Blanc is a new open-source browser that replaces the traditional, always-visible tab strip and address toolbar with a minimal ‘island’.
This pill floats at the of the window (but not over the web page) to show current site address, common actions like back/forward and bookmark and to relay page security information.
It expands as-needed to open, manage and switch between tabs, enter web addresses, run searches or sift through browsing history or bookmarks. You can click the island to reveal it or press super + l at any time it. Use / to see and run commands.
Blanc uses Electron (and thus Chromium). Despite the framework’s reputation as a memory glutton, developer Anthony J. Loria claims Blanc uses a quarter of the RAM Vivaldi or Chrome do when tasks with running 6 heavy news sites in tabs.
Despite the lack of traditional tabs, common tab-based workflows like pinned tabs and tab groups are supported, just surfaced in a different way through the island. A Glance feature provides a split-view-like way to show another tab next to the current one.
Ad and tracker blocking is also built-in (uses EasyList and EasyPrivacy), and private tabs and browsing profiles are provided to help keep data separate. For those who want to run Blanc on multiple devices there is optional end-to-end encrypted sync.
You won’t find AI assistants, co-pilots or page summarisers built in. Blanc‘s slogan is that it is “a little less browser” than people may be used to, many of which are increasingly stuffed to the gills with callouts, nags and and attention capture gimmicks.
Why make a new browser?
Loria says he missed when browsers were for browsing, rather than products for extractions. He wanted to to make webpages “the main event again: no AI bot, no parade of extras, and no requirement to hand over an identity just to browse”.
Despite the sentiment, Blanc has a small parade of extras itself. A Mahjong game is built-in with various features that fans of the tile-moving puzzle will enjoy, and users can choose between a number of different new tab page designs.
A one-person browser can’t offer everything. There’s no web extension support (that may annoy those who rely on password managers) and no mobile versions (less of a concern, but some like to hand-off or resume on the go).
And one feature can only be used with a paid ‘patron’ subscription (starting at $4 a month, which also supports the browsers development). All of the things that make a browser a browser are usable, without any sign-up or subscription, and source code is on GitHub.
Download Blanc browser for Linux
Blanc offers a different UX to traditional desktop browsers. Novelty or evolution? Subjective, perhaps. Different ways of doing familiar things can catch on. A few ‘novelties’ found in Firefox fork Zen have since been mirrored in Firefox itself.
Download the latest version from the Blanc GitHub releases page. An AppImage is provided for Linux users.
While I don’t see it mentioned on the project’s website – in its boilerplate “Claude design” aesthetic glory – the Blanc GitHub suggest this is part-developed using AI coding tools. I mention it so you’re aware (and, thus, it gets a nutrition tag here).