Shiira Editor's Review

'Shiira' is an Open Source Web browser based on Apple WebKit.

This application works in Safari's style. Since it uses Apple WebKit engine, it has the same level of security, but with some interface improvements.

The tabbed browsing is well implemented in this browser, making Shiira better than Safari at this. Moreover, Shiira also brings a more flexible interface.

Since it uses the same engine as Safari, the support for Web Standards is good. Just like the original product, this browser passes the Acid 2 browser test. You can see that in the screenshots that I took.

I couldn't find the support for KeyChain in this browser. I had to type my authentication details every time I signed in a form.

Shiira has an interesting browsing mode. You can check an option from the application's menu, called 'Private Browsing'. When this option is checked, the browsing history is disabled and the cookies are deleted as soon as you close the browser.

The browser has a built-in pop-up blocker. This functionality keeps you safe from the unwanted publicity banners that you encounter on the Internet.

The two main features that this browser misses are the session saving functionality and the form's auto-filling.

Pluses: It's a browser that implements the Apple WebKit engine. It's quite ergonomic.

Drawbacks / flaws: It lacks the support for some features that are implemented in many other browsers. Since this is a beta build, it crashed several times during the tests. This browser's worst crash affected the entire system. I had to force shutdown my Mac.

In conclusion: This is a beta build, so is recommend to use it for testing only. For everyday use you have other strong alternatives like Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or Camino plus CamiTools.

version reviewed: 2.0 b2