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About surf
surf is a simple web browser based on WebKit2/GTK+. It displays websites and follows links, and has almost nothing else. There are no tabs; you start it with a URL and press Ctrl-g to open a new one. It supports XEmbed, so other programs can embed it, and it can be pointed to a new URI through X properties.
It suits people who use tiling window managers such as dwm and want a browser without extra interface. Changes are made through patches and the source code. The project is actively developed.
Strengths
- Very small, keyboard-driven browser
- Can be embedded in other applications through XEmbed
- Fits suckless tools such as dwm and tabbed
Limitations
- No built-in tabs
- Depends on WebKit2GTK packaging, which the developers warn can be troublesome
- Customization means editing and recompiling the source
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree to download and build from source.
- License
- Proprietary
- Developer
- suckless.org
- Platforms
- Linux
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Best suited for
- Tiling window manager users who want a bare-bones 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 surf
Compare allSoftware that can replace surf for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
vimb
A lightweight, keyboard-driven web browser with Vim-style modes, built on WebKitGTK and GTK4.
vimb is also a keyboard-driven WebKitGTK browser, now on GTK4, but adds Vim-style modes, runtime-changeable settings and native tabs, and is open source.
Luakit
A keyboard-driven web browser built on WebKitGTK and GTK, configured and extended with Lua.
Luakit stays on WebKitGTK for Linux but adds tabs, link hints, an ad blocker and runtime configuration in Lua instead of recompiling the source.
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 isolated ephemeral sessions per tab, and like surf is built from source for Linux-style desktops.
qutebrowser
A keyboard-driven browser with vim-style bindings and almost no interface to click on.
qutebrowser is a GPL-3.0 keyboard-driven browser on QtWebEngine with vim bindings and a Python config file, and runs on Windows and macOS as well as Linux.
GNOME Web
GNOME's browser, built on WebKitGTK, formerly known as Epiphany.
GNOME Web also uses WebKitGTK on Linux but offers a plain graphical interface with tabs and GNOME integration instead of compile-time configuration.
Nyxt
Keyboard-first browser configured and extended in Common Lisp.
Nyxt is a keyboard-first browser configured live in Common Lisp with a fuzzy command prompt, on macOS and Linux, though web compatibility trails mainstream browsers.
Vieb
A Vim-inspired Electron desktop browser built for keyboard navigation, with local ad blocking and strict permissions.
Vieb is an open-source Electron browser with Vim-style keybindings, a built-in ad blocker and window splitting, configured through a viebrc file rather than compiling.
Dillo
Browse lightweight pages with a small graphical browser.
Dillo is a small GPL-3.0 graphical browser with modest resource needs on Linux and macOS, though modern web applications may need a more complete engine.
surf as an alternative
Listings that name surf as an alternative.
Glide
A keyboard-focused, extensible web browser configured in TypeScript, currently in alpha.
surf is a minimal WebKit2GTK browser from suckless with no built-in tabs, configured by editing and recompiling the source, and it targets Linux.
NetSurf
A small, fast open-source web browser written in C with its own layout engine.
surf is a minimal suckless browser on WebKit2GTK with no tabs, configured by editing and recompiling the source on Linux.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
