With all of the well-deserved
kudos and coverage that I have been giving to the rekonq web browser the last few days, I would be remiss to forget to mention another Qt-based web browser that is available for Kubuntu and it's derivatives (as well as other Linux distros, Mac, Windows, and Haiku) that has seen massive development in a short period of time. We're talking the QupZilla browser here. This browser flies under the radar in Kubuntu circles, mainly because it's not included by default in Kubuntu like rekonq is. Also, it may not help that it is
yet another app with a "Zilla" at the end. That does not mean, however, that it should be overlooked as a worthy contender in filling your web surfing needs.
What It Has Going For It
QupZilla defines itself as a
"new and very fast
QtWebKit browser. It aims to be a lightweight web browser available
through all major platforms. This project has been originally started
only for educational purposes. But from its start, QupZilla has grown
into a feature-rich browser.
QupZilla has all standard functions you expect from a web browser. It
includes bookmarks, history (both also in sidebar) and tabs. Above
that, you can manage RSS feeds with an included RSS reader, block ads
with a builtin AdBlock plugin, block Flash content with Click2Flash and
edit the local CA Certificates database with an SSL Manager.
QupZilla's main aim is to be a very fast and very stable QtWebKit
browser available to everyone. There are already a lot of QtWebKit
browsers available, but they are either bound to the KDE environment
(rekonq), are not actively developed or very unstable and miss important
features. But there is missing a multiplatform, modern and actively
developed browser. QupZilla is trying to fill this gap by providing a
very stable browsing experience." - source
So far, so good, as WebKit for the most part rocks. It's no coincidence that both QupZilla and rekonq use WebKit for the job of heavy HTML lifting. Recent updates to QupZilla have brought a slew of new features. Mainly,
tab previews, new
address bar popup completion, improvements to
AdBlock, and
initial plugins support. The two initial plugins are a PIM Manager, which is like a form-fill tool that highlights form fields that can be automatically populated with data stored in the PIM from a key-stroke, and GreaseMonkey support. GreaseMonkey is definitely a power-user's dream, as can be seen with
other browsers that have GreaseMonkey support. Finally,
AdBlock is included as well, as again many power users insist on their browser of choice having this functionality.
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| QupZilla 1.3.1 Running In Kubuntu 12.04 |
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| Browsing DeviantArt using QupZilla |
Giving QupZilla A Try On Kubuntu / Netrunner / Linux Mint KDE
Make sure you're running a recent version of Kubuntu. Note that the standard repositories have an older version of QupZilla that you'll likely want to avoid installing. Instead to get the latest and greatest, using your Muon Package Manager, click on Settings > Configure Software Sources, then enter your password. Click on the second tab on the top, labelled "Other Software". Then click "Add". Paste or type the following into Muon:
ppa:nowrep/qupzilla
Click "OK" and allow your system to update and then simply search for and install the "qupzilla" package. You're all set to try QupZilla out and give it a spin.
Is It The Best Alternative Browser Out There?
Well, it does have a lot going for it. It's real competition in the native Qt web browser wars in Kubuntu is rekonq, which is the default browser on install. The only way to settle this is a good 'ole fashioned App Showdown. So stay tuned for that, which we should have up later this week. As for you, what do you think?
