Why
Sometimes we like to isolate our web profiles. Some install different browsers for different purposes (home, work, etc.), some set up multiple Chrome or Edge profiles. And some do both.
But clicking a link from email, chat program etc. opens an unexpected browser. Chrome based browsers simply open the last profile you were using. In case of other browsers it’s just default browser that opens.
This application allows to change that.
In addition to that, Browser Tamer is:
- Tiny. Only around ~400 kb .exe. Takes up to 2mb RAM.
- No external dependencies. It just works. Otherwise I could make it even smaller!
- No electron bullshit. Written in Modern C++17, using native Windows UI, no frameworks.
- No bloat.
- No Ads. Never!
- BLAZING FAST.
- Good for the planet! It never uses more than 0% CPU. Uses virtually no CO2.
Installing
Just download the latest version, unpack, start. There is no installation process whatsoever.
Once launched, simply press the “Install” button - that will instruct Windows that Browser Tamer is a browser application. Of course, it’s a fake browser, but we are registering as a browser. How it works is when you open a link and BT is your default browser application, it decides which real browser should actually open it. And to know that, you as a user need to tell Browser Tamer which browser is designed to open which links.
Configuring
Configuration can be as simple as you want it to be. The most trivial case is trivial:
- Select the browser you’re interested in.
- Type which links you want to open it this browser.
- Press the “Save” button.
Rules
A rule is a single line in the Rules section. It simply says that if an URL contains text you’ve typed in, open the specified browser.
Supported Browsers
- Latest Microsoft Edge (Windows 10 default). Including profiles.
- Mozilla Firefox.
Let’s Get Technical
Platform
The application is written in Modern C++. Specifically C++17. Why do I say Modern? Because C++ is traditionally is associated with amazing performance, but some think it’s also unsafe. Well, they are wrong!!!!. Especially these days, C++ has evolved, and it’s as safe (or maybe safer) as Java, C#, Go or Rust, without losing it’s cool runtime features.
How It Became a Browser?
It’s not a browser, but when you press “Install” button it registers itself as a browser. That involves writing values to the registry, which are completely removed when you press “Uninstall” button. Here are the locations written to:
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\Browser Tamer- app registration as a browser.HKCU\SOFTWARE\Browser Tamer- app settings.HKCU\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications\Browser Tamer.HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\BrowserTamerHTM- protocol handler.
More details to follow.
Version History
1.0. Butterfly.
Sort of a first release. Why butterfly? It’s not related to anything, just sounds cool. Big Sur. Jaguar. Show Leopard. What the hell?
Anyway, it can be downloaded here. I’m enjoying it myself, but it can be rough.