I tried a web browser without tabs, bookmarks, or navigation options.

Tab management in web browsers can become quite a challenge, especially for those who tend to accumulate them excessively. Personally, I have over 400 open tabs, a tendency that has turned into a hard habit to break. I often find myself browsing Wikipedia, opening link after link on topics of interest, and before I know it, I'm lost in a tangle of pages. However, I’ve discovered a browser called Horse that promises to help manage this situation in a different way.

Unlike traditional browsers like Chrome or Firefox, Horse was created by a small team and is presented as a tool for students and researchers, though it can also be useful for journalists, designers, developers, and shoppers. A notable aspect of Horse is that it does not use tabs, browsing history, or bookmarks. Instead, it uses what it calls "Trails," which are pages organized in a hierarchical system within a sidebar. Every time you click a link, a new nested entry is generated, making it easy to visualize the navigation path you've followed.

At first, I was skeptical about the idea of abandoning my 400 tabs in Firefox. The absence of bookmarks also worried me, as I currently have many saved. However, I quickly realized that Horse offers an interesting way to organize browsing. Each time a new link opens, a "SubTrail" is created in the sidebar, allowing you to see your browsing history clearly and return to any page quickly.

One feature of Horse is that it doesn't have a back button, as it’s as simple as selecting the previous link in the sidebar. While this may feel disconcerting at first, it becomes intuitive quickly. However, "Trails" can become cluttered, as the sidebar can fill up with many pages. To help with this, Horse allows you to collapse "Trails," showing only the corresponding header and providing some order.

An additional functionality is the ability to create "SideTrails," which are extra pages within a Trail that aren’t nested. While this may sound confusing at first, it becomes clearer with use. Horse also allows you to reorder pages, add emojis to titles, and rename them, enabling it to be used like a task list application, placing important pages at the top.

From a design perspective, Horse is visually appealing, with a minimalist approach reflected in its graphic elements. However, there are some features missing that are common in other browsers, such as support for extensions. Although Horse has a password manager and offers some basic extensions, like an ad blocker, the lack of popular extensions may be a limitation for many users.

Moreover, there are other aspects that could be improved, such as the autocomplete in the URL bar, and the structure of the sidebar, which could benefit from fewer top-level dividers. In terms of cost, Horse requires an annual payment or a considerable one-time fee for lifetime access, distancing it from most browsers that are free. This situation could discourage those wanting to try it, as a free trial is not available.

In summary, Horse represents a formidable effort from a small team, trying to rethink how browsers should function. Although it has its limitations, it is an interesting proposition, especially for those looking for solutions to the problem of tab accumulation. If you are interested in a browser that specifically addresses these difficulties, Horse could be an excellent option worth considering.