Beaker Browser

Beaker browser is a decentralized peer-to-peer internet browser designed to enable users to create and host websites from local machines, eliminating the need for third-party servers generally needed for hosting.

Pros

• Chromium-based
• Eliminates the need for host
• Compatible with traditional protocols
• Powerful API
• Creation of web apps
• Live reloading and offline syncing

Cons

• Still in its development stage
• Architectural limitations
• Websites can be copied by others

A P2P web browser based on Chromium, Electron, and Node.js, Beaker includes APIs based on the DAT peer-to-peer protocol for building applications without any technical knowledge. It is an experimental project that works on a DAT protocol as opposed to the traditional HTTP web protocol.

With Beaker, users can create and launch websites at a click of a button. The browser also runs websites based on HTTP and HTTPS and doesn’t require switching to other browsers. The built-in editor allows writing code from scratch or use pre-defined templates to create and host a website. One can easily edit sites from the browser and even use other editors like VS Code.

The P2P web API allows the websites to have dynamic features of the protocol. Once the website is created, you can share it with others to let them access just like torrent files. However, this kind of network has no anonymity and anybody can view your IP address. Others can also copy your website code, modify and host as theirs.

Final Verdict

Beaker is a free web browser currently in its development stage, intended to allow users to publish their websites and applications themselves directly from the browser with a powerful API. It also retains compatibility with existing web protocols.

While a peer-to-peer network does not keep the IP address private, the data shared through the network is encrypted. Moreover, nobody can modify your site unless you permit it. It is overall a good browser that offers experimental features and functionality to explore and experience the vision of an open web.