One‑Person Browser Challenges Engine Lock‑in

A single developer released Northstar, a minimalist web browser written from scratch in C (≈160k LOC) with no upstream engine, GPL licensing, privacy‑by‑default features (no telemetry, local SHA‑256 blocklist checks), and origin‑partitioned storage, claiming full, section‑by‑section standards compliance. Its small, auditable codebase is intended to be inspectable end‑to‑end by one person and runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. — If replicated, such small, audit‑friendly browsers could weaken engine monopolies, change how compliance and security are certified, and force debates about compatibility, liability, and decentralization of web infrastructure.