The Brave web browser is a bold addition to the open-source web browser ecosystem. It was introduced by Brave Software Incorporated in 2019. Brave is known for its extremely fast loading speed. On internet connections powered by Cox bundle packages, it works even faster. Click here to contact cox customer care to find out more.
Brave is branded as an alternative to heavyweights such as Chrome and Firefox. Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy served as the lead creators of Brave. The former is also the pioneer of JavaScript and the co-founder of Mozilla.
This guide will explore everything regarding the brave web browser: from performance to advertising compatibility. Let’s begin.
What Is the Programming Behind Brave?
Brave operates under the same license as Thunderbird and Firefox. But the browser extensions included in Brave such as Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere are built upon different versions of the GNU General Public License (GPL). Brave’s architecture is based on the Chromium web browser. Chromium serves as the source code for Google’s Chrome web browser. Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Qihoo 360, and Opera also maintain Chromium to provide source code.
Brave is powered by the V8 JavaScript and Blink rendering engines when it comes to back-end technologies. The said open-source foundations also power Chrome. However, the open-source engine that powers Brave on iOS is WebKit. Apple’s Safari web browser is also powered by the same source.
What Are the Key Features of Brave Browser?
As discussed above, Brave operates under the same license as Thunderbird and Firefox. The license is known as the Mozilla Public License (MPL). It is built atop Chromium. To recall: Google maintains Chromium as a source code provider for its Chrome browser.
Since Brave is based on Chromium, it shares many similarities with the Chrome web browser. It allows users to install extensions through add-ons. Some of these extensions operate under different versions of the GPL license. You can also install extensions via the Chrome Web Store with similar results and performance.
Then there is the Brave Dev, which is a developer version of the browser. You can use Brave Dev to work with bleeding-edge builds. Brave Dev shares many similarities with the Firefox Developer Edition. In addition to that, Brave comes with the development tools found in both Chrome and Chromium. These tools can be accessed through the same shortcuts as provided by Chrome and Chromium.
The browser boasts loading speeds three times faster than Google Chrome. Is there any substantial evidence to the assertion? Yes, there is. It is programmed to block ads and ad trackers. This allows it to retrieve less data than other contemporary browsers and ad-blocking extensions. If we see it technically, it actually stands out among the rest.
What is the Business Model of Brave Browser?
Brave earns revenue by blocking third-party ads and replacing them with its own ads. This rather unusual business model is seen to draw criticism from online advertisers, especially content creators, due to its seemingly parasitical nature. This leads to another question: Does the Brave web browser block ads that are displayed within the search results of users? There’s a four-word answer to this question. No. It does not. This is one of the main reasons behind brave browser popularity and growth ever since it came into the market.
Brave replaces third-party ads with ads approved from the Brave ad network. It tracks your searches and awards you Brave Attention Tokens (BATs). You can use this cryptocurrency to pay content creators registered with the Brave ad network. It disperses the BAT amount collected from users to site owners. This activity happens once a month. It determines the BAT amount by tracking your browsing time.
Is There Any Criticism Involved in Brave’s Pitch?
The developers’ claims that Brave is a stern advocate for user privacy have not stopped stakeholders from criticizing the business model of the nascent web browser. The aggressive anti-ad approach makes Brave appear as a user-focused tool outside the shell. However, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Because people can’t digest what’s good for them. There is always a sense of developed criticism towards something near to flawless. Obviously, there is competition and competitors working tirelessly towards putting each other down all the time.
Brave, first and foremost, is relying on tracking to serve ads. All other open-source web browsers, including Chrome and Mozilla, follow the same approach. Also, actively encourages users to browse ads to earn BATs. These repetitive requests do not align with a common user’s need to enjoy an uninterrupted browsing experience. Your monetization path is chosen by default to merge with Brave’s cryptocurrency solution.
But the worst has to be the financial state of content creators that are signed to Brave’s ad network. The value of BATS is derived from a cyber-currency. As of May 28, a single BAT was priced at $0.7165 (there were approximately $1.5 billion BATs for a total market cap of $1.8 billion).
What Does the Future Hold for Brave?
Brave says that its active user count is increasing tremendously. In February 2024, the company announced that it had surpassed the 25 million mark. In March, it claimed that it had acquired a search engine called Tailcat, which “will become the foundation of Brave Search”. Will Brave be able to expand its market share to rival that of Google’s or even Mozilla’s by relying on its existing business model? That remains to be seen. Because it’s always the first mover thing which keeps you ahead or apart from the competition. That is what brave browser has done over the years. With ultra-loaded ad browsers in the market. Brave holds a sign of relief for any user who is sick of watching ads all the time.
