midori

midori [OPTIONS] [URL]

URL
    Specifies the Uniform Resource Locator (web address) to open. If no URL is provided, Midori typically opens its default home page or the previously closed tabs, depending on configuration.

--new-window
    Opens the specified URL in a new browser window, regardless of whether a Midori instance is already running.

--new-tab
    Opens the specified URL in a new tab within an existing Midori window. If no window is open, a new one will be created.

--private-window
    Opens a new private browsing window, which does not save browsing history, cookies, or site data after the session ends.

--profile=PATH
    Specifies a custom user profile directory to use. This allows for separate browsing data (bookmarks, history, settings) for different users or purposes.

--version
    Displays the version information of the Midori browser and exits.

--help
    Shows a summary of command-line options and exits.

Midori is a free and open-source web browser known for its focus on speed, low resource consumption, and privacy features.

Originally developed using the WebKit rendering engine (specifically WebKitGTK), it gained popularity as a lightweight alternative to more resource-intensive browsers. Over its history, Midori has undergone several significant architectural changes, including transitions to different rendering engines such as Gecko, Electron (using Chromium), and even its own custom engine, Midas, in various iterations.

Its primary goal has consistently been to provide a responsive and user-friendly browsing experience, particularly appealing to users with older hardware or those prioritizing efficiency. Key features often include integrated ad-blocking, private browsing modes, and a customizable user interface. Midori has been a default or recommended browser in several lightweight Linux distributions and desktop environments, reflecting its design philosophy.

Midori's underlying technology (rendering engine) has changed multiple times throughout its history, meaning the specific features, performance, and command-line options can vary significantly between different versions or forks. Its development and maintenance have been somewhat inconsistent compared to larger, corporate-backed browsers. Availability might depend on the specific Linux distribution and its package repositories.

Midori has famously used a variety of rendering engines over its lifetime, including WebKitGTK (its original engine), Gecko (Mozilla's engine), and Electron (which uses Chromium's engine). More recently, some versions have also incorporated a custom engine called Midas. This frequent change reflects efforts to adapt to web standards, improve performance, and manage dependencies.

Being built with GTK, Midori has historically offered excellent integration with GTK-based desktop environments like Xfce, GNOME, and LXDE. This makes it a natural fit for these environments, often providing a consistent look and feel with other native applications.

Midori was initially released in 2007 by Christian Dywan, leveraging WebKitGTK as its rendering engine. It quickly gained traction as a lightweight, fast, and GTK-centric web browser, becoming a part of the Xfce Goodies project for a period. Its design principle was to be simple, efficient, and privacy-friendly. Over the years, Midori's development saw various shifts, including transitions to different rendering engines like Gecko and Electron (based on Chromium), and even the creation of its own Midas engine, largely due to challenges with upstream WebKitGTK and the desire to offer new features or address performance. This evolution has led to multiple distinct iterations of the browser, with different maintainers and focuses, yet maintaining its core identity as a resource-efficient browsing option.

xdg-open(1), firefox(1), chromium(1), epiphany(1)