Zen - An Browser with a Lot of Potential
minutes to readI usually don't write about browsers, as I don't really care about them. I've been using Firefox for a long time, and I'm quite happy with it. But recently, I stumbled upon Zen, and I was quite impressed with it.
But first, let me tell you a bit about what Zen is.
What is Zen?
Zen is a new browser that is built with Firefox as an engine, beautifully designed, privacy-focused, and packed with features. Oh, and it's also fully open-source and no, it's not another AI browser. It's already in such an early stage but already does support all 3 major platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux (and it's on Flathub too).
You see where this is going, right?
Features That Stand Out
For starters, Zen has a lot of features that I like, such as:
Themes: Their way to allow you to customize the browser fully, not just the colors, but also the layout and the UI elements, something like a set of extensions that you can use to customize the browser to your liking.
Vertical Tabs: I love vertical tabs, and Zen has them. And they are quite good.
Split Views: Just like Arc Browser, Zen has split views, and they are quite good. They even have grids, horizontal and vertical splits.
Sidebar: It lets you quickly access your favorite websites, bookmarks, and more. It's the perfect way to stay organized.
Compact Mode: Zen has a compact mode that makes everything dynamically smaller, so you can see more of the web.
And soo much more, like switching tabs by scrolling, the Firefox Sync is here too, workspaces (which are like profiles, but better) and everything that Firefox has to offer, but in a nicer interface.
My Final Thoughts
Right when I found out about Zen, I quickly installed it and was quite impressed. So impressed, in fact, that I didn't even realize that:
- It's in the alpha stage—yes, it's in alpha, and it's already so good.
- It's fully open source and not backed by a big company but by a small team of passionate developers.
Honestly, wow. I've never felt this way about a browser before. Zen isn't perfect yet, but it has something special. It's user-focused, and I’m sure it will only get better.
I'm convinced that this project has a lot of potential, and I'm excited to see where it goes. I'm even considering making a donation to help them grow. For now, I've switched to Zen and made it my default browser. I'll be using it and writing more about my experience.
(Also, apps with the letter Z are cool, right? Zed, now Zen—all cool apps! Okay, I should stop reviewing apps in general.)
That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 👋