Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Links VS Browsh

Compare Links VS Browsh and see what are their differences

Links logo Links

Links is a graphics and text mode web browser, released under GPL. Links is free software.

Browsh logo Browsh

A fully-modern text-based browser, rendering to TTY and browsers
  • Links Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-05-05
  • Browsh Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-04

Links features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Links is designed to be a lightweight web browser, making it ideal for systems with limited resources or older hardware, providing fast browsing experience without consuming excessive system resources.
  • Text-Based Mode
    Links offers a text-based mode, which can render pages in text format without graphics, useful for users needing fast, non-graphical web access or on terminals without graphical capabilities.
  • Low Bandwidth Usage
    By focusing on text content and fewer multimedia elements, Links is efficient in terms of bandwidth usage, beneficial for users with limited or metered internet connections.
  • Security
    Due to its minimalist design and fewer dependencies, Links potentially has a smaller attack surface compared to more feature-rich browsers, potentially providing enhanced security.
  • Cross-Platform
    Links is available on multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, and Unix-like systems, providing flexibility to users across different operating systems.

Possible disadvantages of Links

  • Limited Multimedia Support
    Links lacks extensive support for modern multimedia features and dynamic content, which can lead to compatibility issues with websites that rely heavily on JavaScript or multimedia elements.
  • Basic User Interface
    The user interface of Links is quite rudimentary compared to modern browsers, which may not appeal to users accustomed to more polished and feature-rich graphic interfaces.
  • Learning Curve
    For users new to text-based or minimalist browsers, there might be a learning curve involved in understanding how to navigate and utilize Links effectively.
  • Limited Extensions and Plugins
    Links does not support a wide range of extensions and plugins that modern browsers offer, leading to less customization and additional functionalities for users.
  • Site Compatibility
    Due to its focus on simplicity, Links may not render some modern web pages accurately, which can lead to a subpar experience on many contemporary websites.

Browsh features and specs

  • Low Bandwidth Usage
    Browsh uses textual and minimal visual elements by rendering web pages in a text-based browser like Lynx, which reduces the bandwidth requirement significantly.
  • Compatibility with Modern Websites
    Unlike traditional text-based browsers, Browsh can handle modern web technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, making it more adaptable to contemporary web standards.
  • Remote Access
    Browsh can be used over SSH, allowing users to browse the internet from a remote server, which is beneficial in accessing blocked content or when local internet is slow.
  • System Resources Efficiency
    Browsh primarily operates in a terminal, consuming fewer system resources compared to graphic-intensive web browsers, ideal for users on older hardware.
  • Privacy
    Running Browsh on a remote server can enhance user privacy by hiding the user's IP address and isolating sessions from the local machine.

Possible disadvantages of Browsh

  • Limited Visual Experience
    As Browsh primarily functions in a text-based environment, it lacks the full visual and interactive experience of a fully-featured graphical web browser.
  • Learning Curve
    Users may find navigating and understanding the terminal interface challenging, particularly for those unfamiliar with using command-line tools.
  • JavaScript Limitations
    Even though Browsh supports JavaScript, complex functionalities might not render as effectively as in graphic browsers, potentially impacting interactive web applications.
  • Limited Multimedia Support
    Multimedia content, like videos or animated graphics, may not display perfectly, limiting the user's ability to consume certain types of content.
  • Setup Complexity
    Setting up Browsh to work optimally, especially for remote access scenarios, can be more complex compared to regular web browsers, requiring some technical knowledge.

Links videos

Heavy Links REVIEW!!!

More videos:

  • Review - LINKS HAIR REVIEW:WATCH ME SLAY THIS INSTALL FT LINKS HAIR

Browsh videos

Browsh A Text based Browser that is Actually Pretty Good! | Odd Projects #2

More videos:

  • Review - Linux Fails on the Desktop, Plus Arch Malware and the Browsh Browser
  • Review - Linux Terminal Browser [Browsh]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Links and Browsh)
Web Browsers
59 59%
41% 41
Rental Property Management
Web Development Tools
54 54%
46% 46
Automation
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

Share your experience with using Links and Browsh. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Links should be more popular than Browsh. It has been mentiond 21 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Links mentions (21)

  • Surfing the Web Like It's 1992 (Lynx Browser)
    I should mention, there are other text-based browsers like w3m and Links, but I enjoy using Lynx most. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Lynx is the oldest web browser still being maintained
    I use http://links.twibright.com for surfing the local folders and lynx to retrieve pages. A little bit of sanity in this crazy world. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Stupid Problems Require Stupid Solutions (Cloudflare Is Breaking My SVGs)
    Every dash they remove is a byte (at least!) saved. This increases shareholder value. Your side note is solved by using the Links Browser[0]. I don't see the need to present a professional page when you're calling out one of the top 10 single points of global internet failure.[1] [0]http://links.twibright.com/ [1]Cloudflare routes 43% of the top 10,000 sites globally. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Dillo 3.1.0 released after 9 years
    Links+ it's still posting releases, it's 2.29 right now. http://links.twibright.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • MicroWeb 2.0 โ€“ DOS web browser for Intel 8088
    I'm assuming author is aware of (E)Links? http://links.twibright.com At least Links seems to have a DOS version. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

Browsh mentions (13)

  • This doesnโ€™t sound right. Thoughts?
    Well I do also regularly make use of brow.sh expecially when I hit the slow hours of the internet. I just login to my old ssh sdf.org shell account and away I go. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (November 2022)
    15 years experience. You may have seen my text-based modern browser, https://brow.sh, here on the front page a few times. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: Is it still possible to live in a terminal?
    You might be interested in https://brow.sh. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: Freelancer? Seeking freelancer? (May 2022)
    Some of you may know me from https://brow.sh `. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • [plugin] browse internet from neovim
    That looks really useful! It would be even nicer to see something like this, but integrated with brow.sh for those who prefer to stay on the terminal. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Links and Browsh, you can also consider the following products

W3M - w3m is a text-based web browser as well as a pager like ' ...

ELinks - ELinks - Full-Featured Text WWW Browser

Lynx.invisible-island.net - Thomas Dickey is the maintainer/developer of the Lynx text-browser. This page gives some background and pointers to Lynx resources.

Lynx - One-Stop-Shop for Property Automation: Pre-Programmed Hardware, Installation, and Management Dashboard for Smart devices like Locks, Intercom, Noise, Thermostat. Guest Portal with your brand and ability to Upsell Services. "Real-time notifications".

Ebrowser - minimal suckless web browser based on chromium.

Carbonyl - Carbonyl is a Chromium based browser built to run in a terminal.