These two browser engines aren't controlled by Google or Apple — and that matters more than you think

At first glance, you'd think there are too many web browsers to choose from. It's true for the most part, too. From Google Chrome to Brave and Edge to Firefox, there are more options. It is also why people are always searching for the best web browser for their workflow. Given how every web browser labels itself "brand new," you'd think you are moving to a new world.

Most of the time, however, not much under the hood changes when you move from one web browser to another. Sure, you may come across a new UI and a bunch of innovative features, but that's about it. And what doesn't change when you switch browsers reveals how two corporations control almost everything about how the web is rendered for you.

Switching browsers doesn't mean what most people think it means

Chrome left the building, but Blink didn't

When you switch between browsers, you'd definitely notice some changes. For instance, the browsing experience on Arc is worlds apart from what you'd get with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Since these web browsers cater to different ecosystems, you may also have access to specific benefits. However, most people fail to realize that many of the web browsers you encounter today use Blink as their rendering engine. As a result, many of these browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Arc, are called Chromium-based browsers.

A browser rendering engine, also known as a layout engine, converts HTML and other components into visual, interactive elements displayed on the user's device.

Things are even more restrictive on iOS and iPadOS devices. You'd think installing something like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox on your iPhone changes everything, but you'd be wrong. Apple mandates every web browser to use its proprietary rendering engine, WebKit, on iOS and iPadOS devices. Therefore, no matter how much they claim to be different, all browsers on your iPad or iPhone are powered by the WebKit rendering engine.

It is thus safe to say that the entire web browser landscape is dominated by Blink and WebKit. There are two exceptions, and they become more important as the days pass. To understand why non-Blink and WebKit browsers are crucial, we might need a small lesson from history.

What happened the last time one engine ran the web

IE6 didn't end well, and the pattern looks familiar

Before Blink and WebKit took over, there was Internet Explorer, and the entire web was made so that everything ran great on IE. I'm sure you've come across those website banners that ask visitors to use Internet Explorer for the best viewing experience. Because other web browsers had minimal market share, developers also found it convenient to enable Internet Explorer-recommended options, including ActiveX and proprietary CSS styles. Developers didn't want to check whether their sites worked in other web browsers.

People started noticing the issue only when options like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox became widely popular. When they did, there were a number of crashing websites and features that didn't really work. Developers had to rebuild these websites, but it came at a cost. In short, the developer's behavior was affected by the market share. As a result, users stuck to browsers that offered the new features and other updates first.

Currently, Blink and WebKit occupy the space Internet Explorer used to have. It also means Google and Apple have an unsurprising amount of control over which features make it to the web. Google pushing AMP and Apple limiting the use of the push notification API on the web are some examples of what this control has done. It's not like Google and Apple had to sit together and decide these pointers. Instead, these companies acted on their interests, and the world followed through — because Blink and WebKit dominated.

It could also be said that the implementation practices of Google and Apple enjoy such a privilege that they become de facto standards. Fortunately, it is not a lost cost yet. Gecko and Ladybird are doing something that matters in the long run.

Gecko has been holding a line that most people don't notice until it's gone

Firefox's engine is the only thing keeping this a three-way conversation

One of the few rendering engines that keeps Blink and WebKit from becoming a duopoly is Gecko, developed by Mozilla. Gecko has been the backbone of Mozilla Firefox, and it was recently adopted by Zen Browser as well. While every other Chrome alternative has relied on Blink, options like Zen Browser offer a slight ray of hope. Gecko has been a true alternative to Chrome in many respects. Here are some of the areas where it excelled before Chrome made the basic moves.

• Blocks third-party cookie access
• Resists canvas fingerprinting
• Limits cross-site tracking

However, the focus on these features hasn't made Gecko-based browsers any more popular. Sure, there's growing demand for options like Zen Browser, but Firefox has continued to lose market share over the past decade. Once again, the problematic cycle of developers following Google and Apple's dictates and users being dependent on popular options has contributed to Gecko's pathetic state.

Ladybird is trying to build an engine from scratch

The most serious attempt at engine independence in years is coming from outside the industry

Ladybird is another important name in the world of independent rendering engines. Though not ready for everyday use, Ladybird Browser is imagined as an independent browser that doesn't rely on any existing rendering engine. It means users will soon have an option to use something other than Blink, WebKit, and Gecko. However, this project is expected to be ready by the second part of 2026. Even then, you can only expect an Alpha release.

The Ladybird project, which comes from outside the industry, proves that an engine that doesn't depend on big players like Apple and Google is quite possible, and that true interoperability could be a thing. Once fully operational, we would also have an independent implementation that is not controlled by entities with vested interests. We are also likely to see better web standards pushed by entities such as W3C and WHATWG.

The real browser war is happening at the engine level

I'm sure you understand the reality of browser wars by now. When you switch from Google Chrome to Arc, or when Brave gains slightly more market share, not much changes in the larger picture of web standards or implementation. Instead, Apple and Google continue to maintain the same level of control they had before, thanks to the immense popularity of Blink and WebKit.

The kind of resistance Gecko has been showing, and the initiative from Ladybird, are not mini projects with instant results. However, they both strive to create a non-duopoly environment in which web standards can be implemented even when they are not favored by Google and Apple.