Vivaldi Browser

🕸️ Vivaldi Browser – Full History & Evolution

⚙️ 1. Origins and Founding (2013–2015)

Founder:
Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, the co-founder and former CEO of Opera Software.

Co-founder: Tatsuki Tomita, also an ex-Opera executive.

Founded: 2013, after Opera changed direction.

🧩 Background:

In 2013, Opera Software abandoned its Presto engine and switched to Chromium (Blink).

Many long-time Opera users and developers were disappointed because Opera lost many of its advanced features like:

➡️ Jon Tetzchner decided to bring back the “old Opera spirit” — a browser built for power users, not mass-market simplicity.

🚀 2. The Early Development & Launch (2015)

January 27, 2015:
The first Technical Preview of Vivaldi Browser was released.

Engine: Chromium (Blink engine + V8 JavaScript engine).

Initial Features:

Vivaldi also launched Vivaldi.net, a social platform offering blogging, forums, and email for community members.

The company is privately owned and not funded by ads or data collection — unlike Google or Microsoft.

🌐 3. First Stable Release – Vivaldi 1.0 (April 6, 2016)

Vivaldi 1.0 officially launched after over a year of testing.

Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Tagline: “A browser for our friends.”

🧠 Highlights:

Custom themes

Side panel with bookmarks, downloads, notes

Mouse gestures

Session management

Tab preview thumbnails

Full customization of keyboard shortcuts

🎯 Focus: Power users, developers, and privacy-conscious users.

🛠️ 4. Expansion & Feature Growth (2017–2018)

2017:
Vivaldi introduced reader mode, tab hibernation, and screenshot tools.
Improved performance and memory management.

Vivaldi 1.13 (2017) added window panel for advanced tab management.

Vivaldi 1.14–1.15 (2018):

Mail Client Development: Work began on a built-in mail client and calendar, reminiscent of the old Opera M2 mail system.

📱 5. Mobile Version & Sync (2019–2020)

2019:

2020:

🧠 Unlike Chrome, Vivaldi does not use Google servers for sync — it runs its own secure infrastructure.

💌 6. Vivaldi Mail, Calendar & Feed Reader (2021–2022)

June 2021:
Vivaldi 4.0 released — one of the biggest updates in the browser’s history.

🚀 Major Additions:

Vivaldi Mail (Beta) – Built-in email client supporting IMAP/POP3.

Vivaldi Calendar – Integrated calendar with privacy options.

Vivaldi Feed Reader – Built-in RSS and YouTube feed support.

Vivaldi Translate – Privacy-respecting translation powered by Lingvanex, not Google Translate.

2022:

🧭 7. Privacy, Customization, and Innovation (2023–2024)

2023:

2024:

🎯 Throughout, Vivaldi remained ad-free, privacy-first, and user-controlled.

🌍 8. Current Era (2025)

As of 2025, Vivaldi continues to evolve as a feature-rich, privacy-focused alternative to Chrome and Edge.

Current user base: Around 3–4 million active users globally.

Platforms:

🔑 Key Modern Features:

Full customization (keyboard, theme, interface layout).

Built-in Mail, Calendar, RSS Reader, and Translator.

Integrated Ad & Tracker Blocker.

Private Sync with Vivaldi’s own servers.

Mastodon integration (Vivaldi Social).

Web Panels for quick access to websites.

🧱 Core Technology

Component —>Details
Rendering Engine —>Chromium (Blink)
JavaScript Engine —>V8
Base Language —>C++ (with custom UI in React/JS)
Privacy —>No tracking, no telemetry, private sync
Unique Features —>Built-in Mail, Calendar, RSS, Themes, Notes
Developer —>Vivaldi Technologies AS (Norway/Iceland)

💬 Philosophy of Vivaldi

“A browser should adapt to you — not the other way around.”
Vivaldi is built on the values of:

Customization

Privacy

User control

No data exploitation

🏁 Summary Timeline

Year —>Event
2013—>Vivaldi Technologies founded by ex-Opera CEO
2015—>First Technical Preview released
2016—>Vivaldi 1.0 stable version launched
2019—>Android version released (Beta)
2020—>Built-in Ad & Tracker Blocker added
2021—>Vivaldi Mail, Calendar & Feed Reader launched
2023—>Vivaldi 6.0 + Mastodon integration
2025—>Continues as top privacy & customization browser

What is Vivaldi?

Vivaldi is a free, cross-platform web browser developed by Vivaldi Technologies, a company founded by Jón Stephenson von Tetzchner and Tatsuki Tomita. Jón von Tetzchner was a co-founder and the former CEO of Opera Software. Vivaldi is often seen as the spiritual successor to the classic, feature-rich Opera browser (pre-version 15), which many users felt abandoned its core audience when it switched to the Chromium engine and stripped away many features.
The core philosophy of Vivaldi is “A Browser for Our Friends.” This means it is built with a strong focus on user customization, power features, and privacy, aiming to serve users who feel underserved by the minimalist approach of browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Key Features and Details

Vivaldi’s identity is defined by its extensive and often unique feature set. Here’s a breakdown of its most prominent features:

1. Unparalleled Customization

Vivaldi is arguably the most customizable browser available.

User Interface (UI): You can change almost every aspect of the UI: position of tabs (top, bottom, left, right), theme colors (which automatically adapt to the website you’re visiting), accent colors, background images, and even the density of UI elements.

Toolbars and Panels: Drag and drop elements on toolbars or hide them completely. The main Panel (on the left side) can be customized with a wide array of web panels, including notes, downloads, bookmarks, and even embedded websites (like a mini-browser within the browser).

Mouse Gestures and Keyboard Shortcuts: Vivaldi has built-in, highly configurable mouse gestures (e.g., hold right-click and move down to close a tab) and keyboard shortcuts. This allows for incredibly efficient navigation without moving your hands from the keyboard or mouse.

2. Tab Management Superpowers

Vivaldi treats tabs as a first-class citizen.

Tab Stacking: Group multiple related tabs into a single, collapsible stack. You can even tile tab stacks to view multiple web pages side-by-side within the same window.

Two-Level Tab Stacks: You can nest stacks within stacks for complex project organization.

Tab Tiling: View two or more web pages simultaneously in a split-screen view directly within the browser window.

Tab Hibernation: Automatically or manually put unused tabs to sleep to free up system resources (RAM and CPU).

3. Integrated Productivity Tools

Instead of relying on extensions, Vivaldi builds powerful tools directly into the browser.

Notes Manager: A full-featured notes tool that lets you take notes and even snap screenshots of web pages to attach to them. Notes are saved locally and can be synced.

Mail, Calendar, and Feeds: Vivaldi includes a fully integrated email client, calendar, and RSS feed reader. This creates a powerful, all-in-one workspace for communication and information.

Web Panels: As mentioned, you can add any website to the panel, creating a persistent, slim sidebar for apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Twitter.

Capture Tool: A built-in tool for taking screenshots of entire pages, selected areas, or just the visible portion.

4. Privacy and Security

Vivaldi takes a strong, transparent stance on privacy.

No Tracking: The company states it does not track users or sell their data. Unlike many other browsers, Vivaldi does not have a financial incentive to collect user data.

Built-in Tracker and Ad Blocker: A powerful blocker that can block trackers, ads, and even cryptocurrency miners. You can use custom filter lists (like EasyList) for more control.

Privacy-Preserving Sync: When you sync your data (bookmarks, passwords, history, etc.) between devices, it is encrypted end-to-end. Vivaldi cannot read your synced data.

Search Engine Privacy: The default search engine is DuckDuckGo, but it’s easily changeable. It also features “Private Search” windows that don’t store history or cookies.

5. The Vivaldi Address Bar (The “Field”)

This is more than just an address bar; it’s a command center.

Search Nicknames: Assign nicknames to your search engines. For example, type w Beethoven to search Wikipedia for Beethoven directly from the address bar.

Calculator and Commands: Perform calculations (2+2) or activate browser commands (Maximize Window) directly in the address bar.

Page Actions: Small snippets of JavaScript that can modify webpage behavior (e.g., remove sticky headers, invert colors).

6. Built on Web Technologies

Interestingly, Vivaldi’s user interface is itself built using standard web technologies: HTML5, CSS3, React, and JavaScript. This allows for its deep level of customization.

Technical Specifications

Platform: Chromium. This means Vivaldi is compatible with the vast ecosystem of Chrome Web Store extensions and enjoys strong website compatibility. However, it adds its own extensive layer of features on top.

Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

Sync: Encrypted sync for bookmarks, passwords, history, notes, settings, and more across all your devices.

Data: Stored locally on your machine by default. Sync data is encrypted end-to-end.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Extremely Customizable: Adapts to your workflow, not the other way around.

Feature-Rich: Packed with productivity tools that eliminate the need for many extensions.

Strong Privacy Focus: No user tracking and a transparent business model.

Excellent for Power Users: Tab management, mouse gestures, and keyboard shortcuts are top-tier.

Active and Responsive Development: The Vivaldi team is very engaged with its community and frequently adds new features based on user feedback.

Cons:

Can Feel Bloated: For users who want a simple, minimalist browser, Vivaldi can feel overwhelming.

Performance: While generally good, it can be slightly more resource-intensive than leaner browsers like Chrome or Firefox, especially on older hardware, due to its feature set.

Learning Curve: The sheer number of features and settings can be intimidating for new users. It takes time to configure it to your liking.

The Company and Business Model

A key differentiator for Vivaldi is its business model. Vivaldi Technologies is a private company that is not reliant on venture capital. Its revenue comes from:

Search Partnerships: Like most browsers, they earn revenue from the search engines integrated into the address bar (e.g., from deals with search providers like Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc.).

Affiliate Partnerships: The built-in shopping tool may generate affiliate revenue.
This model allows them to remain independent and prioritize user interests over data collection.

Conclusion

Vivaldi is not for everyone. It is specifically designed for users who:

Feel constrained by the simplicity of Chrome, Edge, or Safari.

Are heavy tab users and need superior organization.

Value privacy and want to avoid browsers from big tech companies.

Enjoy tinkering and customizing their software to create a perfect personal workflow.
If you fall into any of these categories, Vivaldi is undoubtedly worth a try. It’s a browser that respects your intelligence and gives you the tools to build your own ideal web experience.