Basilisk Web Browser

[browneylad]

A XUL-based web-browser demonstrating the Unified XUL Platform (UXP).
This browser is a close twin to pre-Servo Firefox in how it operates.

Basilisk is a free and Open Source XUL-based web browser, featuring the well-known Firefox-style interface and operation. It is based on the Goanna layout and rendering engine (a fork of Gecko) and builds on the Unified XUL Platform (UXP), which in turn is a fork of the Mozilla code base without Servo or Rust.

Basilisk as an application is primarily a vessel for development of the XUL platform it builds upon, and additionally a potential replacement for Firefox to retain the use of Firefox Extensions.

Basilisk is development software. This means that it should be considered more or less "beta" at all times; it may have some bugs and is provided as-is, with potential defects. Like any other Free Software community project, it comes without any warranty or promise of fitness for any particular purpose. That being said: of course we will do our best to provide an as stable and secure browser as possible with every official release of Basilisk.

It should be noted that because of this focus on platform development, the browser itself (the application code) will be released and maintained mostly as-it-is, with very little change or development on the user interface or browser front-end features.

Found this browser today. Could not find thread on it so posted. On reading its interesting. Supports Win7 & above, no Vista or lower. Basilisk web browser

 

[antreas]

No thanks its from Moon child. He does thinks i don't like, You remember when he blacklisted AdNauseam extension? better go with waterfox.

 

[shmu26]

No thanks its from Moon child. He does thinks i don't like, You remember when he blacklisted AdNauseam extension? better go with waterfox.

How does waterfox compare to palemoon, and why would a person choose one over the other?

 

[antreas]

How does waterfox compare to palemoon, and why would a person choose one over the other?

Waterfox developer will not blacklist an extension because he like too. palemoon developer blacklisted an extension for hes own stupid reason.

 

[Prorootect]

Based on my experience, my opinion of Moonchild is very positive.
He is a talented developer, who donates his free time of his unique life, to create things from which many people benefit.
For example this browser, from which I send you this post, is called Basilisk exactly. - 'You are using Firefox 55.0' - Nightly edition, portable of course.

I have very nice theme, called 'Mussala-856 meters'; I have already some extensions: Behind The Overlay (Moon Edition), Dark Background and Light Text, Policeman, QuickJS, among others.

- Basilisk has only 1 process (basilisk.exe 306.7 MB Working Set in Process Hacker now, but this change...started at 84 MB, then 87 MB, 90 MB, 240 MB ... this depends how many extensions you use, of course), it is especially fast and nice!
Very Nice Home Page: Nightly Start Page gives the choice of different search engines: DuckDuckGo - default, then Yahoo!, Bing... I use DDG.
It's a browser under development, so well, on there are some problems (eg not many extensions that can work, for now) - but I'm already happy and eagerly awaiting Moonchild's adjustments!
For those who want to know more, download it (I have portable version..), and take a look at the forum specially dedicated to Basilisk here: on forum.palemoon.org: Basilisk - Pale Moon forum

- and have a Nice Day!

PS. Thank you browneylad for this thread!

 

[Prorootect]

So thanks to Moonchild's Basilisk I am using Firefox 55 Nightly edition and I'm very happy with its smooth running already.
- but sure that the name choice (Basilisk) is very bad...

Even Windows XP Basilisk download link on msfn.org Page 15 here: My build of New Moon (temp. name) a.k.a. Pale Moon for XP

 

[Prorootect]

Recently, I use almost exclusively the Basilisk browser (= Firefox 55 Nightly edition, with pleasant Australis UI, theme)... and I'm not alone to do this:


"Sure, how about this: I just switched from legacy Pale Moon to Basilisk, so it is a replacement

... in the real world(tm) users decide what replaces what by voting with their feet, er, software installations."
- posted by Sun42 on the page 2 of the topic here: Problem: Basilisk seen as replacement for "legacy PM" by some - Page 2 - Pale Moon forum

Then you have this browser's speed comparison results on the first page of the topic above:
"Basilisk it is faster then Firefox 57 Quantum it is faster then Firefox 56 it is faster then Vivaldi or Chrome
if the results are unclear the list is from first to last
Basilisk , Firefox 57 x64, Firefox 57 x86 no addons (I run a portable build), Firefox 56, Vivaldi 1.12 (no addons) not Chrome, Vivldi 1.13 (no addons), Basilisk with greasemonkey (I don't use greasemonkey in FF), PaleMoon 27.6.1, the next is FF57 but I was watching a video when I did that test so ignore it, Chrome 62 no addons, Vivaldi 1.12 with ublock-origin and tampermonkey, Palemoon with greasemonkey, Vivaldi 1.13 with ublock-origin and tampermonkey
Surprisingly the winner is Basilisk, PaleMoon is slower then Firefox and Vivaldi but beats Chrome"
- wrote ianas, in the post of this page 1...

Other quotes from this interesting topic:

"...on my old dual core Basilisk is the fastest followed by Firefox 57 then 56 then Vivaldi and PaleMoon Chrome is the slowest"
"Basilisk will support DRM and WebExt, but also continue to support XUL/XPCOM, and uses Australis (UI, theme)."
"Basilisk's Application code is Late Firefox Australis with junk stripped out.."

And from "Terminology summary" thread by Moonchild: Terminology summary - Pale Moon forum
"Basilisk: A browser application based on UXP using (an updated version of) the Goanna engine for layout and rendering."

To download Basilisk latest version, click on "Download" link at the top of the Home page: Basilisk web browser

Release notes here: Basilisk: contact us

v2017.11.30/v2017.12.01 Published 2017-12-01

• Fixed add-on/GMP update calls to Mozilla services.
• Enabled accessibility features.
• Enabled parental Controls features (Windows only).
• Changed blocklist hosting to self-hosted.
• Removed leveraging the blocklist for CRL purposes.
• Included the Universal Runtime Libraries with the browser.
• No longer enforcing the "preferred" cipher suite profile on Http/2.
• Added support for the worker-src CSP directive.
• Fixed freetype glyph metrics in Skia (fixes Freetype 2.8.1+ issues).
• Fixed an issue with ContentSecurityManager not passing the correct context.
• Fixed a number of issues with Contenteditable elements.
• Fixed a number of issues with pointer events.
• Implemented "cookie-averse document objects" to mitigate cookie injection.
• Fixed an issue with SVG text-based image masks.
• Fixed the installer checking for Firefox instead of Basilisk.
• Enabled the use of 64-bit plug-ins other than Flash and Silverlight.
• Made the SVG texture cache more lenient to large-resolution SVG images.
• Fixed several crashes and memory safety hazards.
• Fixed several security bugs: CVE-2017-7837, CVE-2017-7832, CVE-2017-7830, CVE-2017-7835, CVE-2017-7831, CVE-2017-7838, CVE-2017-7839, CVE-2017-7828, CVE-2017-7840, and several others from Firefox 57 that do not have a CVE designation.

 

[NormanF]

If you didn't like Mozilla's abandoning legacy extensions, Basilisk is well-positioned to allow users to run them well
into the future.

For people who hate change, it appears to be the browser they've been looking for.

 

[Prorootect]

If you didn't like Mozilla's abandoning legacy extensions, Basilisk is well-positioned to allow users to run them well
into the future.

For people who hate change, it appears to be the browser they've been looking for.

Sure NormanF - for those loving Late Firefox Australis UI with junk stripped out....
Yes for people who hate flat ugly design, for people who love rounded corners and 3D design, and fastest speed.
- vote with your feet, Guys and Dolls

 

[NormanF]

I use Classic Theme Restorer to restore the pre-Australis classic UI and I'm a happy camper.

And I still get to run legacy extensions. The best of all worlds.

 

[Prorootect]

Good for you NormanF

Classic Theme Restorer (Fx29-56): Classic Theme Restorer (Fx29-56) – Add-ons for Firefox
"Not compatible with Firefox Quantum
Squared tabs, application menu, add-on bar, small button view and many more 'old' features for 'Firefox 29-56', not for Firefox 57+! "

- Personally I prefer true classic rounded corners.

What theme you have, please?
- my theme I downloaded is "Mussala-856 meters" by rositza, happy with. The theme is darker than example. Search "rositza" too...

 

[NormanF]

Good for you NormanF

Classic Theme Restorer (Fx29-56): Classic Theme Restorer (Fx29-56) – Add-ons for Firefox
"Not compatible with Firefox Quantum
Squared tabs, application menu, add-on bar, small button view and many more 'old' features for 'Firefox 29-56', not for Firefox 57+! "

- Personally I prefer true classic rounded corners.

What theme you have, please?
- my theme I downloaded is "Mussala-856 meters" by rositza, happy with. The theme is darker than example. Search "rositza" too...

Basilisk is based on FF 55 and uses the pre-Rust Servo engine. That's the Goanna engine derived from Pale Moon. My theme is Xbox Green to match my Windows 10 XP Green theme.

 

[tonibalas]

I tried Basilisk for a few days.
Nice browser as all of you mentioned.
But the fact is that FF 57 is much faster and lighter on my system so i returned to it.
Although on Basilisk you can use legacy add on's still in my system there a noticeable difference in speed.
@Prorootect Classic theme restorer is one of those add on's i miss in the new FF

 

[NormanF]

I tried Basilisk for a few days.
Nice browser as all of you mentioned.
But the fact is that FF 57 is much faster and lighter on my system so i returned to it.
Although on Basilisk you can use legacy add on's still in my system there a noticeable difference in speed.
@Prorootect Classic theme restorer is one of those add on's i miss in the new FF

You don't need CTR in 57++ because it reverted to the classic interface. Until more WebExtensions become available for Quantum, I'll stay on classic FF.

 

[tonibalas]

@NormanF you are right.
I was remembering some other version's of FF and just now i noticed that the them is similar to FF 3.5
Maybe that's why i like it even more
Thanks for the tip.

 

[Prorootect]

Basilisk Browser thread on wilderssecurity.com: Basilisk Browser

 

[Mops21]

Hi all

Who use it and have Feedback of the Basilisk Browser

Basilisk web browser

Forum

Pale Moon forum - UXP and Basilisk

With best Regards
Mops21

 

[Prorootect]

Hi Mops21,
We have already this topic about: Basilisk Web Browser: Basilisk Web Browser
So before posting, check always the search feature on MT like me, please. Now, you could merge your post in the
Basilisk Web Browser topic, to demand the moderators, thank you!

 

[Mops21]

Hi @Prorootect

Oh sorry thank you very much for your Infos

With best Regards
Mops21

 

[Marko :)]

How-To Geek wrote an interesting article; Why You Shouldn’t Use Firefox Forks Like Waterfox, Pale Moon, or Basilisk