Otter Browser
| Company type | Open-source software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Web browser development |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Michał Dutkiewicz |
Area served | Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, macOS, Haiku, RISC OS, OS/2, Windows |
| Products | Web browser |
| Website | otter-browser |
Otter Browser is a multi-platform web browser developed to replicate essential functionalities found in Opera 12.x, utilizing the Qt framework. This open-source and free software is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later license and is compatible with Linux distributions, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, macOS, Haiku, RISC OS, OS/2, and Windows operating systems.
History
Initiated by Michał Dutkiewicz in 2014, Otter Browser emerged as a solution to the lack of Linux support and the removal of features in Opera versions following 12. The initial alpha release appeared in January 2014, originally built on QtWebEngine because the Presto engine was proprietary. The development focus centers on modularity and user customization rather than creating an exact Opera replica.
In 2019, Otter Browser was adapted for RISC OS under the name OBrowser; however, it did not fully adhere to conventional RISC OS application standards. That same year marked the launch of its first stable version.
By 2022, both Otter Browser and QT5 were ported to OS/2, offering a contemporary web browsing alternative to the outdated Firefox 49 still present on that platform.
Features
Operating on QtWebEngine—a Blink engine variant employed by Chromium—Otter Browser is tailored for seamless use within KDE Plasma and Unity desktop environments. Its feature set includes an integrated feed reader compatible with RSS and Atom formats, a note-taking application, and cookie management accessible via a sidebar interface. Additional functionalities encompass content blocking, popup prevention, session handling, password management, bookmarking capabilities, support for userscripts, and privacy options such as do not track.
Planned enhancements for upcoming releases involve tab grouping functionality, form auto-completion, extension integration, and inclusion of a mail client.
Reception
The browser has garnered favorable feedback due to its ambition to restore classic Opera features alongside its modular architecture. It is recognized for efficient performance with minimal resource consumption and an intuitive user experience. Nonetheless, critiques point out the current absence of theming options, lack of extension support, and a limited set of unique features when compared to other web browsers.