vimb
A lightweight, keyboard-driven web browser with Vim-style modes, built on WebKitGTK and GTK4.
These buttons open the developer's own site, repository or store listing in a new tab. wares.gg does not host downloads.
About vimb
Vimb is a modal web browser that works like the Vim editor. Keybindings can be assigned per mode, and almost every setting can be changed at runtime with Vim-like :set syntax. It keeps a history of ex commands and is controlled mainly from the keyboard.
Recent versions moved to GTK4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 and added native tabs within a single window, a :quitall command and a setting to turn media support off.
Strengths
- Vim-style modal controls with per-mode keybindings
- Settings changeable at runtime
- Lightweight WebKitGTK engine
- Native tabs in a single window
Limitations
- Keyboard-centric design has a learning curve
- Built on GTK and WebKitGTK, so aimed at Linux-style desktops
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source.
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- Daniel Carl
- Platforms
- Linux
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Best suited for
- Vim users who want to browse without reaching for the mouse
- Categories
- Web browsers
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to vimb
Compare allSoftware that can replace vimb 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 keeps vim-style keyboard control with link hints but uses QtWebEngine instead of WebKitGTK, is configured in Python, and also runs on Windows and macOS.
Luakit
A keyboard-driven web browser built on WebKitGTK and GTK, configured and extended with Lua.
Luakit stays on WebKitGTK for Linux with link hints and keyboard navigation, adding a built-in ad blocker and vertical tabs, but its configuration is written in Lua.
Vieb
A Vim-inspired Electron desktop browser built for keyboard navigation, with local ad blocking and strict permissions.
Vieb offers Vim-style keybindings on Windows, macOS and Linux with a built-in ad blocker and container tabs, but it is built on Electron rather than WebKitGTK.
Nyxt
Keyboard-first browser configured and extended in Common Lisp.
Nyxt is a keyboard-first browser with a fuzzy command prompt, configured live in Common Lisp and available on macOS, though its web compatibility trails mainstream browsers.
Glide
A keyboard-focused, extensible web browser configured in TypeScript, currently in alpha.
Glide provides modal Vim-style keymaps, link hints and web extension support configured in TypeScript across desktops, but it is alpha software with missing features.
surf
A minimal WebKit2GTK web browser from the suckless project, without tabs and configured at compile time.
surf is a smaller keyboard-driven WebKit2GTK browser from suckless, but it has no built-in tabs and customisation means editing and recompiling the source.
vimb as an alternative
Listings that name vimb as an alternative.
BadWolf
A minimalist, privacy-oriented web browser built on WebKitGTK with JavaScript off by default.
vimb keeps WebKitGTK on Linux but adds Vim-style modal keybindings, native tabs and runtime settings, replacing BadWolf's conventional shortcuts with a keyboard-centric learning curve.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
