Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Lynx.invisible-island.net VS ELinks

Compare Lynx.invisible-island.net VS ELinks and see what are their differences

Lynx.invisible-island.net logo 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.

ELinks logo ELinks

ELinks - Full-Featured Text WWW Browser
  • Lynx.invisible-island.net Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-12-28
  • ELinks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-24

Lynx.invisible-island.net features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Lynx is a text-based web browser, making it extremely lightweight compared to graphical browsers. This allows it to run efficiently on older hardware and systems with low resources.
  • Accessibility
    Lynx provides an accessible way for visually impaired users to browse the web with screen readers, as it presents content in a simplified, text-only format without complex layouts and multimedia elements.
  • Privacy
    As a non-graphical browser, Lynx does not automatically run scripts, ads, or trackers that are common on modern web pages, potentially offering better privacy and security for users.
  • Speed
    Due to its text-only nature, Lynx loads web pages much faster than browsers that require rendering of images and multimedia content, which can be beneficial for users with slow internet connections.
  • Minimalism
    Lynx focuses solely on delivering the text content of web pages, providing a distraction-free browsing experience that is devoid of unnecessary elements like ads and pop-ups.

Possible disadvantages of Lynx.invisible-island.net

  • Limited Media Support
    Lynx cannot display images, videos, or any other multimedia content, which makes it unsuitable for users looking to engage with modern web pages that rely heavily on such content.
  • Complex Navigation
    The text-based interface can make navigation more cumbersome for users who are accustomed to graphical interfaces, especially when dealing with complex web page layouts.
  • Modern Web Compatibility
    Lynx may struggle to correctly display or function with websites that heavily rely on JavaScript and modern web technologies, potentially limiting access to various services and features.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    New users might find Lynx challenging to use initially due to its command-line interface and reliance on keyboard shortcuts for navigation, which differs significantly from the more intuitive point-and-click interfaces of graphical browsers.

ELinks features and specs

  • Lightweight
    ELinks is a text-based browser, meaning it is lightweight and requires minimal system resources compared to graphical browsers. This makes it suitable for older systems or environments with limited resources.
  • Speed
    Due to its text-based nature, ELinks loads pages much faster than many graphical browsers, especially over slow internet connections.
  • Customizable
    ELinks supports various customization options, allowing users to modify keybindings, themes, and user interfaces to suit their preferences.
  • Security
    Running a text-based browser can provide an additional layer of security by avoiding some of the vulnerabilities associated with rendering complex web pages, scripts, or plugins that are common sources of exploits.
  • Scripting Support
    ELinks has support for scripting in languages such as Lua and Guile, allowing advanced users to automate tasks and enhance browser functionality.

Possible disadvantages of ELinks

  • Limited Multimedia Support
    Being a text-based browser, ELinks has limited support for multimedia content such as videos, animations, or interactive elements that rely heavily on JavaScript and CSS.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    ELinks can be challenging for new users due to its reliance on keyboard shortcuts and configuration files, which may be unfamiliar to those accustomed to graphical interfaces.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some modern websites may not render correctly or be fully functional due to ELinks' limited support for advanced web technologies and dynamic content.
  • Lack of JavaScript Support
    ELinks does not support JavaScript in the way graphical browsers do, which can lead to incomplete loading or functionality of certain websites that rely heavily on JavaScript.
  • Limited User Base
    As a niche browser, ELinks has a smaller community and less extensive documentation, potentially making it difficult to find resources or support for uncommon issues.

Lynx.invisible-island.net videos

THE LYNX: Digital Storm Gaming Computer Review

More videos:

  • Review - Atari Lynx - Review - Game Sack

ELinks videos

No ELinks videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Lynx.invisible-island.net and ELinks)
Web Browsers
76 76%
24% 24
Rental Property Management
Web Development Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Automation
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Lynx.invisible-island.net and ELinks. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Lynx.invisible-island.net and ELinks

Lynx.invisible-island.net Reviews

Linktree Alternatives: The Best 10 and the FREE Tool I Use
What I like about Lynx is its super affordable pricing for the PRO plan. It’ll only cost you $5 per month. And you can get up to 33% discount if you pay for the entire year by purchasing it through this link.
Source: petermurage.com

ELinks Reviews

We have no reviews of ELinks yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Lynx.invisible-island.net should be more popular than ELinks. It has been mentiond 23 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.

Lynx.invisible-island.net mentions (23)

View more

ELinks mentions (7)

  • Ask HN: Interesting TUIs (text user interfaces), maybe forgotten ones?
    And elinks as well. It had better handling of page layout. http://elinks.or.cz/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • MacLynx beta 4: now with scrollbars and dialogue boxes
    Thanks for mentioning elinks (http://elinks.or.cz/). I was about ¾ of the way through that article and thinking "as an academic exercise, sure. otherwise this just looks like 'its been done a thousand times before... But not by me.'" which was leading me to share the page for elinks. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • SW etc needed.
    Some text browser like elinks or a converter like pandoc. Hopefully you have Linux. :). Source: over 2 years ago
  • The what?
    Time to audit firefox code, compile it manually, application firewalls, full content inspections to avoid any private data leaking. Get stressed and move to elinks. Source: over 3 years ago
  • /etc/elinks.conf can't display images
    ELinks is a text browser (unmaintained since 2012) and according to your description the setting appears to be working just as described in the fine manual, i. e. The browser always displays the text "IMG" and not the filename, title, or alternate text when rendering tags. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Lynx.invisible-island.net and ELinks, you can also consider the following products

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

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

Browsh - A fully-modern text-based browser, rendering to TTY and browsers

Brave - Fast and secure, ad and tracker blocking browser.

Surfraw - Surfraw - Shell Users' Revolutionary Front Rage Against the Web

Safari - Safari is faster and more energy efficient than other browsers. Now you can shop even more safely and simply in Safari on your Mac.