📱 aka-browser

A side browser for PC — always on top, always within reach.

Your companion browser for Netflix, Twitter(X), and everything in between.

🌐 Visit our website | 📚 Technical Wiki | 🚀 Currently in Beta — Stable Release coming in November!

Features • Installation • Building • DRM Support

aka-browser isn't here to replace your main browser—it's designed to work alongside it.

Think of it as your always-on-top companion for those moments when you need a second screen but don't have one. Watch Netflix with subtitles (PiP doesn't show them!), keep Twitter open while working, monitor a live stream, or follow a tutorial—all in a beautiful, compact window that stays right where you need it.

• Watching Netflix with subtitles → PiP mode loses subtitles, aka-browser keeps them
• Following Twitter/X → Keep your timeline visible while working
• Monitoring streams → Twitch, YouTube Live always in view
• Following tutorials → Step-by-step guides alongside your code
• Chat windows → Discord, Slack, or any web chat always accessible
• Music controls → Spotify, YouTube Music at your fingertips

• Always on top → Never gets buried under other windows
• Compact & elegant → Beautiful iPhone frame that doesn't clutter your screen
• Purpose-built → Lightweight, fast, and distraction-free
• DRM-ready → Full Widevine support for streaming services
• Instant access → Lives in your menu bar, launches immediately

• Multi-tab browsing with visual switcher
• Tab previews via auto-screenshots
• Trackpad gestures for navigation
• Dynamic theme colors with LRU cache
• Smart user agent switching (mobile/desktop)

• Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video support
• Widevine CDM integration
• Castlabs EVS signed for production
• Packaged builds for DRM validation

• iPhone 15 Pro frame with Dynamic Island
• React 18 + Vite + TailwindCSS
• System theme detection (light/dark)
• Smooth animations with optimized rendering

• Chrome DevTools (Cmd+Option+I)
• Element inspector via right-click
• URL bar with title/domain display
• System tray with always-on-top

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/hmmhmmhm/aka-browser.git
cd aka-browser

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Run in development mode
pnpm run dev

That's it! The browser will launch with a beautiful iPhone 15 Pro frame ready for testing.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Electron (Castlabs + Widevine CDM)    │  ← DRM-ready browser engine
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  React 18 + TypeScript                  │  ← Modern UI framework
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Vite + TailwindCSS                     │  ← Fast builds, beautiful styles
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  electron-builder + EVS signing         │  ← Production packaging
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Want to watch Netflix? You'll need a production build:

# 1️⃣ Setup EVS signing (first time only)
pnpm run evs:setup

# 2️⃣ Verify your configuration
pnpm run evs:verify

# 3️⃣ Build the packaged app
pnpm run package

⚠️ Important: Netflix and other streaming services reject development mode signatures. You must use a packaged build for DRM content.

aka-browser supports Widevine DRM out of the box:

Development Mode  →  ❌ Netflix won't work
Production Build  →  ✅ Full DRM support (L3 level, software-based without TEE)

1. Widevine CDM auto-downloads on first run (via Electron Component Updater)
2. Castlabs EVS signs the app for production-grade DRM validation
3. Streaming services verify the signature and allow playback

Perfect for anyone who:

• ✅ Wants to watch Netflix with subtitles while working (PiP doesn't show them!)
• ✅ Needs a second screen but only has one monitor
• ✅ Likes to keep Twitter/social media visible without tab-switching
• ✅ Follows live streams or tutorials while multitasking
• ✅ Values a clean, elegant interface over browser clutter
• ✅ Wants always-on-top functionality with a beautiful design

Bonus for developers:

• 🛠️ Built-in Chrome DevTools for testing mobile sites
• 📱 Lightweight alternative to heavy iOS simulators
• 🎨 Perfect for responsive design previews

This project prioritizes simplicity and elegance:

• 🎯 Companion, not replacement → Works alongside your main browser
• ⚡ Lightweight & fast → Instant startup, minimal resource usage
• 🎨 Beautiful by default → iPhone 15 Pro frame with attention to detail
• 🪟 Always accessible → Menu bar integration, always-on-top support
• 🧩 Just enough features → What you need, nothing you don't

MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute.

hmmhmmhm