Automatically selects web browsers based on context rules.

• Fast single binary with minimal dependencies
• Simple rule engine
• Cross-platform (Linux, macOS)

Save as ~/.config/autobrowser/config.toml or use -config flag.

# Default when no rules match
default_command = "personal"

# Define commands
[command.work]
cmd = ["firefox", "-p", "work", "{}"]
query_escape = true

[command.personal]
cmd = "firefox {}"

# Define rules
[[rules]]
command = "work"
[[rules.matchers]]
type = "app"
class = "Slack"
[[rules.matchers]]
type = "url"
regex = ".*jira.*"

[[rules]]
command = "work"
[[rules.matchers]]
type = "app"
class = "org.telegram.desktop"

More examples in the examples folder.

Commands define how to open URLs with specific browsers.

# For string command format
[command.chrome]
cmd = "open -a 'Google Chrome' {}"  # Single quotes inside double quotes

# For array format (recommended for complex commands)
[command.firefox]
cmd = ["open", "-a", "Google Chrome", "{}"]  # No need to escape quotes in array format

Note: When using the string format for cmd, both single quotes (') and double quotes (") will be automatically escaped. For commands with complex quoting requirements, the array format is recommended.

• query_escape: When set to true, escapes special characters in the URL before inserting into the command.
• placeholder: Customize the placeholder for the URL (default is {}).

For better readability, you can use a more concise syntax for matchers:

[[rules]]
command = "work"
# Concise syntax using inline table arrays
matchers = [
  {type = "app", class = "Slack"},
  {type = "url", regex = ".*jira.*"}
]

This is equivalent to the more verbose syntax shown in the first example.

Match by source application.

Supported environments: hyprland, gnome, sway, macos

[[rules.matchers]]
type = "app"
class = "Slack"

Linux Properties:

• title: window title (regex)
• class: window class

macOS Properties:

• display_name: app name
• bundle_id: App Bundle ID
• bundle_path: App Bundle path
• executable_path: app executable path

Match by clicked URL.

[[rules.matchers]]
type = "url"
host = "github.com"

Properties:

• host: match by host
• scheme: match by scheme
• regex: match full URL by regex

Install focused-window-dbus extension to expose the focused window.

Prebuilt packages: Download .rpm, .deb, .apk or .zst from releases.

Manual build:

make build-linux

Create this .desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications/ and set as default browser:

[Desktop Entry]
Categories=Network;WebBrowser
Exec=/path/to/autobrowser -config ~/.config/autobrowser/config.toml -url %u
Icon=browser
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https
Name=Autobrowser
Terminal=false
Type=Application

Works for both Linux and macOS. The flake provides an overlay and a home-manager module.

Example configuration:

{
  programs.autobrowser = {
    enable = true;
    defaultCommand = "personal";
    
    commands = {
      work = {
        cmd = ["firefox", "ext+container:name=Work&url={}"];
        queryEscape = true;
      };
      personal = {
        cmd = "firefox {}";
      };
    };
    
    rules = [
      {
        command = "work";
        matchers = [
          { 
            type = "app";
            class = "Slack";
          }
          {
            type = "url";
            regex = ".*jira.*";
          }
        ];
      }
    ];
  };
}

Monitor logs:

log stream --predicate 'subsystem == "dev.pltanton.autobrowser"' --style compact --level debug

• b-r-o-w-s-e project and related article: great example of handling URLs with Golang on macOS
• Finicky project: inspiration for Autobrowser, good example of handling more complex URL events