w3m

A text-based web browser and pager that runs in the terminal.

FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line
Official websitegithub.com

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About w3m

w3m is a text-mode web browser that doubles as a pager, so it can display web pages as well as local files inside a terminal. It renders tables and frames in plain text and can show inline images in supported terminals through its w3mimg component.

This repository is the version maintained for Debian, with over 2,400 commits, documentation in English, German and Japanese, and fuzz tests. It suits people working over SSH, on servers or in minimal environments who need to read web pages without a graphical browser.

Strengths

  • Runs entirely in a terminal, including over SSH
  • Renders tables and frames as text
  • Also works as a pager for local files

Limitations

  • No JavaScript, so many modern sites will not work
  • Text interface takes some learning

Details

Pricing
FreeFree and open source.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The w3m contributors
Platforms
Linux, Command line
How it runs
Downloadable app
Account
Not required
Best suited for
Reading web pages from a terminal or on a server without a desktop
Categories
Web browsers
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to w3m

Compare all

Software that can replace w3m for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • Lynx

    Text-mode web browser for terminals and remote systems.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Lynx is a GPL-2.0 text-mode browser that works in any terminal and also runs on Windows and macOS, but it does not render tables as w3m does.

  • ELinks

    A text-mode web browser for the terminal, maintained as an actively developed fork.

    FreeProprietaryLinuxCommand line

    ELinks is an actively maintained text-mode terminal browser for Linux, usually installed through a distribution package or built from source, with no JavaScript support listed.

  • Links

    Small browser that runs either as text in a terminal or in a basic graphics mode.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Links renders tables and frames in text mode and adds a basic graphics mode that draws images without X, but it also has no JavaScript engine.

  • Browsh

    Browse modern web pages through a terminal interface.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Browsh renders modern pages with a Firefox backend and shows them as text in the terminal, so JavaScript sites work, but it requires Firefox installed.

w3m as an alternative

Listings that name w3m as an alternative.

  • NetSurf

    A small, fast open-source web browser written in C with its own layout engine.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinux

    w3m runs entirely in a terminal, renders tables and frames as text and doubles as a pager, but has no JavaScript and is listed for Linux only.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

Report a wrong fact or a dead link on this listing