Site-specific browser

Screenshot showing Wikipedia website running in a site-specific browser window created by Fluid on Mac OS X

GNOME Web (previously called Epiphany) showing Wikipedia in Web Application mode

A site-specific browser (SSB) is a software application dedicated to accessing pages from a single source (site) on a computer network such as the Internet or a private intranet. SSBs typically simplify the more complex functions of a web browser by excluding the menus, toolbars and browser graphical user interface associated with functions that are external to the workings of a single site. ^[1]

Modern site-specific browsers range from simple browser windows without navigation controls to sophisticated desktop applications built with frameworks like Electron that bundle entire browser engines. This evolution has enabled many popular desktop applications to be built using web technologies, effectively making them advanced site-specific browsers. ^[2]

History

Early development

One of the earliest examples of an SSB was MacDICT, a Mac OS 9 application that accessed various websites to define, translate, or find synonyms for words typed into a text box. However, the first general-purpose SSB is considered to be Bubbles, which launched in late 2005 on the Windows platform. ^[3] Bubbles introduced the term "Site Specific Extensions" for SSB userscripts and created the first SSB JavaScript API.

In 2007, Mozilla announced Prism (originally called WebRunner), a project to integrate web applications with the desktop. ^[4] That same year, Todd Ditchendorf, a former Apple Dashboard engineer, released Fluid for macOS. ^[5]

On 2 September 2008, Google Chrome was released with a built-in "Create application shortcut" feature, bringing SSB functionality to mainstream users. ^[6] This feature allowed any website to be launched in a separate window without the browser interface.

Modern era

The landscape of site-specific browsers changed dramatically with the introduction of Electron in 2013 (originally called Atom Shell). ^[7] Electron combined Chromium and Node.js into a single runtime, enabling developers to build desktop applications using web technologies. This framework has since powered applications used by hundreds of millions of users, including Visual Studio Code, Slack, Discord, and Microsoft Teams. ^[8]

In 2015, the concept of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) was introduced by Google engineers Alex Russell and Frances Berriman, representing a parallel evolution in web-to-desktop technology. ^[9] While PWAs share similar goals with SSBs, they follow web standards and can be installed directly from browsers.

More recently, alternative frameworks like Tauri have emerged, offering significantly smaller application sizes by using the system's native web renderer instead of bundling Chromium. ^[10]

Technical implementation

Site-specific browsers can be implemented through various approaches:

Browser-based SSBs

The simplest form of SSB is created through browser features that allow websites to run in separate windows without the standard browser interface. Modern Chromium-based browsers offer "Install as app" or "Create shortcut" functionality that creates a dedicated window for a specific website. These SSBs share the browser's underlying engine and resources but operate in isolated windows.

Framework-based SSBs

More sophisticated SSBs are built using application frameworks:

• Electron : Bundles a complete Chromium browser with Node.js, resulting in applications of 85MB or larger. Each Electron application runs its own browser instance, providing full access to system APIs but consuming significant resources. ^[11]
• Tauri: Uses the operating system's native web rendering engine (WebView2 on Windows, WebKit on macOS, and WebKitGTK on Linux), resulting in applications typically 2.5-10MB in size. ^[12]
• Other frameworks: Include Neutralino.js (ultra-lightweight using system browser), Wails (Go-based), and the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF).

Comparison with Progressive Web Apps

While site-specific browsers and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) share the goal of bringing web content to the desktop, they differ in several key aspects:

Aspect	Site-specific browsers	Progressive Web Apps
Standards	Proprietary implementations	W3C standardized [13]
Installation	Manual creation or developer-distributed	Browser-prompted installation
Offline support	Basic caching	Full Service Worker support
Development	Any website can be used	Must meet specific criteria
Distribution	Traditional downloads or app stores	Web-based, optional store distribution
System access	Full (framework-dependent)	Limited to web APIs

Applications

Site-specific browsers have become the foundation for many popular desktop applications:

Communication and collaboration: Many modern communication tools are built as SSBs, including Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp Desktop. These applications benefit from web-based development while providing desktop integration.

Development tools: Visual Studio Code, used by 73.6% of developers according to Stack Overflow's 2024 survey, ^[14] is built with Electron, as are Atom and GitHub Desktop.

Productivity software: Applications like Notion, Obsidian, and various project management tools use SSB technology to provide consistent experiences across platforms.

Security and performance

Memory usage

Framework-based SSBs, particularly those using Electron, are known for high memory consumption. Studies show Electron applications typically use 120-300MB at baseline, with complex applications consuming significantly more. ^[15] This is approximately 5-10 times more memory than equivalent native applications.

Security considerations

SSBs can provide security benefits through process isolation, where each application runs in its own sandboxed environment. However, bundling an entire browser engine also means each application must be updated independently to patch security vulnerabilities. Research presented at the Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium has identified various security challenges specific to Electron applications. ^[16]

Bundle sizes

The choice of framework significantly impacts application size:

• Electron applications: 85MB+ (includes full Chromium)
• Tauri applications: 2.5-10MB (uses system WebView)
• Browser-based SSBs: No additional download (uses existing browser)

Software

Browser support

Most modern browsers provide some form of SSB functionality:

• Chromium-based browsers (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi): "Install as app" or "Create shortcut" feature
• Safari : "Add to Dock" feature in macOS Sonoma (2023) ^[17]
• Firefox : Removed SSB support in December 2020 (version 85) ^[18]
• GNOME Web : "Install Site as Web Application" feature

Standalone tools

Active

• WebCatalog (Windows, macOS, Linux) – Manages multiple SSBs with isolated storage
• Fluid (macOS) – Pioneering SSB creator for Mac
• Unite (macOS) – Creates SSBs with customization options
• Coherence X (macOS) – Advanced SSB creation tool
• Pake (cross-platform) – Open-source SSB creator
• Wavebox (cross-platform) – Workspace browser with SSB features

Discontinued

• Mozilla Prism – Cross-platform SSB creator (discontinued 2011)
• Nativefier – Command-line SSB creator (discontinued 2023)
• Epichrome – macOS SSB creator (discontinued 2021)

Development frameworks

• Electron – Most popular framework, bundles Chromium and Node.js
• Tauri – Rust-based framework using system WebView
• Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) – C++ library for embedding Chromium
• Neutralino.js – Lightweight framework using system browser
• Wails – Go-based framework for web frontends

See also

• Software portal

• Chromium Embedded Framework
• Electron
• Progressive web application
• Rich web application
• Single-page application
• Web application
• Web browser

References

1. "Fluid - Turn Your Favorite Web Sites Into Real Mac Apps". Fluid. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
2. "Electron - Build cross-platform desktop apps with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS". OpenJS Foundation. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
3. "Between Web & Desktop, Bubbles". Gigaom.com. 15 April 2006. Archived from the original on April 17, 2006. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
4. "Prism - MozillaWiki". Mozilla. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
5. "About Fluid". Fluid. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
6. "Create application shortcuts - Chrome Help". Google Inc. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
7. "Electron Blog". OpenJS Foundation. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
8. "Electron Apps". OpenJS Foundation. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
9. Russell, Alex (15 June 2015). "Progressive Web Apps: Escaping Tabs Without Losing Our Soul" . Retrieved 4 July 2025.
10. "Tauri - Build smaller, faster, and more secure desktop applications". Tauri. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
11. "Process Model - Electron". OpenJS Foundation. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
12. "Tauri Architecture". Tauri. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
13. "Web App Manifest". W3C. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
14. "Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024". Stack Overflow. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
15. "Performance - Electron". OpenJS Foundation. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
16. A Security Study about Electron Applications and a Programming Methodology to Tame DOM Functionalities. NDSS Symposium 2023. 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
17. "Use Safari web apps on Mac". Apple Support. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
18. "Bug 1682593 - Remove the SSB feature". Mozilla. Retrieved 4 July 2025.

External links

• Electron official website
• Tauri official website
• MDN Web Docs: Progressive Web Apps
• GitHub: Site-specific browser projects