Create your own custom browser

Question

I want to shape my own browser or at least modify a existing one so far that it meets my needs.

I want a fast browser (starting and running, not necessarily faster rendering) without any stuff I don't use and simple productive navigation (like Firefox + Vimperator + Tree Style Tab), only much more integrated into each other and a different GUI.

I was thinking about just looking into the current two top browsers chrome and firefox (open-source wise) and branch my own smaller version out of it.

By just using WebKit or Gecko I will have to implement all the Connection-stuff, too, but I really am not interested in doing that.

So my questions are:

1. Does it make sense to start off with a current browser and strip off certain features and the frontend and replace it with my own code?

2. Chrome or Firefox? Which one is less complex? I don't care much about Plugins and Extensions, so they aren't they pretty much even in features otherwise?

Thanks for your answers

p.s.: It's a just-for-fun at-home project, so please no "just use the browsers..."-stuff...

Solution 1

The best point would be looking at the webkit project: http://webkit.org/.

This is basically the skeleton for a browser or a framework to create a new browser.

Safari and konqueror were build using the webkit framework.

Solution 2

K-Meleon is an open source webbrowser that you're free to do as you like with. it's light weight and very easy to work with. I was looking at doing the same as you but decided on making my own in vb.

http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/

Solution 3

SeaMonkey is a very fast browser

http://www.seamonkey-project.org

Comments

[ShoX]

Isn't Webkit only the rendering engine? So I would have to take care for encryption, connection handling etc myself?

[unlobito]

Nope, (IIRC) Webkit compiles into a full blown browser.

[ShoX]

Ok, I will take a look at it, thanks. Btw, what does IIRC stand for?

[Joel Verhagen]

IIRC means "if I recall correctly".