Ladybird

Ladybird is an open-source web browser built from scratch with its own independent engine, avoiding the use of Blink, WebKit, or Gecko. The software is currently in a pre-alpha state and is intended primarily for use by developers who wish to test or contribute to its early development stages.

Ladybird operates as a desktop application available for Linux, macOS, Windows via WSL2, and other Unix-like systems. It implements a novel engine based on web standards and is developed by a non-profit entity. This organizational structure ensures that the project operates without search engine deals or the monetization of user data, focusing instead on the technical implementation of a standards-compliant browser.

Key features

• Multi-process architecture with separate UI and renderer processes
• Sandboxed renderer processes for each browser tab
• Out-of-process image decoding and network connections
• Custom JavaScript engine via LibJS
• Independent web rendering engine through LibWeb
• WebAssembly implementation via LibWasm
• Integrated 2D graphics library for image decoding and rendering
• Built-in HTTP/1.1 client and TLS support
• Native Unicode and locale support

The internal architecture relies on several core library components inherited from SerenityOS to manage low-level system operations. These include LibIPC for inter-process communication and LibCore for the event loop and OS abstraction layer. By isolating the RequestServer and ImageDecoder processes, the browser aims to increase stability and security when encountering malicious web content. The project also includes LibMedia for audio and video playback and LibCrypto for cryptography primitives.

Development is conducted under a 2-clause BSD license, allowing for broad redistribution and modification. The project maintains a focus on creating a complete, usable browser for the modern web by building every component from the ground up rather than relying on existing browser engines. This approach allows for a unique implementation of the web stack, from the network layer to the final graphical render.

Ladybird serves as a technical experiment in creating a fully independent browser stack for the modern web.