Webview Alternatives

[Ryu945]

I have heard of using bromite via the same installer used to install the OS. I have also heard of some sort of Fennec alternative that oF2pks mentions.

How do I select Bromite as WebViewer? It's not visible in the developer settings

What do you recommend?

[Morgoth]

Bromite is a Chromium fork with ad blocking and privacy enhancements
There are the normal browser and webview.
The installation of bromite webview depends on your ROM and can be a tricky thing.

[Ryu945]

In my case, it is Lineage OS if that tells you anything.

[Morgoth]

I guess you can do it with ADB as root.
It is a delicate and probably unnecessary process.
A LineageOS update can override it.
Do you really use webview?

[linsui]

There is a Magisk module for that.

[Morgoth]

I mean, if you can avoid rooting…

[linsui]

I guess you can’t. The bromite webview has the same id with the preinstalled one so it must replace the original one.

[Morgoth]

LineageOS has temporary root as I said.

[justsomeguy]

bromite, webview
What do you recommend?

• Reading @sorenstoutner 's webview post: https://www.stoutner.com/privacy-browser/common-settings/webview/

• Reading bromite discussion on Microsoft’s github; makes it sound difficult to impossible: https://github.com/bromite/bromite/wiki/Installing-SystemWebView

• Keep exploring DivestOS, with its own mulch webview and method for quicker updates using their f-droid repo.

[anonym_i_ous]

@Morgoth

Do you really use webview?

• sadly, all the at least 5-6 lightweight pdf viewers on fdroid do
• i guess gapps browser and webapps browser do too
• i dont know about the “html viewer” inbuilt app (i think it doesnt use it, but not entirely sure)
• some apps might use that for logins?? though, that was several yrs ago, dont know current scenario
• other than that, i dont think that i have incurred any use of webview so far

[SkewedZeppelin]

Many apps use the WebView

WebView Browsers:

• Lightning Browser
• FOSS Browser
• Privacy Browser
• DuckDuckGo Browser
• old/pre GeckoView Focus/Klar
• EinkBro
• WebApps
• GApps Sandbox
• jQuarks
• Midori
• SmartCookieWeb
• monocles browser
• Jelly/LineageOS browser

Yes:

• Android captive portal screen
• Android “Instant Apps”
• Materialistic
• RedReader
• GMapsWV
• Frost for Facebook
• FaceSlim
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.uberspot.a2048/
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/it.reyboz.minesweeper/
• I2P
• Malp
• ProofMode
• LabCoat
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.axet.bookreader/
• CuprumPDF
• microG for Google login
• FairEmail

Maybe:

• HTML viewer
• Survival Manual
• Movim
• Manyverse
• Mumla

[anonym_i_ous]

@SkewedZeppelin

Jelly/LineageOS browser

i remember jelly working without webview too as far as i can remember correct

but yeah, the situation with all those pdf readers requiring webview was really pittyful to me

[SkewedZeppelin]

@anonym_i_ous

i remember jelly working without webview too as far as i can remember correct

You might be thinking of Gello, the LineageOS browser before Jelly.
It was the Qualcomm Chromium fork iirc.

[anonym_i_ous]

amh, it’s package id says org.lineageos.jelly version 1.0. i am sure that version thing is not significant here and prolly is just an oversight/ignorance. but yeah, it says jelly there…

[Ryu945]

Jellyfin as well.

[marcdw1289]

Back to the original topic, if your ROM is rooted with Magisk one can use a module to install the Bromite webview.
If the ROM isn’t rooted but the device is (TWRP installed for instance) then one can flash the NanoDroid Bromite webview installer. After that, add the Bromite repo to F-Droid to keep it updated.