Arcky
A native Swift and WebKit Mac browser that copies Arc's sidebar, Spaces, Boosts and Little Arc.
Arcky is a from-scratch macOS browser by one developer, written in Swift with SwiftUI and the system WKWebView (WebKit). It rebuilds most of Arc's model: a sidebar with favorites, pinned tabs and folders, Spaces with themes and optional profiles, Split View, Peek, Little Arc, a command bar, Boosts and Arc's AppleScript dictionary. It also adds Notes, Easels, live folders and Instant Links. It imports Arc spaces and syncs between Macs through iCloud Drive. Because it uses WebKit, Chrome extensions do not run. The builds are unsigned test builds that need a one-time Gatekeeper override, and the repo has no license file.
74% Arc feature parity (yes = 1, partial = ½).
No AI
No AI features in the source; Instant Links open the top DuckDuckGo result instead of calling an AI service.
github.comNot counted in Arc parity: some people want AI, some avoid it.
None found
No ads, wallet, feed, upsell or account in the source and no analytics SDK. The only network calls are filter lists, live-folder feeds and Instant Links.
github.comAds, crypto, paid upsells, news feeds, default-on telemetry, required accounts.
Organization
| Feature | Arcky | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical sidebarTabs live in a vertical sidebar that is the main tab UI and can be hidden. | ✓ | ✓ | Sidebar is the tab UI; ⌘S hides it and it slides back in from the left edge.github.com |
| SpacesSeveral workspaces per window, each with its own pinned and open tabs, switched by swipe or shortcut. | ✓ | ✓ | Each Space has its own pinned tree, Today tabs and theme; switch by shortcut or two-finger swipe.github.com |
| Profiles per Space (shareable)Each Space can use its own browser profile (separate cookies, logins, history), and one profile can be shared by several Spaces. | ✓ | ✓ | A profile has its own cookies and logins; each Space picks one and several Spaces can share it.github.com |
| Global favoritesPinned icons at the top of the sidebar shared by every Space (Zen calls them Essentials). | ✓ | ✓ | Favorites grid shows in every Space of the same profile; each profile keeps its own set.github.com |
| Pinned tabs & foldersPer-space pinned tabs that act like bookmarks, with nested folders. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-Space pinned tree of tabs and nested folders; also RSS and GitHub live folders.github.com |
| Auto-archive tabsUnpinned tabs close automatically after a set time and stay recoverable in an archive. | ✓ | ✓ | Today tabs archive after 12 h (default), 24 h, 7 d, 30 d or never; searchable Archive sheet.github.com |
| Space themesPer-space colour or gradient themes. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-Space gradient of up to three colours, with intensity, film grain and light/dark.github.com |
Browsing
| Feature | Arcky | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split ViewTwo or more tabs side by side in one window. | ✓ | ✓ | Two to four panes, horizontal or vertical, with draggable dividers.github.com |
| Link previewOpen a link in an overlay without leaving the current page (Zen calls it Glance). | ✓ | ✓ | Off-site links from pinned tabs and favorites, and ⇧-clicked links, open in an overlay.github.com |
| Mini windowA small, chrome-less window for links opened from other apps or a quick search. | ✓ | ✓ | Links from other apps open in a small window when Arcky is the default browser.github.com |
| Command barA ⌘T palette that searches tabs, history, bookmarks and browser commands. | ◐ | ✓ | ⌘T searches open tabs and history and handles URLs; no commands or bookmarks.github.com |
| Link routingRules that send links from other apps to a chosen space or profile. | ✕ | ✓ | Every external link goes to Little Arc; no per-site or per-app rules.github.com |
| Site customizationPer-site custom CSS/JS, or zapping elements off a page. | ✓ | ✓ | Per-site CSS, JavaScript, font and zapped elements, injected so site CSP does not block them.github.com |
| Auto picture-in-picturePlaying video pops out into picture-in-picture automatically when you switch tabs. | ✓ | ✓ | Leaving a playing video pops it out into native PiP or Arcky's mini player; on by default.github.com |
Compatibility & migration
| Feature | Arcky | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc importImports Arc spaces, pinned tabs and folders. | ✓ | – | Reads Arc's StorableSidebar.json: spaces, pinned folders, Today tabs, favorites, emoji and colour.github.com |
| Chrome extensionsInstalls extensions from the Chrome Web Store. | ✕ | ✓ | WebKit engine; roadmap says Chrome extensions won't run. Safari extensions only "possible later".github.com |
| DRM (Widevine)Netflix, Disney+, Spotify web and other DRM video/audio play. Chromium forks need a Google Widevine licence. | ? | ✓ | Plain system WKWebView with no DRM code; playback of Netflix and similar was not tested. |
| PasskeysWebAuthn passkeys, Touch ID and the system/iCloud keychain. | ? | ✓ | No passkey code; the build is ad-hoc signed with no entitlements. Passkey sign-in was not tested. |
| SyncSpaces, pinned tabs and settings sync across devices. | ✓ | ✓ | Opt-in sync between Macs via iCloud Drive or a shared folder; Today tabs stay per Mac.github.com |
| Mobile appiPhone, iPad or Android app that shares spaces with desktop. | ✕ | ◐ | Swift package targets macOS 15 only; no iOS or iPadOS app.github.com |
Extras
| Feature | Arcky | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in ad blockerAd and tracker blocking without installing an extension. | ✓ | ✓ | On by default: built-in ad and tracker domain list plus EasyList-style subscriptions; per-site allow.github.com |
Extension support
Which extension formats and stores run, beyond the Chrome Web Store row above. Not counted in Arc parity.
| Feature | Arcky | Arc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manifest V2 extensionsThe older extension format Chrome removed in 2025. Needed for full uBlock Origin and other extensions that block requests. | – | ✕ | WebKit app with no extension code; roadmap says Chrome extensions won't run.github.com |
| Manifest V3 extensionsThe current extension format used by the Chrome Web Store (and supported by Firefox and Safari). | – | ✓ | WebKit app with no extension code; roadmap says Chrome extensions won't run.github.com |
| Firefox add-onsAdd-ons from addons.mozilla.org or .xpi files install and run. | – | ✕ | WebKit app with no extension code; roadmap says Chrome extensions won't run.github.com |
| Safari extensionsSafari web extensions (the App Store extension apps Safari uses) install and run. | – | ✕ | No extension support; roadmap lists Safari web extensions only as "possible later".github.com |