Oblada
Chromium browser with a Zen-style sidebar, workspaces, Firefox-style containers and Firefox add-ons
Oblada is a free, open-source Chromium fork for Apple silicon Macs, kept as a patch set over Chromium 156 (not Electron). It puts tabs, the address bar and workspaces in a left sidebar, with split view, compact mode, a peek card for links, and Firefox-style containers with 'always open this site in' rules. It installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store and Firefox add-ons (including MV2), and its Barrier blocks ads and trackers with Brave's adblock-rust engine. The maker says it was built with AI help. It is in beta, and the macOS build is ad-hoc signed, not notarized.
Built-in AI
No AI
No built-in AI: Google's AI Mode in the address bar is turned off, and Settings' page about Google's AI features is hidden.
github.comBloat check
None found
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account (Google sign-in removed). Devlog: non-Google Chromium builds never start metrics recording. DuckDuckGo is the default search.
github.comAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SidebarVertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Seven window layouts; sidebar is the default, compact mode hides it until the left edge is hovered.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ◐ | ✓ | Workspaces with their own tabs, swipe to switch; pinned tabs are shared, not per workspace.github.com |
| ProfilesProfiles per Space (shareable)Each Space can use its own browser profile (separate cookies, logins, history), and one profile can be shared by several Spaces. | ◐ | ✓ | A workspace can open its tabs in a container (cookies, logins); history stays shared.github.com |
| FavoritesGlobal favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Pinned tabs (the maker calls them Zen's Essentials) show in every workspace.github.com |
| Pinned TabsPinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ◐ | ✓ | Pinned tabs are global, not per workspace; no folders (tab groups are the workspaces).github.com |
| Live foldersSidebar folders that fill and refresh themselves from an outside source, such as GitHub pull requests or an RSS feed. | ✕ | ✓ | No live-folder code at 1aa3538; Oblada's own browser sources list no folder-feed or similar module.github.com |
| ArchiveAuto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ◐ | ✓ | Memory Saver on by default unloads idle tabs; no archive and tabs are not closed.github.com |
| Theme pickerSpace themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-workspace theme: up to three gradient colours, opacity, grain, light or dark.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ◐ | ✓ | Two panes only (Chromium's split view); drag a tab onto the page to split.chromium.googlesource.com |
| PeekLink previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Option-click or force-click opens a link in a card over the page; can become a tab or a split.github.com |
| Little ArcMini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✕ | ✓ | No mini window in code or patch list; links from other apps open as a normal tab.github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ◐ | ✓ | ⌘L/⌘T float the address bar over the page; stock Chromium suggestions, no command palette.github.com |
| Air Traffic ControlLink routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ◐ | ✓ | 'Always open this site in…' rules send a site to a container, not a workspace.github.com |
| BoostsSite customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ◐ | ✓ | Block an element hides picked page elements for good; no per-site CSS/JS editor.github.com |
| Auto PiPAuto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ◐ | ✓ | Manual PiP button in the sidebar's media controls; no Oblada auto-PiP.github.com |
| Mini playerMedia still playing in a tab you left keeps play/pause controls in the sidebar. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar cards for media in other tabs have previous, play/pause, next and tab sound buttons; hover shows title and seek bar.github.com |
| Tab SwitcherRecent-tab switcherCtrl+Tab jumps back to the tab you used last and cycles in recently used order. | ✕ | ✓ | Ctrl+Tab cycles in strip order; Chromium's MRU option needs the off-by-default CtrlTabMru feature, which Oblada doesn't enable and its Settings page hides.github.com |
| Super CopyClean link copyA shortcut (⌘⇧C) copies the page URL with tracking parameters removed. | ◐ | ✓ | Site panel 'Copy link' and 'Copy Clean Link' in menus strip tracking parameters; no keyboard shortcut for either.github.com |
| CaptureScreenshotsBuilt-in capture of a chosen area or element, and of the full page. | ◐ | ✓ | Site panel's Screenshot button is Chromium's drag-to-select capture of the visible page; full page only via DevTools.github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ◐ | – | Imports bookmarks, history and passwords from an Arc profile; no Spaces or pinned tabs.github.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✓ | ✓ | Chrome Web Store extensions on Chromium 156; Firefox add-ons run too.github.com |
| DRM streamingNetflix, Disney+, Spotify web and other DRM video/audio play, through Widevine or, on WebKit, FairPlay. Chromium forks need a Google Widevine licence; FairPlay counts once a major service is confirmed playing in the app. | ✕ | ✓ | Widevine is off in stock Chromium and not set in args.gn; no CDM in the 0.5.2 app bundle.chromium.googlesource.com |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ◐ | ✓ | Ad-hoc signed, no entitlement for Chromium's Touch ID passkeys; security keys only (not run).chromium.googlesource.com |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✕ | ✓ | No account or sync; Settings' 'You and Google' page is removed.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | macOS on Apple Silicon only; Linux and Windows announced, no phone app.oblada-browser.github.io |
Extras
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | Barrier: adblock-rust with EasyList/uBO/Brave lists, on by default, per-site controls.github.com |
| Custom ShortcutsShortcut editorMost browser keyboard shortcuts can be remapped in Settings. | ✕ | ✓ | Shortcuts come from Chromium's fixed accelerator table; no remapping page in Oblada's patches, Settings pages or changelogs.github.com |
More Arc features
Arc features shown but not counted in the score, because almost no replacement has them or only a few people need them.
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EaselsA shareable canvas of live page captures, notes and drawings. | ✕ | ◐ | No easel or board code at 1aa3538; Oblada's own browser sources list no such module.github.com |
| Shared CollectionsShared spaces & foldersShare a Space, folder or set of tabs as a link anyone can open, or another user can add to their sidebar. | ✕ | ✓ | Workspaces are local tab groups with no share link or export; Google sign-in is removed.github.com |
| PreviewsWeb app previewsHover a pinned Gmail, Calendar or other web app to glance at it; a pinned calendar shows the next meeting with Join. | ✕ | ✓ | No glance at pinned apps, calendar widget or unread badges; tab hover cards are even removed in the sidebar.github.com |
| Developer modeA developer view that turns on by itself for localhost: full URL, quick DevTools and dev tools in reach. | ✕ | ✓ | Only Chromium DevTools plus a 'Block an element' picker; no developer mode or localhost-specific UI in the patch list.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above.
| Feature | Oblada | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | ✓ | ✕ | Patch stops Chromium 156 disabling MV2 and drops warnings; its smoke test expects blocking webRequest.github.com |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | ✓ | ✓ | Chromium 156 supports manifest versions 2 and 3; not patched.chromium.googlesource.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | ◐ | ✕ | addons.mozilla.org add-ons are converted on install; Firefox-only APIs (theme, find, dns…) are dropped.github.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | ✕ | ✕ | Not supported; extensions come from the Chrome Web Store and addons.mozilla.org.github.com |