✨ A sleek, lightning-fast web browser built with Python & PyQt6 WebEngine
RHODIUM Browser is a blazing-fast, feature-rich desktop web browser built entirely from scratch using Python and the Chromium-powered PyQt6 WebEngine. No external dependencies, no bloat—just pure browsing power with a beautiful, custom-built interface.
Whether you're a developer, power user, or privacy enthusiast, RHODIUM delivers a modern browsing experience with cutting-edge features wrapped in an elegant UI.
- Multi-tab support with drag-to-reorder functionality
- Pin important tabs for quick access
- Close tabs individually or in bulk (close-others, close-right)
- "All tabs" overview for easy navigation
- Fully customizable shortcut tiles with live favicons
- One-click add/edit/delete interface
- Organize your favorite sites for instant access
- Beautiful grid layout that adapts to your workflow
- Save your favorite pages with a single click
- Smart bookmark management with search capability
- Visual indicators (filled/empty) for organized browsing
- Export/import bookmarks for data portability
- Persistent SQLite-backed browsing history
- Dedicated
rhodium://historypage with advanced features:- Group history by date (Today, Yesterday, Last 7 days, etc.)
- Full-text search across your history
- Delete individual items or date ranges
- Privacy controls to clear sensitive browsing data
- Real-time download progress tracking
- Pause/resume/cancel downloads mid-flight
- File-type identification with smart icons
- Persistent download history
- One-click access to downloaded files
- Resume capability for interrupted downloads
- Lightning-fast in-page search
- Next/previous navigation
- Highlight all matches
- Case-sensitive search toggle
- Clean, minimalist find bar
- Real-time URL suggestions as you type
- Bookmark + History integration
- Smart search suggestions
- One-click autocomplete
- Fuzzy matching for better results
- Visual HTTPS/SSL status badge
- Secure/warning indicators
- Mixed content warnings
- Certificate information at a glance
- Inspect page information
- Access native developer tools
- Debug JavaScript and CSS
- Analyze network activity
- User-friendly settings dialog
- Per-profile configuration
- Persistent storage of preferences
- Dark/light theme support
- Keyboard shortcut customization
- Per-tab zoom in/out
- Reset to default zoom level
- Persistent zoom per domain
- Smooth zoom transitions
- Native Windows window controls
- Minimize/maximize/restore/close buttons
- Smooth scrolling throughout the UI
- Frameless custom chrome
- SQLite-backed storage
- Privacy-focused local storage
- No cloud tracking
- Encrypted sensitive data
- Automatic backups
Before installing RHODIUM, make sure you have:
- Python 3.11 or newer (Download)
- Windows 10/11 (custom window controls optimized for Windows)
- pip (included with Python)
- At least 200MB free disk space
Step 1: Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/sanath-kumar-s/Rhodium-Browser.git RhodiumBrowser
cd RhodiumBrowserStep 2: Create a virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activateStep 3: Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txtStep 4: Run RHODIUM
python main.py✅ That's it! RHODIUM Browser should launch in seconds.
All dependencies are stable, actively maintained, and carefully selected for performance:
| Package | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
PyQt6 |
6.6.1 |
GUI framework |
PyQt6-WebEngine |
6.6.0 |
Web rendering (Chromium-based) |
PyQtWebEngine |
5.15.6 |
Additional WebEngine utilities |
Total package size: ~500MB
Master RHODIUM with these essential shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl + T |
New Tab |
Ctrl + W |
Close Tab |
Ctrl + Tab |
Next Tab |
Ctrl + Shift + Tab |
Previous Tab |
Ctrl + L |
Focus Address Bar |
Ctrl + F |
Find in Page |
Ctrl + H |
Open History |
Ctrl + B |
Toggle Bookmarks |
Ctrl + D |
Bookmark Current Page |
Ctrl + J |
Open Downloads |
Ctrl + + |
Zoom In |
Ctrl + - |
Zoom Out |
Ctrl + 0 |
Reset Zoom |
Ctrl + R |
Reload Page |
Ctrl + Shift + R |
Hard Reload |
Alt + Left |
Go Back |
Alt + Right |
Go Forward |
F11 |
Full Screen |
F12 |
Developer Tools |
📖 View all shortcuts: Help → Keyboard Shortcuts (inside the application)
🖼️ Coming Soon! Screenshots showcasing:
- Main browser window with multiple tabs
- Speed-dial home page with customizable tiles
- History page with advanced search
- Downloads manager in action
- Settings dialog
- Dark/Light theme comparison
# Run all tests
python -m pytest tests/
# Run with coverage
python -m pytest --cov=rhodium tests/
# Run specific test file
python -m pytest tests/test_database.py# Generate docs (requires sphinx)
cd docs/
make html# Run with verbose logging
python main.py --debug
# Log to file
python main.py --log=debug.log✅ What RHODIUM does RIGHT:
- ✨ Local-first: All data stored locally on your machine
- 🔒 No tracking: Zero telemetry or analytics
- 🛡️ Open source: Full transparency—audit the code
- 🚫 No ads: No advertisements or sponsored content
- 🔑 Your data, your keys: Complete ownership of your browsing data
📋 Best Practices:
- Regularly update Python and dependencies
- Review the security policy in
SECURITY.md - Report vulnerabilities responsibly
❌ "PyQt6 not found"
pip install --upgrade PyQt6 PyQt6-WebEngine❌ "WebEngine crashed"
- Update to Python 3.11+
- Reinstall WebEngine:
pip install --force-reinstall PyQt6-WebEngine
❌ "Window won't open"
- Try:
python main.py --safe-mode - Check Windows version (requires Windows 10/11)
❌ "Slow performance"
- Clear history: Settings → Privacy → Clear Browsing Data
- Disable extensions (if applicable)
- Update your GPU drivers
📚 More help: Check Issues or open a new one
Love RHODIUM? Help make it even better!
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
- Make your changes with descriptive commits
- Test thoroughly before pushing
- Push to your branch:
git push origin feature/amazing-feature
- Open a Pull Request with a clear description
- 🎨 UI/UX improvements: Design enhancements, theme support
- 🐛 Bug fixes: Report and fix issues
- 📚 Documentation: Improve guides and tutorials
- 🌍 Translations: Help localize RHODIUM for other languages
- ⚡ Performance: Optimize rendering and memory usage
- 🧪 Testing: Expand test coverage
- Follow PEP 8 guidelines
- Use meaningful variable names
- Add docstrings to functions
- Write unit tests for new features
| Feature | Status | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 🌐 Multi-language support | Planned | Q4 2024 |
| 🎨 Custom themes | In Progress | Q3 2024 |
| 🔌 Extensions API | Planned | Q1 2025 |
| 📱 Mobile sync | Researching | Q2 2025 |
| 🤖 AI-powered features | Concept | 2025+ |
| 🔐 Password manager | Planned | Q3 2024 |
| 👥 Multi-profile support | In Progress | Q4 2024 |
Here is the progress of our Roadmap
Have a feature request? Open an issue or join our discussions!
- ⭐ Lines of Code: ~5,000+
- 📦 File Count: 15+ core modules
- 🚀 Startup Time: <2 seconds
- 💾 Memory Footprint: ~150MB average
- 🌟 Built With: Pure Python + PyQt6
- 💭 Discussions: GitHub Discussions
- 🐛 Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
- 📮 Email: contact@rhodium.dev
- 🐦 Twitter: @RhodiumBrowser
Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more details.
This means you can use, modify, and distribute RHODIUM freely in personal or commercial projects. Just give credit! 🙌
- PyQt6 Team for the amazing GUI framework
- Chromium Project for the WebEngine
- Contributors who make this project possible
- You for using RHODIUM Browser! ❤️
Enjoying RHODIUM? Here's how you can help:
- ⭐ Star the repository to show your support
- 📢 Share with friends and colleagues
- 🐛 Report bugs to help us improve
- 💡 Suggest features for future updates
- 💬 Leave feedback in discussions
Made with ❤️ and PyQt6
🔷 RHODIUM Browser
Fast. Secure. Beautiful.
GitHub • Download • Wiki • Issues
Last updated: August 2024 | Version: 1.0.0