LibreWolf is a
free and open-source
Free and open-source software (FOSS) is a term used to refer to groups of software consisting of both free software and open-source software where anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way, and the source ...
fork
In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from la, furca ' pitchfork') is a utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tines with which one can spear foods ...
of
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation. It uses the Gecko rendering engine to display web pages, which implements current and ...
, with an emphasis on privacy and security. It is licensed under the
MPL 2.0.
Development
LibreWolf was initially released for Linux operating systems on March 7, 2020. The goal of the LibreWolf project was to create a more privacy-focused version of Firefox.
A community-maintained version for Windows was released a year later, with a macOS port released soon after.
Features
LibreWolf does not include telemetry or auto-updating and certain features like
Pocket
A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag ...
are disabled. It does not have sponsored shortcuts.
By default, LibreWolf deletes the user's cookies and history when the browser is closed, but that feature can be disabled.
LinuxSecurity noted that LibreWolf may not have full compatibility with some websites.
By default,
Firefox Sync
Firefox Sync, originally branded Mozilla Weave, is a browser synchronization feature for Firefox web browsers. It allows users to partially synchronize bookmarks, browsing history, preferences, passwords, filled forms, add-ons, and the last 25 o ...
is disabled for Librewolf, though it is possible to enable it in the Librewolf settings.
According to the websit
PrivacyTests.orgin 2022, LibreWolf, along with
Brave Browser
Brave is a free and open-source web browser developed by Brave Software, Inc. based on the Chromium web browser. Brave is a privacy-focused browser, which automatically blocks online advertisements and website trackers in its default settings. ...
and
Tor Browser
Tor, short for The Onion Router, is free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication. It directs Internet traffic through a free, worldwide, volunteer overlay network, consisting of more than seven thousand relays, to conc ...
, had the most privacy protection compared to other browsers.
See also
*
Browser security
Browser security is the application of Internet security to web browsers in order to protect networked data and computer systems from breaches of privacy or malware. Security exploits of browsers often use JavaScript, sometimes with cross-site s ...
*
Pale Moon
Pale Moon is an open-source web browser with an emphasis on customization; its motto is "Your browser, Your way". There are official releases for Microsoft Windows and Linux, as well as contributed builds for various platforms.
Pale Moon orig ...
*
Gecko (software)
Gecko is a browser engine developed by Mozilla. It is used in the Firefox browser, the Thunderbird email client, and many other projects.
Gecko is designed to support open Internet standards, and is used by different applications to display ...
*
Waterfox
Waterfox is an open-source web browser that is forked from Firefox and developed by System1. There are official Waterfox releases for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Divisions
Waterfox
Waterfox shares core features and technologies like the Gecko b ...
References
{{Web browsers, active
2020 software
Free and open-source software
Free web browsers
Gecko-based software
Linux web browsers
macOS web browsers
Software using the Mozilla Public License
Web browsers
Web browsers based on Firefox
Windows web browsers
Software forks