Sleipnir Browser
Overview
Name Origin: Sleipnir is named after Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse in Norse mythology. The maker is Fenrir Inc., a software company in Osaka, Japan. Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2
Developer: Originally created by Yasuyuki Kashiwagi; later development by Fenrir Inc. Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone. Wikipedia+2WikiMili.com+2
Key focus: Customization, advanced tab functions, gestures, multiple layout/rendering engines (in earlier versions), making a browser suitable for power users, particularly in Japan. YourStory.com+2Wikipedia+2
Early History & Origins (Before Version 2)
The original Sleipnir was developed by Yasuyuki Kashiwagi. In November 2004, the computer with Sleipnir’s source code was stolen. Wikipedia+1
After that incident, in 2005, Kashiwagi established Fenrir & Co. to restart development. The versions from version 2 onward are not compatible with the original version 1. Wikipedia+2WikiMili.com+2
Growth & Market Share
By 2006, Sleipnir had about 6% market share in Japan. WikiMili.com+2Wikipedia+2
Fenrir had ambitions to grow beyond Japan, offering English and other language versions and aiming for greater international presence. Computerworld+2Wikipedia+2
Major Version Developments
Here are important version milestones and what changed in each:
Version —>Approx Release / Period —>Key New Features & Changes
Sleipnir 2 –>~2005 —>The restart under Fenrir; new architecture distinct from the original; added compatibility with newer Windows versions, various improvements. Wikipedia+1
Sleipnir 3 —>Released officially for Windows ~November 2011. GIGAZINE+1 —>Introduced “TouchPaging” (gesture-like tab switching), smoother tab operations, improved UI responsiveness. Beta versions beforehand. GIGAZINE+1
Sleipnir 4 —>Released in 2013. GIGAZINE+1 —>Improved startup speed (up to ~50% faster than prior version), support for two rendering engines: WebKit (custom) + Trident (IE engine). Focus also on not degrading speed over long usage (e.g. with many tabs or heavy JS sites like Nico Nico Douga, Twitter). GIGAZINE
Sleipnir 5 —>December 24, 2013 —>A major shift: adoption of the Blink engine (Chromium’s engine), improved font rendering (for clarity and aesthetics), UI improvements, pulling in features from Mac version. GIGAZINE+2Wikipedia+2
Sleipnir 6 —>May 2014 for Windows —>Further enhancements for tab management (features like “FavTab” for quick favorite sites, “SmartSearch”, facilities to handle many tabs, better gesture support, improvements in stability & performance). GIGAZINE+1
Mobile & Other Platform Development
Sleipnir Mobile versions for Android and iOS launched. Version 2.0 for Android (September 2011) brought big speed improvements (startup 5× faster), and mobile-focused UI/UX improvements. GIGAZINE+1
Sleipnir for iPhone / iPad released (various updates over years). Full-screen modes, tab gestures, integration with cloud/bookmarks sync etc. 9to5Mac+1
Technical & Feature Evolution
Multiple Rendering Engines (in earlier versions): Support for Trident (IE engine), Gecko (Mozilla engine), then WebKit, then shift to Blink. Over time, some engines were dropped (for example Gecko). Wikipedia+2YourStory.com+2
Tab Management: advanced tab grouping, gestures, switching, “Thumb-roll” or “Samrol” (tab overview) etc. Features to help manage many open tabs. GIGAZINE+2Wikipedia+2
Gestures and UI Customization: Mouse gestures, touch gestures (especially mobile), skinning, design flexibility, font rendering for better display quality. YourStory.com+2GIGAZINE+2
Miscellaneous & Unique Events
Source Code Theft (2004): As noted, an important event early in its history. Wikipedia+1
EU Browser Ballot: Sleipnir was included among the browsers offered in the “browser choice” ballot for European editions of Windows (Windows 7, also Vista/XP updates). Wikipedia+1
Recent Status & Current State
Current Versions: Sleipnir is still updated. For Windows, versions in the 6.x range (6.4.x, 6.5.x) are being released. Uptodown+2Wikipedia+2
Freeware: It is proprietary but freeware. Wikipedia+1
Features still emphasized: Customization, advanced tab operations, gestures, good support for mobile devices. Wikipedia
Challenges & Considerations
Performance criticisms: Some earlier versions (especially when using multiple engines, many tabs, or long usage) got complaints of slowdowns or memory issues. YourStory.com+2GIGAZINE+2
Engine compatibility: Supporting multiple engines is complex; dropping or deprecating some engines was necessary.
Market share is mostly strong in Japan; internationally lesser known. Wikipedia+2PCWorld+2
Sleipnir’s history is one of bold experimentation with user interface (UI) design, a strong focus on a specific market, and the challenges of maintaining an independent browser engine in the 21st century.
Phase 1: The Fenrir Inc. Era and UI Innovation (2004-2011)
Origin (2004): Sleipnir was developed by Fenrir Inc., a Japanese software company. The browser was first released for Windows in 2004.
The Name: “Sleipnir” is the name of the eight-legged horse from Norse mythology that belonged to the god Odin, symbolizing speed and power.
The “Why” and The Killer Feature: Sleipnir was created in direct response to the rise of tabbed browsing. Its founders believed that as users opened more tabs, the traditional tab bar became cluttered and inefficient. Their revolutionary solution was the "Tab Tree."
Tab Tree: This feature organized tabs in a hierarchical, collapsible tree structure within a sidebar. This allowed users to group related tabs (e.g., all tabs from a single web search) and manage complex browsing sessions with unparalleled control. This made it a hit with researchers, developers, and power users.
Engine Agnosticism: Initially, Sleipnir was not a browser with its own engine. It was a shell that used Microsoft’s Trident engine (from Internet Explorer) for rendering. This ensured compatibility with the Japanese web, which at the time had many sites designed specifically for IE.
Phase 2: Expansion, Multi-Engine, and Mobile (2008-2014)
The Multi-Engine Strategy: As WebKit (and later Blink) gained prominence, Sleipnir adopted a dual-engine strategy. It could switch between the Trident engine and the WebKit engine on a per-tab basis. This was similar to Maxthon’s approach, allowing users to choose the best engine for a given site.
Platform Expansion:
macOS (2008): A version of Sleipnir for Mac was released, which naturally used the WebKit engine.
Mobile (2010-2013): Fenrir Inc. launched Sleipnir Mobile for iOS and Android. The mobile versions were also known for their unique, gesture-heavy UI and focus on speed.
Peak Ambition: During this period, Sleipnir was a fully-featured, innovative browser competing on a global stage, known almost exclusively for its unique Tab Tree and clean design. It developed a small but dedicated international following.
Phase 3: The Chromium Consolidation and Decline (2015-Present)
The Engine Burden: Maintaining a multi-engine browser and keeping pace with the rapid development of Chromium/Blink became an unsustainable burden for a company of Fenrir’s size. The web was standardizing on Chromium, making the multi-engine feature less of an advantage and more of a maintenance nightmare.
The Pivot to Chromium: In the mid-2010s, Fenrir made the same pragmatic decision as many other independent browsers: they rebuilt Sleipnir as a Chromium-based browser. This ensured compatibility with the modern web but came at a cost.
Loss of Identity: The transition to Chromium was rocky. The iconic Tab Tree feature was difficult to re-implement perfectly within Chromium’s new extension and UI framework. Subsequent versions either lacked the feature or had a less powerful version of it. For many of its core users, this removed the primary reason to use Sleipnir.
Market Retreat and Niche Status:
Desktop: The Windows version became increasingly niche. Development slowed, and it failed to stand out in a sea of other Chromium-based browsers.
Mobile: The mobile versions saw more active development and remain more relevant, particularly in the Japanese market, where they are known for their speed and privacy features like ad-blocking.
Discontinuation of Desktop Versions: As of the early 2020s, Fenrir Inc. has effectively ended development of the desktop version of Sleipnir. Their focus has shifted entirely to their mobile browsers and other software services.
Summary: Legacy and Current Status
Sleipnir’s history is a classic tale of innovation being overtaken by platform consolidation.
The UI Pioneer: Its legacy is that of a browser that dared to completely re-think the user interface for managing multiple web pages. The “Tab Tree” was a genuinely innovative concept that influenced other browsers and extensions.
A Victim of the Chromium Era: Like Maxthon and others, it could not withstand the resource demands of the modern web and was forced to abandon its unique architecture to survive, ultimately losing its reason for being in the process.
Current Status: The Sleipnir desktop browser is largely discontinued and unsupported. The Sleipnir Mobile browser for iOS and Android remains in active development and is the primary focus of the Sleipnir brand today, serving its niche in the Japanese market.
In conclusion, Sleipnir was a brilliant and unique browser that solved a real problem for power users, but its defining features could not survive the industry’s overwhelming shift to the Chromium monoculture.
