Site-specific browser

A site-specific browser (SSB) is a software application that is 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 chrome associated with functions that are external to the workings of a single site. These applications are typically started by a desktop icon which is usually a favicon.[1]

Screenshot showing Wikipedia website running in a site-specific browser window created by Fluid on Mac OS X
Web (previously called Epiphany) on GNOME

Site-specific browsers are often implemented through the use of existing application frameworks such as Gecko, WebKit, Microsoft's Internet Explorer (the underlying layout engines, specifically Trident and JScript) and Opera's Presto. SSBs built upon these frameworks allow web applications and social networking tools to start with desktop icons launching in a manner similar to standard non-browser applications. Some technologies, including Adobe's AIR and JavaFX use specialized development kits that can create cross-platform SSBs. Since version 6.0, the Curl platform has offered detached applets and the EmbeddedBrowserGraphic class which can be used as an SSB on the desktop.

Applications

One early example of an SSB is MacDICT, a Mac OS 9 application that accessed various web sites to define, translate, or find synonyms for words typed into a text box. A more current example is WeatherBug Desktop, which is a standalone client accessing information also available at the weatherbug.com website but configured to display real-time weather data for a user-specified location.

The first general purpose SSB is believed to be Bubbles[2] which launched late 2005 on the Windows platform and later coined the term "Site Specific Extensions" for SSB userscripts and introduced the SSB Javascript API.

On 2 September 2008, the Google Chrome web browser was released for Windows. Although Chrome is a full featured browser, it also contains a "Create application shortcut"[3] menu item that adds the ability to create a stand-alone SSB window for any site. This is similar to Mozilla Prism (formerly WebRunner), now discontinued, but which is available as an add-on to the Firefox browser version 3.[4]

Examples of applications of SSBs in various situations include:

Mobile applications

As of 2019, Firefox and Google Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS allow the creation of site-specific browsers for progressive web applications (PWAs).

Software

Utilities that produce site-specific browsers:

  • SiteSpecificBrowser.com (flagged by Norton as a virus,[5] specifically SONAR.Heuristic.120)
  • WebCatalog (macOS/Windows/Linux, isolated cookie storage)
  • Fluid (Mac OS X only, isolated cookie storage)
  • Epichrome (Mac OS only)
  • Google Chrome (Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux:[6] "Application shortcut" feature, though not entirely sandboxed like Mozilla Prism) (feature not apparently available as of 2020)
  • ICE (software)|ICE (Linux only, developed for Peppermint OS)
  • Mailplane (Mac OS only)
  • Mozilla Prism (cross-platform, Flash-compatible, and true application isolation (e.g., cookies); discontinued)
  • GNOME Web ("Install Site as Web Application" feature)
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Internet Explorer 9 and higher[7]
  • Wavebox (Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux)
  • Unite (Mac OS only)
  • Hermit (Available for Android only)
  • iOS Safari: Share --> Add to Home Screen.
  • NoScript's ABE module with rules like
Site x.com y.net
Accept from x.com y.net
Deny
Site * Deny

Rich Internet application (RIA) platforms:

Widget engines:

gollark: Probably weirdness with taxes.
gollark: Knowing governments, there are *probably* bizarre and stupid laws applying?
gollark: I mean, cryptography is a much bigger subject than just... blockchain things.
gollark: Apparently "PeerCoin" had it first and Ethereum is/was considering it.
gollark: It's less wasteful than proof of work, but also arguably not really very fair.

References
  1. Lane, Dave (9 August 2011). "Creating a multi-resolution favicon including transparency with the GIMP". Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  2. "Between Web & Desktop, Bubbles". Gigaom.com. May 6, 2009. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
  3. "Google Chrome – Features". google.com. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  4. "Google Chrome First Impressions". coals2newcastle.com. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  5. "Norton". Norton.
  6. "Create application shortcuts". google.com. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  7. Bowen, Chris (May 12, 2011). "Internet Explorer 9 Pinned Site Shortcuts vs Internet Shortcuts". msdn.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
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