While HTML is hypertext markup language, hypertext is not HTML.

Hypertext doesn’t imply a specific encoding strategy, it implies semantics - data contains links to related data. If you want to encode it in protobufs - you do you, REST explicitly calls for freedom in this regard.

To paraphrase yourself, ranting about HTML as if it was a requirement for REST is ridiculous and misses the point entirely.

PS: HTML is not a protocol.

A cargo cult doesn’t change airplanes by building mock runways - they rather miss the point entirely.

Do not solve maintenance problems that you don’t face.