of: ''

// Use: ''

3. Use var Instead of const/let

javascript

// Instead of: const myVar = 'value';

// Use: var myVar = 'value';

4. Escape Quotes Properly

javascript

// Instead of: "onclick='func"param"'"

// Use: "onclick='func\"param\"'"

5. Replace Modern JavaScript Features

javascript

// Instead of: array.includesitem

// Use: array.indexOfitem !== 1

// Instead of:  =>

// Use: function

Alternative Solutions

If the above fixes don't work for your platform, consider these alternatives:

1. External Hosting  iframe

Host your HTML file separately and embed it:

html

2. GitHub Pages

Free hosting for your tools:

Upload your HTML file to a GitHub repository

Enable GitHub Pages

Embed via iframe

3. CDN Services

Use services like jsDelivr to serve your files:

html

Testing Your Tools

Before publishing, test your embedded tools on:

Your blog's preview mode

Different browsers

Mobile devices

With and without ad blockers

RealWorld Example: The Fix in Action

Here are two working examples from our Google Apps Script Dialog Generator project:

Broken Version displays as text:

javascript

// Uses template literals, modern syntax

const code = function show  / breaks / ;

Fixed Version works perfectly:

javascript

// Uses concatenation, compatible syntax

var code = 'function show  / works! / ';

Conclusion

Creating blogembeddable tools requires thinking differently about JavaScript. While modern ES6 features make development easier, they can break when embedded in blog platforms. By following these patterns:

Use string concatenation instead of template literals

Split script tags to prevent premature closure

Escape quotes properly

Use compatible JavaScript syntax

You can create tools that work reliably across different blog platforms and provide real value to your readers.

Remember: the best interactive tool is one that actually works for your audience. Sometimes that means writing code that's a bit more verbose but infinitely more compatible.

Have you encountered similar issues with embedded JavaScript tools? Share your experiences and solutions in the comments below!

Tools Referenced in This Article

Broken Version: Google Apps Script Dialog Generator original

Fixed Version: Google Apps Script Dialog Generator blogcompatible

Advanced Example: Google Apps Script Floating Dialog Generator

Both working versions are available in the comments section of this post for reference and learning purposes.