YalqenHow do I install Yalqen?
Yalqen needs macOS 13 or later on an Apple silicon Mac. Install it with Homebrew using brew install --cask YSamed/yalqen/yalqen, or download the latest disk image from yalqen.com/download and drag Yalqen into your Applications folder.
Is Yalqen signed and notarized by Apple?
Yes. Releases are signed and notarized by Apple, so macOS opens Yalqen like any other app from the web: the first time, it asks whether to open an app downloaded from the internet, and you choose Open. Some early builds were not notarized. If macOS says it cannot verify one of those, download the latest version from yalqen.com/download.
What is Yalqen built on?
Yalqen is built on Electron, which means it runs on Chromium and supports Chromium web standards and DevTools. The UI is written in Svelte and TypeScript. The source is open under the MIT license on GitHub. We may move to a native shell later.
Will there be a native version?
Yes. The planned native version will use CEF and AppKit for real Liquid Glass materials, lower memory use and better battery life.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
Early builds target Apple silicon only. Intel support depends on how the native shell performs and is not planned for now.
Do Chrome extensions work?
Yes, with limits. Since version 0.2.6 you can add extensions from the Chrome Web Store: open an extension’s store page and use its Add button, or paste a store link in settings. Unpacked extensions load too. Not every extension is guaranteed to work. The details are at yalqen.com/extensions.
Does Yalqen update itself?
Yes. Since version 0.2.1 Yalqen checks GitHub releases in the background and downloads updates. The toolbar button and sidebar card open an update window where you can read the release notes, install and restart with your tabs restored, or choose Later. Builds from 0.2.0 or earlier cannot update themselves, so install a newer version once by hand. With Homebrew you can also run brew upgrade --cask yalqen.
Can Yalqen save my passwords?
Yes. When you sign in to a site, Yalqen offers to save the password and fills saved logins into matching sign-in forms the next time you visit. Saved passwords are encrypted with a key kept in your macOS Keychain and stay on your Mac. You can reveal, copy or remove them in settings, and tell Yalqen never to save for a site.
Can I keep development and personal browsing separate?
Yes. The sidebar has a session switcher for personal, developer and private windows. A developer window has its own cookies, storage and cache, so you can use a test account alongside your everyday one. Ad blocking and third-party cookie blocking are off in developer windows, and the session is wiped when the last developer window closes.
Is there sync between devices?
Not today. If sync arrives it will be optional and end-to-end encrypted, so nothing readable ever leaves your Mac.
Does Yalqen collect any data?
No. The browser has no telemetry, analytics or crash reporting, and it never asks for an account. It only talks to other services for things you use: filter list updates for the ad blocker, update checks against GitHub releases (you can turn them off), the search engine and secure DNS resolver you choose, the Chrome Web Store when you add an extension, and Google Translate when you translate a page.
Can I import bookmarks from another browser?
Not yet. Importing from Safari is the first one planned and is tracked in issue #30 on GitHub.
Is Yalqen a good Arc alternative?
If you want vertical tabs and a command bar in an open-source browser that is still getting new features, yes. Yalqen does not have Spaces or split view yet, and it runs only on Apple silicon Macs. The full comparison is at yalqen.com/arc-alternative.
How is Yalqen free?
Yalqen is an open-source side project with no ads, no data deals and no paid tier. If that ever changes, it will be announced in the open first.