A lightweight web browser is a
web browser
A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on ...
that sacrifices some of the features of a mainstream web browser in order to reduce the consumption of
system resource
In computing, a system resource, or simple resource, is any physical or virtual component of limited availability within a computer system. All connected devices and internal system components are resources. Virtual system resources include fi ...
s, and especially to minimize the
memory footprint
Memory footprint refers to the amount of main memory that a program uses or references while running.
The word footprint generally refers to the extent of physical dimensions that an object occupies, giving a sense of its size. In computing, the ...
.
The tables below compare notable lightweight web browsers. Several of them use a common
layout engine, but each has a unique combination of features and a potential niche. The minimal
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
in
surf, for example, does not have
tabs, whereas
xombrero
xombrero (until 2012 known as xxxterm) is a discontinued open-source web browser developed with a goal to be a lightweight and secure replacement for full featured browsers like Firefox. The browser has found a niche among minimalist browsers ...
can be driven with
vi-like keyboard commands.
Four of the browsers compared—
Lynx
A lynx is a type of wild cat.
Lynx may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Lynx (constellation)
* Lynx (Chinese astronomy)
* Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory
Places Canada
* Lynx, Ontar ...
,
w3m
w3m is a free software/ open source text-based web browser and terminal pager. It has support for tables, frames, SSL connections, color, and inline images on suitable terminals. Generally, it renders pages in a form as true to their origi ...
,
Links, and
ELinks
ELinks is a free text-based web browser for Unix-like operating systems.
It began in late 2001 as an experimental fork by Petr Baudiš of the Links Web browser, hence the E in the name. Since then, the E has come to stand for Enhanced or Ext ...
—are designed for
text mode
Text mode is a computer display mode in which content is internally represented on a computer screen in terms of characters rather than individual pixels. Typically, the screen consists of a uniform rectangular grid of ''character cells'', each ...
, and can function in a
terminal emulator
A terminal emulator, or terminal application, is a computer program that emulates a video terminal within some other display architecture. Though typically synonymous with a shell or text terminal, the term ''terminal'' covers all remote termin ...
.
Eww is limited to working within Emacs. Links 2 has both a
text-based user interface
In computing, text-based user interfaces (TUI) (alternately terminal user interfaces, to reflect a dependence upon the properties of computer terminals and not just text), is a retronym describing a type of user interface (UI) common as an ear ...
and a
graphical user interface
The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inste ...
. w3m is, in addition to being a web browser, also a
terminal pager
A terminal pager, paging program or simply pager is a computer program used to view (but not modify) the contents of a text file moving down the file one line or one screen at a time. Some, but not all, pagers allow movement up a file. A popul ...
.
Overview
Operating system support
;Notes
Features
Test scores reflect the version of the browser engine in use. Generally, a lower score indicates an older version of the browser engine.
;Notes
See also
*
Comparison of web browsers
General information
Basic general information about the browsers. Browsers listed on a light purple background are discontinued. Platforms with a yellow background have limited support.
Operating system support
Browsers are compiled to run o ...
*
List of web browsers for Unix and Unix-like operating systems
The following is a list of web browsers for various Unix and Unix-like operating systems. Not all of these browsers are specific to these operating systems; some are available on non-Unix systems as well. Some, but not most, have a mobile version.
...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
{{Embedded systems
Lightweight web browsers