A real WebKit browser for Mac, forged from scratch.
Luisearch
New Tab
luisearch.pages.dev
Under the hood
WebKit
The actual rendering engine — HTML, CSS, JS execution, networking, security. Apple's own engine, not a fork.
Swift + AppKit
The actual window chrome — tabs, address bar, toolbar. AppKit over SwiftUI: browser chrome needs pixel-level control SwiftUI still doesn't give on macOS.
What's there today
Tabs
Multiple pages, one window, switch instantly.
Bookmarks & history
Star any page, browse your history — synced to your account if signed in, fully local if not.
Optional account
Anvil's own sign-in, entirely opt-in — works fully signed-out.
Real downloads
Files save straight to ~/Downloads, no picker, no fuss.
Ad blocker
Blocks known ad/tracker domains at the network level, plus a YouTube-specific skip-ad script.
Fullscreen
Both in-page video fullscreen and true macOS window fullscreen.
Floating video window
Pop a tab into a small always-on-top window and keep watching while you use other apps.
Luisearch by default
New tabs and searches route through Luisearch.
Real identity
Its own User-Agent — no pretending to be Safari.
Frequently asked
Why WebKit instead of Chromium or Gecko?
WebKit is Apple's own engine and the one macOS is built around — it gets native performance, security updates, and system integration that a bundled Chromium/Gecko engine wouldn't. Anvil uses WKWebView directly rather than shipping its own copy of a browser engine.
Why AppKit instead of SwiftUI?
Browser chrome needs pixel-level, imperative control — tab layout, precise toolbar positioning, custom Finder-style interactions. SwiftUI's declarative model is excellent for most apps, but AppKit is still what real production browsers reach for on macOS.
Does Anvil support Picture-in-Picture?
Not native browser PiP — that's a documented WebKit limitation on macOS outside of Safari itself. Instead, Anvil has its own floating-window mode: pop any tab into a small always-on-top window that follows you across every desktop Space, so a video keeps playing while you use other apps.
Is the Windows version the same as the Mac version?
Same features, different engine underneath. WebKit and AppKit are macOS-only — they don't exist on Windows at all — so the Windows build uses WebView2 (Chromium's engine, the same one Edge uses) with a WPF interface instead. Tabs, bookmarks/history sync, the ad blocker, downloads, and the floating video window all work the same way on both, they're just built on different native foundations per platform.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. Anvil works fully signed-out. The account system is entirely optional and only adds sign-in — bookmarks, history, and browsing all work with no account at all.
Why does macOS warn me when I open it?
Anvil isn't signed with an Apple Developer certificate, so Gatekeeper shows its standard warning for unsigned apps. Right-click the app and choose Open the first time — this is a one-time step per install, not a bug.
Why is Luisearch the default?
Anvil is part of the same project family as Luisearch, so new tabs and address-bar searches route there by default. Typing any other full URL works exactly as you'd expect.
What project is this part of?
Anvil is part of the Luis family of projects, alongside Luisearch and its other services.
Does it support Windows or Linux?
No, and it can't — WKWebView and AppKit are both macOS-only frameworks. Anvil is a Mac app by design, not a cross-platform one.
Where are my bookmarks and history stored?
Locally on your Mac, nowhere else. History caps at your last 500 pages. None of it leaves your machine unless you explicitly sign in to an account.
Does it support extensions?
Not in the current release — tabs, bookmarks, history, and an optional account are supported today. An extension system is on the roadmap.
Why is it called Anvil?
A browser built from a blank AppKit window and WebKit, one part at a time — an anvil is where things get forged, not assembled from a kit.
Does Anvil identify itself as a different browser to websites?
No. Anvil sends its own User-Agent string identifying itself as Anvil — it doesn't pretend to be Safari or any other browser.
Self-contained build (~160MB, includes the .NET runtime) — no separate installer needed, just run it. Windows SmartScreen will warn on first launch since it's unsigned; click "More info" → "Run anyway".