Basilisk features

Basilisk is a desktop web browser focused on long-term usability, predictability, and control. It is built on the Unified XUL Platform (UXP) and the Goanna rendering engine, an independent fork of Mozilla’s pre-Servo codebase.

Basilisk supports the technologies required for the modern web, while deliberately avoiding the rapid architectural and interface changes common in mainstream browsers.

What makes Basilisk different

• Independent browser engine (Goanna), not based on Chromium.
• Not developed by Mozilla and not aligned with modern Firefox architecture.
• Designed around a traditional, desktop-focused user interface.
• Emphasis on long-term stability and predictable behavior.
• No mandatory browser accounts or cloud integration.

Extensions and customization

• Support for XUL and overlay-based extensions.
• Deep UI and behavior customization through extensions and preferences.
• No enforced extension signing or centralized extension control.

Legacy and specialized technologies

• Optional support for NPAPI plugins for specialized or legacy workflows.
• Commonly used for classic web content and software preservation projects.
• Allows continued use of technologies removed from most modern browsers.

Modern web platform support

Basilisk implements contemporary web standards, including modern JavaScript, HTML, CSS, WebAssembly, and secure networking technologies.

New platform features are added deliberately, prioritizing correctness, compatibility, and long-term maintainability over rapid change.

Screenshots

• Basilisk on Windows, Add-on Manager opened:
  
• Basilisk on Windows with bookmarks toolbar enabled:
  
• Basilisk on Windows with classic menu and title bar:
  
• Basilisk on Linux: