NeChrome is a small, native macOS browser built with SwiftUI, AppKit, and the system WebKit engine. It does not bundle Chromium or Electron.
The project is focused on the essentials: tabs, address/search input, history, downloads, private windows, session restore, content blocking, and sleeping inactive tabs. It intentionally does not include an AI assistant, accounts, subscriptions, cloud synchronization, or telemetry.
NeChrome is an early preview. Version 0.4.1 fixes tab creation, independent window sessions, and migration of stores created by earlier preview builds.
The downloadable 0.4.1 ZIP is ad-hoc signed for local testing. It is not yet a Developer ID notarized public release, so macOS may show a security warning.
Use the latest GitHub Release. Every binary release links to the corresponding tagged source code and includes a SHA-256 checksum.
- Apple Silicon Mac
- macOS 14 or newer
- English is the guaranteed interface language for the current preview
Requirements: macOS 14 or newer and Xcode.
git clone https://github.com/AffPapa/nechrome.git
cd nechrome
xcodebuild \
-project Candoa.xcodeproj \
-scheme Candoa \
-configuration Debug \
-destination platform=macOS \
-derivedDataPath .build/DerivedData \
CODE_SIGN_STYLE=Manual \
CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY=- \
DEVELOPMENT_TEAM= \
build
open .build/DerivedData/Build/Products/Debug/NeChrome.appThe Xcode project and scheme retain their upstream internal names to keep the fork reviewable. The built product, bundle identifier, icon, visible copy, and local data paths use the NeChrome identity.
- Use the WebKit already supplied by macOS.
- Keep the UI native and the browser core understandable.
- Avoid background services and network requests that are not required for browsing.
- Keep idle tabs cheap and restore them only when needed.
- Do not add AI, accounts, subscriptions, cloud sync, or telemetry to the core browser.
NeChrome stores tabs, history, and browser state locally. Search or address input is sent only to the selected search provider or destination website. The 0.4.1 preview does not contain NeChrome accounts, analytics, cloud sync, or an AI assistant.
Websites can still track visitors in the normal ways available to web content. The built-in content blocker reduces common tracking but is not a guarantee of anonymity.
NeChrome is a modified fork of Candoa Browser. Source code is available under the Mozilla Public License 2.0; see LICENSE.
NeChrome is an independent project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Candoa project, Apple, Google, or the Chromium project. Web content is rendered by Apple's WebKit framework included with macOS.
Preview artifacts may be published for testing with an explicit warning. A normal public release additionally requires Developer ID signing, Apple notarization, stapling, Gatekeeper verification, and a clean-machine launch test. See docs/RELEASING.md.