Luakit
A keyboard-driven web browser built on WebKitGTK and GTK, configured and extended with Lua.
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About Luakit
Luakit is a browser framework built on the WebKit engine and the GTK toolkit. Its behaviour and interface are configured and extended in Lua. It is aimed at power users and developers who want fine-grained control over how their browser works.
It uses a modal, keyboard-driven style with a follow mode that shows link hints. It also has a built-in ad blocker with filter lists, themes and optional vertical tabs. Security depends on the WebKitGTK version your distribution ships, so an outdated package can leave known vulnerabilities.
Strengths
- Deep customisation through Lua configuration
- Keyboard navigation with link hints
- Built-in ad blocker with filter list support
- Vertical tabs and themes available
Limitations
- Security depends on the WebKitGTK version your distribution packages
- BSD, Solaris and Windows via WSL work but are not actively supported
- Configuration requires comfort with Lua
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source under the GNU GPLv3.
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Developer
- The Luakit contributors
- Platforms
- Linux
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Best suited for
- Linux power users who want a scriptable, keyboard-first browser
- Categories
- Web browsers
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to Luakit
Compare allSoftware that can replace Luakit for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
qutebrowser
A keyboard-driven browser with vim-style bindings and almost no interface to click on.
qutebrowser offers vim-style bindings, link hints and Python configuration on QtWebEngine, with Windows and macOS builds, but no Chrome or Firefox extension support.
vimb
A lightweight, keyboard-driven web browser with Vim-style modes, built on WebKitGTK and GTK4.
vimb is a Vim-style browser on WebKitGTK and GTK4 with runtime-changeable settings and native tabs, without Lua scripting.
Nyxt
Keyboard-first browser configured and extended in Common Lisp.
Nyxt is keyboard-first with a fuzzy command prompt, configured live in Common Lisp instead of Lua, and runs on macOS as well as Linux.
Vieb
A Vim-inspired Electron desktop browser built for keyboard navigation, with local ad blocking and strict permissions.
Vieb is a Vim-inspired Electron browser with a built-in ad blocker, container tabs and viebrc configuration, running on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Glide
A keyboard-focused, extensible web browser configured in TypeScript, currently in alpha.
Glide provides Vim-style keymaps and link hints with TypeScript configuration and web extension support, but it is alpha software with missing features and bugs.
surf
A minimal WebKit2GTK web browser from the suckless project, without tabs and configured at compile time.
surf is a minimal WebKit2GTK browser from suckless without built-in tabs, customised by editing and recompiling the source rather than through Lua.
BadWolf
A minimalist, privacy-oriented web browser built on WebKitGTK with JavaScript off by default.
BadWolf is a small WebKitGTK browser with JavaScript off by default and conventional shortcuts, customised through CSS rather than a scripting language.
GNOME Web
GNOME's browser, built on WebKitGTK, formerly known as Epiphany.
GNOME Web also uses WebKitGTK but offers a deliberately plain interface integrated with the GNOME desktop instead of keyboard-driven Lua scripting.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
