Best browser for web application

Question

I am in a position where I can choose the client browser for my web app. The app is being used internally, and we are installing each client "manually".I would like to find a better solution for the browser,so :

What is a good browser that I can use as a client to a web application?

General functionalities I would like to have:

• opening the browser from a shortcut, directly to the application's URL
• ability to restrict navigation to a set of allowed URLs
• fullscreen mode, no menu, no address bar
• javascript
• good CSS support
• ability to cancel Back button (or at least solve the "Webpage has expired" IE problem)

IE7 and FireFox are good candidates, but each seem to have it's own problems and issues.

Answer 1

Your last point, solving the "webpage has expired" problem, can be solved entirely on the server side by judicious use of the "303 see other" HTTP status code. Instead of returning a new page immediately as the result of an HTTP POST, return a 303 result code that redirects to another page that is a GET, that gets the contents you would like to show. This allows the user to use the back button without getting that expired message.

Answer 2

When you run into serious issues, with Firefox you can trace it down to the code and maybe get someone to fix it. With IE, you can't.

Answer 3

Because of your specific requirements you might want to consider embedding the IE ActiveX into a desktop application. That way you get full control of the client.

Answer 4

Mozilla Prism seems ideal for your purposes.

It shares code with Firefox but is designed to run web applications without the usual Browser interface to make them appear more like desktop applications. So no back button or address bar to worry about.

Edit: Google Chrome has Application Shortcuts so that may now be a better option.

Answer 5

Firefox:

• multi-platform
• kiosk add-on
• patch the chrome logic with zip and javascript
• see the FF 3.1 javascript speed improvements
• easily deploy standard bookmarks

Answer 6

Although I realize this may not be an option yet, Google Chrome seems to have some features that have been added specifically to allow that. Again, maybe not usable, yet, but certainly very interesting!

(See also the Chrome presentation, 27:30)

Answer 7

Some other reasons to choose Firefox:

• Firebug
• Web Developer
• Tamper Data

These addons make it a lot easier to develop web application for.

Answer 8

Firefox with a little elbow grease is your best bet. I've written locked down extensions (one that's full screen and great for digital signage) as well as Live CD to ease deployment.

Answer 9

Until people have more experience with Google Chrome I would think Firefox is a better choice. It is extendable, well supported. I like Chrome, but Google just have the tendency to have long beta periods and some times abandon projects.