For me, the browser is by far the most important software on my computer. After all, I use it about 80% of the time on my PC. At the moment, it’s more difficult than ever to find the right browser, at least for me. Until about a year ago, it was usually using Firefox. But for some time now I have lost all trust in Firefox. What the vendor promises is in complete contrast to what the software does by default. User tracking in various forms, unsolicited telemetry, remote installation of add-ons are just the very top reasons why I no longer want to use Firefox. Brave is an alternative, but I don’t feel very comfortable with it. The default settings are not ideal here either. What’s more, it’s packed with extras that nobody needs. In the end, I currently use Ungoogled Chromium, fully aware that I don’t always have the latest version installed.
Now there’s also Midori. I can’t figure it out. What should I make of it? To me it looks like a forked Firefox that lags far behind the current version. I think it’s currently Firefox 128.xxx. Doesn’t this mean I’m getting the same problems as with Firefox itself, plus an outdated version? What about tracking, telemetry and security problems? What do you think of this browser? In Wikipedia, i read that Midori uses WebKit? Is it not Gecko? And what is a Floorp? The Infos about this browser are really confusing.
I will be recommended https://ladybird.org/ once it gets released to public. Meanwhile firefox is best bet. Or librewolf
It’s a webkit engine based browser, actually it uses webkitgtk. Now webkit is the engine on which safari (apple) is based as well, and it’s been there for some time. blink, which is what chromium based browsers use, is a fork from webkit with its own extras.
So it all depends, chromium based browsers are all blink engine based browsers, which are pretty related to webkit engine based browsers (midori is not the only one BTW). As well as there are a ton of blink based utilities such the electron ones (chromium in disguise), there are still quite a bit based on webkit, specially gtk applications.
gecko as opposed to the other major web engines never had some sort of toolkit that would make it easier for other applications than the mozilla ones to be based on it, and it seems there will never be such toolkit, even less with the dominance of blink based browsers and applications, and in a lesser way but still high use webkit applications and browsers.
If looking for actual alternatives to what dominates the market, I believe gecko is the option at the moment, and if the FF defaults are unsane, I’d strongly suggest using Librewolf, which is essence is FF with much better defaults, it partially uses arkenfox configs, but it’s independent and has its own decisions, and also removes very few blobs like pocket at build time.
Eventually servo might become the web engine to look for, and perhaps verso the web browser based on servo. But they are still in early stages as to be considered for day to day regular use. I’m not sure if servo is both a web engine and also offers itself as a toolkit so other applications besides a web browser can be based on it, similar to webkit or blink, but I believe that’s not the case, at least not yet, though I wouldn’t put my hands on fire for this, :).
Bottom line, you might want to take a look at Librewolf.
Unfortunately divestOS is retiring, and Mull, something like Librewolf but for AOSP based devices, has ceased development. I’m really hoping someone capable of forking it does it…
Not anymore. It was acquired by Astian in 2019 and is now just another Firefox fork. OP would be better with Librewolf.
Ohh, so it changed for being webkit, to be a FF based browser. At any rate Librewolf keep being like the closest, FF but with better defaults, and without the need to configure the arkenfox stuff.
Midori was, when I last checked years ago, a GTK browser using the WebKit engine. Back then, its shtick was being fast and native on GTK environments.
If you’re looking for a good level of privacy and security without breaking sites, LibreWolf is always a good option. If you want anonymity, then you’ll need to contend with breaking sites and more esoteric browsers, like Tor.
Midori was, when I last checked years ago, a GTK browser using the WebKit engine. Back then, its shtick was being fast and native on GTK environments.
According to This Wikipedia page it was acquired by “Astian foundation” in 2019 and project became Firefox derivative after that. Apparently there is also android version.
Librewolf is a decent option too.
wolf cola is hands down the best
I love LibreWolf but sadly on my Mac with the latest OS, Apple’s security measures regarding application notarization breaks the installation process.
This issue occurs because LibreWolf doesn’t have Apple notarization, as the developers don’t maintain a paid Apple Developer license.
Have you tried:
brew install librewolf --no-quarantineHey thanks for the reply, just been looking into it but wasn’t sure how to go about installing homebrew. I’m actually going about it now. Do I need to do a fresh install of Librewolf first, type the script in the terminal and I’m good to go?
Figures Apple would break stuff that way.
The Zen Browser seems to be the most promising Firefox fork. It seems well balanced between features and privacy.
I really like the interface of Zen.
It looks like a browser that enables security features that Firefox has but aren’t enabled by default.
As for the version. Firefox 128 is the Extended Support Release which means no new features are added only fixes are introduced in updates.
I don’t care much regarding new features as the latest security patches are included.
On mobile im using Cromite. At least for me very useful. I haven’t tested it fully for privacy, but I don’t see any unexpected http requests to spooky Google services or similar thing’s.
On mobile I use Vivaldi, it’s a good privacy browser (0 trackers), a lot of features similar to the Desktop Browser, inbuild ad/trackerblocker and sync e2ee with the Desktop version.
Personally I’d advise against using forks. They are usually short lived and with their own bugs, with a few notable exceptions such as LibreWolf of course. Of course it’s your own choice in the end.
Personally, I use Firefox with a custom, hardened user.JS. But to each their own.
LibreWolf or hardened Firefox are probably the best browsers for you.
