Beaker Browser
Version: 1.1.0 Web: https://beakerbrowser.com
Beaker is an experimental peer-to-peer browser. It’s built using the Electron framework and uses the open source Chromium browser as its rendering engine.
Just like other web browsers, you can use it to browse http:// and https:// websites. What sets the program apart, however, is its peer-to-peer technology, using which Beaker makes it possible for users to publish their own websites directly from the browser itself, eliminating the need for setting up a web server, or using a web host for hosting the website on a remote third-party server.
Linux users can install Beaker browser through either its AppImage or Snap packages. To use snap on Fedora, first ensure that it’s activated with sudo dnf install snapd , before installing the browser with sudo snap install beaker-browser .
The Beaker browser is part of the emerging paradigm known as decentralised web (dweb) or the slightly more memorable Web 3.0 (see page 48 to find out more). The whole idea behind dweb is to wrest back control from centralised corporations, without adversely affecting the user experience in the process.
The secret sauce behind Beaker’s web-hosting ability is the support for the peer-to-peer Dat protocol, which does the grunt work. Known as Hyperdrives in Beaker’s parlance, these websites are accessible over the dat:// protocol, such as dat://beakerbrowser.com.
Websites served over the dat:// protocol work just like any other webpage. They’re a collection of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files that come together to form a webpage. Just like with http:// websites, you can click links, download images and use developer tools to interact with the page.
While we wouldn’t advise you to switch completely to Beaker for your everyday web browsing, we do encourage you to use it to take a peek into this new emerging paradigm, and perhaps even use the opportunity to plant your flag by creating your very own Web 3 website.