Opera (web browser)

Opera
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Software, Web browser
Founded	April 10, 1995; 31 years ago
Founder	Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, Geir Ivarsøy
Headquarters	Oslo, Norway
Products	Opera web browser, Opera GX, Opera Mini, Opera Mobile, Opera Air
Website	www.opera.com

Opera is a cross-platform web browser created by the company Opera. Its current iteration is built upon the Chromium framework and is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, as well as iOS—the latter utilizing Safari's WebKit engine. Opera provides two distinct mobile editions: Opera Mobile and Opera Mini.

Debuting on 10 April 1995, Opera ranks among the earliest desktop browsers available. Originally proprietary software powered by its own Presto engine, it transitioned to the Chromium base in 2013.

In 2019, Opera launched Opera GX, a browser tailored specifically for gamers, featuring customizable mods that allow users to personalize backgrounds and branding elements. By 2025, Opera introduced Opera Air, a streamlined browser version focused on enhancing mindfulness and productivity by incorporating tools aimed at minimizing digital stress alongside essential browsing capabilities.

History

The development of the Opera web browser began in 1994 when Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy started working on it at the Norwegian telecommunications firm Telenor. In 1995, they established Opera Software AS. The first public release occurred on 10 April 1995, followed by version 2.10 in 1996 for Microsoft Windows 95. Efforts to develop mobile versions commenced in 1998.

With the release of Opera 4.0 in 2000, a new cross-platform core was introduced, enabling support across various operating systems. Initially distributed as trialware, Opera shifted to an ad-supported model with version 5.0 later that year, displaying advertisements to users who did not purchase a license. Subsequent updates allowed users to select between banner ads or targeted text ads powered by Google. By version 8.5 in 2005, advertising was completely removed, with revenue primarily generated through a search engine partnership with Google.

Version 9.1, released in 2006, incorporated fraud protection services from GeoTrust and PhishTank. This security suite was enhanced in version 9.5 by replacing GeoTrust with Netcraft and adding malware safeguards from Haute Secure.

In the same year, Opera Software ASA extended its technology to develop browsers for Nintendo’s DS and Wii gaming consoles.

The introduction of the Carakan JavaScript engine came with version 10.50, significantly improving browsing speed compared to earlier releases.

Opera 11, launched in 2010, brought features such as extensions support, tab stacking functionality, visual mouse gestures, and user interface updates; it was followed by Opera 12 in 2012.

In February 2013, Opera announced that it would discontinue its proprietary Presto engine in favor of WebKit from Google's Chromium project; later that year, it adopted Google's Blink engine.

The first Chromium-based version appeared with Opera 15 in May 2013; this release removed many legacy features and separated Opera Mail into an independent application.

A Chinese-led investment consortium including Kunlun Tech and Qihoo 360 acquired Opera in 2016. The company went public on NASDAQ on 27 July 2018, raising $115 million. In 2022, following the closure of 360 Security Technology Inc., Opera repurchased shares from investors.

In January 2017, the source code for Opera version 12.15 was leaked publicly.

That same month saw the release of Opera Neon—a concept browser designed to explore innovative design ideas for future web browsers.

Version 45 (May 2017), known as Opera Reborn, refreshed the user interface inspired by Neon and integrated popular messaging applications such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram. It also incorporated ad-blocking capabilities and enhanced security features.

Released in January 2018, Opera 50 added protection against cryptocurrency mining through its built-in ad blocker, introduced Chromecast support, improved virtual reality functionality, enabled PDF saving directly from the browser, and enhanced VPN performance with geographic options.

Opera 60 (April 2019), codenamed Reborn 3, emphasized a minimalist design along with improvements to its free VPN service; it promoted itself as the "World's first Web3 ready browser" due to blockchain-related integrations.

Announced in May 2019 and entering early access by June, Opera GX targeted gamers with specialized features.

Opera R5 (version 77) arrived in June 2021 with native sidebar support for multiple music streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Tidal, SoundCloud, and Gaana. It also introduced Pinboards for visual content organization and video popout functionality suited for conferencing. Version 83 (January 2022) expanded video popout compatibility to all video players.

On 31 January 2023, following Microsoft's end of support impacting Chromium-based browsers on older systems, Opera ceased updates for Windows versions 7 and 8.1; however, existing versions remain operational on those platforms.

By March 2023, Opera had incorporated AI-driven tools such as AI Prompts along with sidebar access to ChatGPT and ChatSonic to facilitate efficient web content summarization.

The release of Opera One (version 100) occurred in June 2023 after being previewed earlier that April. Built around artificial intelligence using the native GPT-powered Aria engine developed in partnership with OpenAI, this edition introduced tab islands for grouping tabs and significant user interface enhancements including a Multithreaded Compositor to ensure smoother rendering performance.

In February 2025, Opera previewed Browser Operator—an AI assistant embedded within the browser designed to manage browsing tasks autonomously. Subsequently in May that year, they unveiled Opera Neon, an AI-centric browser engineered to interpret user intent proactively and assist with task completion.

Features

Opera pioneered several functionalities that were subsequently embraced by other web browsers, such as Speed Dial, blocking pop-ups, restoring recently closed tabs, private browsing, and tabbed browsing. The browser also includes a native screenshot utility called Snapshot, which allows users to annotate images, along with integrated ad and tracking blockers.

Built-in messengers

The desktop version of Opera incorporates popular social media messaging platforms directly within the browser, including WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, X (previously Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and VK.

Usability and accessibility

Opera provides users with a bookmarks toolbar, a download manager, and the "Speed Dial" feature that presents an unlimited number of page thumbnails on new tabs. It was one of the earliest browsers to implement support for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) back in 1998.

Opera Turbo, a feature that compressed web content prior to delivery (excluding HTTPS traffic), has been discontinued on desktop but continues to be available in the mobile browser Opera Mini.

Privacy and security

Users can clear private information such as HTTP cookies, browsing history, cached data, and saved passwords with a single click in Opera.

The address bar displays a security icon providing information about the website and its security certificates. Opera’s built-in fraud and malware protection alerts users when visiting potentially dangerous sites by comparing them against blacklists of known phishing and malware domains.

In 2016, Opera introduced a complimentary built-in virtual private network (VPN) service designed to offer encrypted access to restricted websites and enhance security on public Wi-Fi connections. Deloitte conducted an audit of Opera VPN’s infrastructure, verifying its strict no-logging policy aimed at safeguarding user privacy.

Crypto-wallet support

Opera was the first browser to integrate a native cryptocurrency wallet in 2018, initially launched on Android devices. This wallet supports decentralized applications such as Cryptokitties.

In March 2020, Opera became the pioneer browser to enable access to .crypto domains through the IPFS, circumventing conventional DNS systems without requiring additional plugins. This was achieved via collaboration with Unstoppable Domains. By 2021, IPFS compatibility was extended to both iOS and desktop versions of Opera.

January 2022 saw the release of the Opera Crypto Browser beta, which featured a non-custodial wallet integrated with Web3 functionalities. The iOS iteration followed in April 2022. As of 2023, Opera Crypto Browser was discontinued, with its capabilities merged into the main Opera browser and Opera GX.

AI chatbot

In 2023, Opera incorporated an AI chatbot called Aria into its browser, utilizing Opera's own Composer AI technology and leveraging OpenAI's GPT framework.

Opera GX

Opera GX serves as a gaming-centric variant of the traditional Opera browser. It debuted in early access for Windows on 11 June 2019 during E3 2019, with a macOS edition following in December of the same year. This version offers all the standard Opera functionalities alongside specialized gaming features.

Notable capabilities include resource management tools that limit CPU, network, and memory consumption to enhance system efficiency, as well as GX Cleaner, which clears cache, cookies, and unnecessary files. The browser also integrates seamlessly with Twitch, Discord, Twitter, and Instagram platforms. Its GX Corner compiles curated gaming news, upcoming releases, and special offers.

In September 2019, Opera GX received a Red Dot Design Award for Interface and User Experience Design and quickly surpassed one million downloads. The mobile adaptation launched on iOS and Android in May 2021, subsequently earning two Red Dot awards that year for app design and user experience excellence.

August 2023 saw the introduction of GX Aura, a VTuber mascot representing the brand on social media. Later in November 2023, Opera GX rolled out the "Bury Boring" marketing campaign featuring comedian Eric André dismantling non-GX computers. This campaign included a bold splash screen upon launch that generated mixed feedback from users.

Opera Air

Released on 4 February 2025, Opera Air is a browser centered on mindfulness, designed as an alternative to both Opera and Opera GX. It incorporates features such as breathing exercises, meditation sessions, binaural beats, and neck stretches aimed at fostering relaxation and boosting productivity. The interface adopts a sleek "frosted glass" aesthetic to promote calmness, complemented by "Boosts"—curated playlists of soothing or energizing music intended to enhance focus or relaxation.

Development stages

Opera Software follows a three-tiered release strategy: "developer," "beta," and "stable," each available for separate download. Initial feature rollouts occur in the developer channel for early evaluation by developers and enthusiasts; this version is unstable and frequently updated multiple times weekly. The beta channel—previously known as "Opera Next"—is feature-complete with an emphasis on stability and quality assurance, releasing updates every few weeks. Both developer and beta builds can coexist alongside the stable version without interference, each distinguished by distinct icons for user clarity.

Integrations

In 2005, Adobe Systems adopted Opera’s Presto rendering engine within several Adobe Creative Suite products such as Adobe GoLive, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver. Additionally, Opera’s layout engine is embedded in Virtual Mechanics SiteSpinner Pro. A customized version of Opera 9 called the Internet Channel was jointly developed by Opera Software and Nintendo for the Nintendo Wii console. Moreover, Opera’s technology underpins the Nintendo DS Browser and Nintendo DSi Browser on handheld devices.

By April 2021, Opera had amassed more than 320 million active users worldwide.

Reception

Opera is acknowledged as a strong alternative to Chrome, achieving comparable scores on the HTML5test for compliance with web standards. Earlier editions powered by the Presto engine were well-received but encountered criticism due to compatibility problems with certain websites. To mitigate these issues, Opera versions from 8.01 onward incorporated specific fixes targeting commonly problematic sites.

The shift to Blink-based versions has drawn some critique for limiting user interface customization and moving away from the Presto engine. Nevertheless, these iterations are commended for enhanced speed, greater stability, superior adherence to web standards, improved compatibility with websites, and a sleek, contemporary interface.

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