Not everyone gets by with the default browser on their computer, and when it comes to picking an alternative, Firefox is one of the most popular out there, having clawed back support from upstart rivals like Google Chrome and Opera in recent years by switching to a rapid release cycle, ensuring major new versions of the browser are released every six weeks.
It’s true to say that individual updates often fail to deliver anything substantial, but cumulatively they roll together to produce a web browser that is radically different to the one – version 4 – that marked the start of a new era back in 2011.
Some of the landmark new features we’ve seen include a per-site Permissions Manager, enhanced Sync options, tabs on demand, silent updates and add-on enhancements. We also saw the launch of specific development branches including UX, which has led to the new Australis user interface, which sees a streamlined tab, revamped menu and customisation features.
One group particularly well served by the rapid release cycle have been developers, and a plethora of tools from Javascript Scratchpad (from Firefox 6) to full-blown Developer Toolbar (from Firefox 16) have worked their way into successive builds as Firefox courts this important community of users.
And underpinning this all are a constantly evolving set of performance improvements, standards support (HTML5 and CSS3 are constantly being added to, for instance) and bug fixes.
Verdict:
If you’re going to stick it to the man and avoid the Chromium browser engine, then supporting Firefox is a no-brainer.
Operating Systems:
Mozilla
Free
27.00 MB
Specifications
Requirements
Changelog
Firefox 153 is now in the stable channel. Improvements/changes include:
– Firefox Home (New Tab) has a fresh, new look and feel.
– Private Browsing Mode now allows you to instantly clear all data from your current session without closing the entire window.
– Firefox now strengthens protection against fingerprinting in Standard Enhanced Tracking Protection, making it harder for websites to track you across sites by limiting the amount of information revealed about your device and browser.
– You can now merge multiple PDFs directly in Firefox PDF. Combine separate PDF files into a single document without ever leaving Firefox or relying on third-party tools.
– The Translations page (about:translations) is now accessible through the More Tools section of the Application Menu.
– Local Firefox profile backups are now available on Linux in addition to Windows, and you can restore them across platforms.
– On macOS, URLs copied from iOS devices using Apple’s Universal Clipboard now paste correctly in Firefox.
– On macOS, dropdown menus on web pages now use the native macOS menu style, matching the look and behavior of the rest of the system.
– Address Autofill is enabled for users in the Netherlands.
– Firefox’s built-in VPN now lets you choose your browsing location, giving you more control over how and where your traffic appears online. You can select from available countries or use Recommended to automatically choose the best connection for your network.
