W3M is a free open-source text-based web browser and terminal pager. It has support for tables, frames, HTTPS encryption, and advanced formatting like colors or bold text. As a text-based browser, W3M is very lightweight and fast.
W3M: Free Open-Source Text-Based Web Browser & Terminal Pager
W3M is a free open-source text-based web browser and terminal pager. It has support for tables, frames, HTTPS encryption, and advanced formatting like colors or bold text. As a text-based browser, W3M is very lightweight and fast.
What is W3M?
W3M is a free and open-source text-based web browser and terminal pager. It was originally developed in Japan and allows users to browse web pages from the Linux command line or terminal. Some key features of W3M include:
Support for HTML tables, frames, HTTPS encryption, colors, bold text, and other formatting
Built-in page scrolling, mouse support, and form editing
Tabbed browsing to open multiple pages
Can be used as a normal pager for reading text or man pages
Extensive keyboard shortcuts for navigation and commands
Support for rendering images in terminals that allow it
As a text-based application, W3M is extremely fast and lightweight compared to graphical browsers. It uses very little memory and CPU, making it well-suited for older or embedded hardware. The tradeoff is lack of multimedia support and reliance on keyboard control rather than a mouse.
Overall, W3M offers a simple yet capable web browsing experience entirely from the terminal. Its blend of a browser and pager makes it flexible for many tasks where a full graphical browser might be overkill.
Lynx is a text-only web browser that was first released in 1992 by a group of students at the University of Kansas. Unlike graphical browsers like Chrome or Firefox, Lynx does not render images, videos, or web page formatting. Instead, it displays web page content as plain text in a...
ELinks is an open-source, text-based web browser designed for use in terminals and text-only environments. Originally forked from the Links browser in 2002, ELinks focuses on providing a feature-rich browsing experience even without a graphical interface.Key features of ELinks include:Tabbed browsing, allowing multiple pages open at onceCompletely keyboard-driven interface with...
Dillo is an open-source web browser focused on being small, fast, and lightweight. Originally developed in 1999, it aims to provide good browsing performance even on older hardware or systems with limited resources.Some key features of Dillo include:Very small memory and disk space requirements compared to other browsersUses the fast...
Browsh is a terminal-based web browser that displays websites in text format. It renders web pages into text and ASCII art forms, allowing users to browse graphical sites from the command line interface without a graphical display.Some key features and benefits of Browsh include:Runs entirely in the terminal - No...
Lynxlet is a text-based web browser that focuses on speed and simplicity. As one of the earliest web browsers, Lynxlet was created in 1992 to allow users to browse the emerging World Wide Web even over low-bandwidth connections.Unlike graphical browsers, Lynxlet does not render images, video, or other multimedia content....
Surfraw is a command line interface for searching the web from the Unix/Linux terminal or shell. It serves as an interface to various search tools and information sources, providing fast access without needing to open a web browser.Some key features and information about Surfraw:Lets you search popular sites like Google,...