Waterfox

{{Infobox software

| name = Waterfox

| logo = Waterfox logo 2019.svg

| screenshot = Waterfox in Wikipedia.png

| caption = Screenshot of Waterfox G6.0.5 running on Windows 10, showing the English Wikipedia.

| collapsible =

| author = Alexandros Kontos

| developer = Alexandros Kontos, BrowserWorks Ltd.

| released = {{Start date and age|2011|03|27|df=yes}}

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|reference|P348}}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P577}}}}

| latest preview version = G6.0 Beta 5

| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2023|09|14}}

| discontinued =

| programming language = C, C++, CSS, JavaScript, XUL

| operating system = {{ubl

|Android 5 and later

|Linux

|macOS 11 and later

|Windows 7 and later

}}

| engine = Gecko, SpiderMonkey

| platform = x64, ARM64, PPC64LE

| size =

| language =

| genre = Web browser, mobile web browser, feed reader

| license = MPL-2.0

}}

Waterfox is a free and open-source web browser and fork of Firefox. It claims to be ethical and user-centric, emphasizing performance and privacy.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-13 |title=What Is Waterfox and Is It Safe? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/is-waterfox-safe/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=MUO |language=en}} There are official Waterfox releases for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.{{Cite web |title=Waterfox, Free Web Browser |url=https://www.waterfox.net/download/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.waterfox.net |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Waterfox: Privacy Web Browser - Apps on Google Play |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.waterfox.android.release&hl=en_US |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=play.google.com |language=en-US}} It was initially created to provide official 64-bit support, back when Firefox was only available for 32-bit systems.{{Cite web |last=Proven |first=Liam |title=Waterfox: A Firefox fork that could teach Mozilla a lesson |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/04/waterfox_firefox_fork/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}}

Divisions

=Waterfox=

Waterfox shares core features and technologies like the Gecko browser engine{{Cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://www.waterfox.net/docs/faq |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.waterfox.net |language=en}} and support for Firefox Add-ons{{Cite web |title=Find and install add-ons to add features to Waterfox |url=https://www.waterfox.net/support/WINNT/find-and-install-add-ons/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.waterfox.net |archive-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103230611/https://www.waterfox.net/support/WINNT/find-and-install-add-ons/ |url-status=dead }} with Firefox. It is also compatible with Google Chrome and Opera extensions. It disables telemetry and Pocket by default, which are present in Firefox builds. However, it collects technical information about the user's device to update properly.

=Waterfox Classic=

Waterfox Classic is a version of the browser based on an older version of the Gecko engine that supports legacy XUL and XPCOM add-on capabilities that Firefox removed in version 57.{{cite web|title=The Future of Developing Firefox Add-ons|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2015/08/21/the-future-of-developing-firefox-add-ons/|date=2015-08-21|author=Kev Needham|access-date=2015-09-07|website=blog.mozilla.org}}{{cite web|title=The Road to Firefox 57 – Compatibility Milestones|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2017/02/16/the-road-to-firefox-57-compatibility-milestones/|date=2017-02-16|first= Jorge |last=Villalobos|access-date=2017-02-17|website=blog.mozilla.org}} It is still partially maintained with fixes and patches from Waterfox and Firefox ESR releases. However, its development has been separated due to several changes from Waterfox that are otherwise unapplicable.{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2021 |title=Waterfox Classic development will continue, but as a separate project from G4 |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2021/11/04/waterfox-classic-development-will-continue-but-as-a-separate-project-from-g4/ |access-date=August 24, 2023 |website=ghacks.net}}

==Vulnerabilities==

Waterfox Classic has multiple unpatched security advisories. The developer states that "changes between versions so numerous between ESRs making merging difficult if not impossible".{{cite web |title=Unpatched Security Advisories · BrowserWorks/Waterfox-Classic Wiki |url=https://github.com/BrowserWorks/Waterfox-Classic/wiki/Unpatched-Security-Advisories |website=GitHub |language=en}}

History

Waterfox was first released by Alex Kontos{{Cite web |title=About Waterfox |url=https://www.waterfox.net/docs/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.waterfox.net |language=en}} on 27 March 2011 for 64-bit Windows. The macOS build was introduced on 14 May 2015 with the release of version 38.0,{{Cite web |last=Kontos |first=Alex |title=Waterfox 38.0 Release |url=https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-38.0-release-download |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215221138/https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-38.0-release-download |archive-date=2017-12-15 |access-date=2017-12-15 |website=www.waterfoxproject.org}} the Linux build was introduced on 20 December 2016 with the release of version 50.0,{{Cite web |last=Kontos |first=Alex |title=Waterfox 50.1.0 Release (Windows, Mac & Linux) |url=https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-50.0-release-download |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005152102/https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-50.0-release-download |archive-date=2017-10-05 |access-date=2017-02-05 |website=www.waterfoxproject.org}} and an Android build was first introduced on 10 October 2017 in version 55.2.2.{{Cite web |last=Kontos |first=Alex |title=Waterfox 55 Release (Windows, Mac, Linux and Android) |url=https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-55.0-release-download |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221030051/https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-55.0-release-download |archive-date=2017-12-21 |access-date=2017-12-15 |website=www.waterfoxproject.org}}

From 22 July 2015 to 12 November 2015, Waterfox had its own search-engine called "Storm" that would raise funds for charity and Waterfox. Storm was developed with over £2 million of investor funding and powered by Yahoo! Search.{{Cite web|url= https://www.waterfoxproject.org/blog/waterfox-charity-storm-search|title= 4 Year Anniversary: Waterfox Charity and Storm Search|last= Kontos|first= Alex|website= www.waterfoxproject.org|date= 12 May 2015|access-date= 2017-12-15}}{{Cite web |title=New search engine from Waterfox founder aims to take a punch at Google |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/technology/11598207/New-search-engine-from-Waterfox-founder-aims-to-take-a-punch-at-Google.html |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=11 May 2015 }}{{Cite web |last=Lake |first=Howard |date=2015-08-07 |title='Ethical search engine' Storm to generate funds for charities |url=https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/08/07/ethical-search-engine-storm-to-generate-funds-for-charities/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=UK Fundraising |language=en}}

In December 2019, System1, an advertising company which portrays itself as privacy-focused,{{cite web |last1= Brinkmann |first1= Martin |title= Waterfox web browser sold to System1 |url= https://www.ghacks.net/2020/02/14/waterfox-web-browser-sold-to-system1/ |website= ghacks.net |date= 14 February 2020 |access-date= 12 April 2020}} acquired Waterfox.{{cite web |title = Waterfox has joined System1 |url= https://www.waterfox.net/blog/waterfox-has-joined-system1/ |website= www.waterfox.net |date= 14 February 2020 |access-date= 17 February 2020 }}

{{cite web

|title= Welcome Waterfox!

|url= https://www.system1.com/press/system1-welcomes-waterfox

|website= www.system1.com

|access-date= 17 February 2020

|archive-date= 17 February 2020

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200217074758/https://system1.com/press/system1-welcomes-waterfox

|url-status= dead

}} In July 2023, Alex Kontos announced that Waterfox had been turned into an independent project again.{{Cite web |last=Kontos |first=Alex |date=2023-07-03 |title=A New Chapter for Waterfox |url=https://www.waterfox.net/blog/2023/07/03/a-new-chapter-for-waterfox |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=www.waterfox.net |language=en}}

An Android release of the browser was made available via the Google Play Store in November 2023.{{cite web|url=https://mspoweruser.com/firefox-fork-waterfox-is-now-available-for-android-with-strict-privacy-defaults/ |title=Firefox fork Waterfox is now available for Android with strict privacy defaults |date=November 30, 2023 |website=MSPowerUser |first1=Venkat |last1=Eswarlu}}