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SparkyBin

Version 0.1

A simple web browser for Linux desktops.

SparkyBin Browser is built on WebKitGTK with GTK 4 and libadwaita. It is a maintained build of GNOME Web: the same engine and the same interface, with the extension support reworked and the rough edges ironed out.

Download 0.1 Read the source

Flatpak bundle, built on WebKitGTK. Linux only, for now.

A SparkyBin Browser window showing a page of text, with the address bar reading example.test A SparkyBin Browser window showing a page of text, with the address bar reading example.test

Extensions are on

WebExtensions load without a setting to flip first. Firefox and Chrome extensions work, as far as WebKit's implementation of the APIs allows.

The extension code was audited

A JavaScript injection in downloads.search(), a path traversal in downloads.download(), and the extension API being handed to frames that did not belong to the extension. All fixed.

Your data stays yours

The application ID, the executable and the profile directory are SparkyBin's, so it does not share history, cookies or extensions with a GNOME Web installation.

Compared with upstream

What is different from GNOME Web

SparkyBin Browser is built on GNOME Web and stays in step with it where it can. The differences below are deliberate, and the full list is in the NOTICE file in the repository.

More about the project
WebExtensions
GNOME Web: Off by default
SparkyBin: On by default
Application ID
GNOME Web: org.gnome.Epiphany
SparkyBin: com.sparkybin.Browser
Profile directory
GNOME Web: ~/.local/share/epiphany
SparkyBin: ~/.local/share/com.sparkybin.Browser
Extension code
GNOME Web: As upstream
SparkyBin: Audited and fixed
Icon and branding
GNOME Web: GNOME Web
SparkyBin: SparkyBin

Get it

Three ways to run it

One stable release, and two rolling builds for people who want to watch things change.

  • Stable Recommended
    0.1
    A tagged release, built against the WebKit in the GNOME 51 runtime.
  • Devel Soon
    tip of main
    The same build, tracking the main branch. For testing changes.
    Not published yet
  • Canary Soon
    tip of main
    Built against WebKit main. Breaks more often, and sometimes will not start.
    Not published yet

Every release is on GitHub.

From source

Build it yourself

The build needs WebKitGTK, GTK 4, libadwaita and a handful of other libraries. There is a flatpak manifest if you would rather not install them, and a container recipe in HACKING.md if you would rather not install anything at all.

Build instructions Report a problem
sh 
$ git clone https://github.com/camroybal/SparkyBin-Browser.git
$ cd SparkyBin-Browser
$ meson setup build
$ ninja -C build
$ build/src/sparkybin-browser

Free software, and it stays that way

The source is on GitHub under the GNU GPL v3, and every change made to the browser it is built on is recorded in NOTICE. The browser it is built on is GNOME Web.