Avant Browser is a popular freeware web browser which unites the Trident layout engine built into Windows (see Internet Explorer shell) with an interface intended to be more feature-rich, flexible and ergonomic than Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). It runs on Windows 98 and above, including Windows Vista. Internet Explorer version 6 or 7 must be installed.

Avant Browser is currently available in 41 languages.

History and Development

Avant Browser was largely inspired by Opera, the first major browser to have a multiple document interface. The developer's objective was to wrap a comparable interface around the layout engine used by Internet Explorer, thereby achieving Opera-like ergonomics without suffering the frequent problems that browser had rendering pages tested only in IE. In fact it was initially released under the name "IEopera", though this was soon changed due to the obvious trademark issues.

Latterly, Avant's developer Anderson Che has concentrated on adding user-requested features, and Avant was among the first browsers to have popup blocking, advertising server blocking, and one-click disabling of potential security vulnerabilities such as ActiveX, Java, and scripts.

In the Avant Browser, unlike most other "alternative" browsers, the default search engine is not Google. Instead it uses a version of the Yahoo! search engine, given a custom look and renamed Avantfind, and it is not instantly evident how to change it. However Google and many other search engines are available via the address bar "Quick Search" facility, and instructions on how to change the default to an engine of the user's choice have been posted by the very active Avant Browser user community.

The community has also created other tools and extensions for Avant, including registry files which allow it to use the Information Bar and other security enrichments of XP SP2.

Alongside Avant, the developer has a sister project known as Orca Browser, an Avant-like shell of Mozilla's Gecko layout engine as used in Firefox. This is still in the Release Candidate stage, but has not been updated for over a year.

Avant Browser 11

Avant Browser 11 (build 25 released on October 23, 2006), introduces more new features than any previous iteration. These consist of support for many toolbars that are compatible with IE, a facility for users to create their own scripted toolbar buttons, and a password and form-filling wizard. The overall trend though seems to be a gradual movement away from Avant's IE roots.

More radical is the addition of a native bookmark system in place of sharing IE's favorites. These bookmarks may be stored online - as can feeds, autofills, and browser settings. This allows the user to synchronize any number of Avant installations on different computers. Avant can still share IE's favorites. This option was reintroduced by the developer after some users lamented its loss.

A further innovation is that Avant may now be run from a flash drive (or other portable storage device such as an MP3 player) without needing to be installed. In conjunction with Avant's session saving facility, this allows the user to halt a browsing session on one PC, move to another and resume viewing the same web pages.

Features

An early version of Avant Browser

Interface

Tabbing

User-customizable tabbed interface

Progress bar on each tab (optional)

Tab locking, duplication, and drop-and-drag arrangement

Automatically save and reopen any number of pages

Can restore open pages after system crash

Undo menu for last 25 closed tabs

All pages open in single process, reducing resource demands

Multiple home pages

Tools

Compatible with many IE toolbars and add-ins, including Google toolbar

Facility for user to add custom-made function buttons

RSS feed reader built in

URL alias facility to create keyboard shortcuts to favorite sites

Page zoom slider - 25% to 500%

Full desktop mode - hides toolbars

Full screen mode - hides toolbars and taskbar

Compact mode - saves interface space

Boss button - quickly hides browser

Tray icon - keeps Avant running in system tray for fast access (optional)

Mouse gestures (customizable)

Autoscroll facility for hands-free reading

Context-activated floating toolbars to save and edit images, text and Flash

Customisable right-click menu entries

Quick translation menu

15 interface languages available so far

Automatic page refresh at custom intervals

Sidebar access to:

Advanced search

Blocked URL record

History

Bookmarks

Feeds

Appearance

Fully skinnable:

Range of bundled skin options

Accessory application allows user to create own skins

Highly customizable:

Toolbars can be rearranged freely

Most functions may be accessed from either toolbar buttons or menus

All Buttons and menus are optional

Security and Privacy

Push-button quick blocking of unwanted items (Popups, Adverts, ActiveX, Java, Scripts, Flash, Video, Sound, Images)

Customizable black/white lists for popups and ad servers

Multiple proxy servers may be configured

Browsing tracks cleaner - can clear traces automatically

XP Service Pack 2 security extensions can be integrated

Search

Search bar with separate engines configurable for web, images, groups, directories and news

Search within site, search within page, and target word highlight buttons

Quick Search facility - user can configure any engine for searches from the address bar

Similar websites toolbar - searches in background for pages that relate to the current

Bookmarks and Online Storage

Online secure bookmark, feed and setting storage - allows access of same browser setup anywhere

Portable flash drive version allows running of Avant without installation

Bookmark search

Bookmark validation

Bookmark toolbar for fast link access

Bookmarks can be arranged in task-orientated groups that can be opened together or individually

Optionally uses IE favorites