Ladybird: That Rare Breed of Browser Based on Web Standards
7 hours ago
- #web-standards
- #browsers
- #open-source
- Ladybird is a new, fully open-source browser built independently from the ground up, distinct from Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera.
- Founded by Andreas Kling, who has a background in WebKit-based development, Ladybird emerged as a spin-off from his Serenity OS project.
- Ladybird is non-commercial, with sponsorships that don’t influence governance, unlike some nonprofits that offer board seats to high-paying sponsors.
- The browser adheres strictly to web standards, passing all 100 Acid3 tests—outperforming Chrome (94/100) and Safari (97/100).
- Traditional browsers often compromise standards to optimize for mobile or specific sites, but Ladybird prioritizes compliance over shortcuts.
- Performance is currently a weakness (10x slower than major browsers), but the team follows a 'Make it work, make it right, make it fast' development mantra.
- Ladybird’s engine is tested against 1.8 million web standard compliance tests, ensuring predictable webpage behavior.
- The team evaluated Rust but prefers Swift for future development, despite its Apple associations.
- No immediate plans for mobile (Android/iOS) or Windows support; Windows compatibility is slated for ~2028 due to limited developer bandwidth.
- Supporting Ladybird promotes diversity in browsers and pushes back against sites that ignore web standards, advocating for a healthier web ecosystem.