Engineering service
Brave browser development
We modify and maintain Brave-based browsers at the code level: brave-core, Shields, Wallet, Sync and the Chromium layer underneath. We track both the Brave and Chromium upstreams so your product keeps shipping.
- 11+ years of experience
- 300+ projects delivered
- Remote team, clients worldwide
- NDA on request
Overview
What it is and when it fits
Brave is an open-source browser built on Chromium through its brave-core layer. That layer adds Shields content blocking, Brave Wallet, Brave Rewards, Sync and other features. Brave's code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0; we review the license and trademark obligations with you as part of choosing the base.
Building on Brave gives you those features as a starting point, and it also means tracking two upstreams: Brave and Chromium. Brave's name and logos are trademarks, so a derived browser needs its own branding. We help you decide whether that trade is worth it for your product.
Who this is for
- Teams that want to build a browser starting from Brave's privacy features instead of from plain Chromium.
- Web3 products that want a built-in wallet and content blocking as their starting point.
- Companies that already maintain a Brave-based fork and need help keeping it current.
- Product teams choosing between a Brave base and a plain Chromium base.
How it works
Architecture at a glance
Anatomy of a Brave-based browser
Your browser
Your name, branding, defaults and product features.
Your patch series
Small, documented changes on top of Brave, rebased as Brave and Chromium move.
Brave layer
brave-core: Shields, Wallet, Rewards, Sync and the Brave UI.
Chromium
Blink, V8, Content, networking and the sandbox.
Build and release
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Brave's build tooling on top of Chromium's, CI, installers, signing and updates.
- Your productWhat your users see
- Our engineeringWhat we build and maintain
- UpstreamThird-party code we build on
- Platforms and releaseBuild, sign and deliver
What we offer
What we build on Brave
brave-core changes
We work inside brave-core, the layer Brave adds on top of Chromium, to add or adjust features without touching Chromium itself.
Shields filter lists and defaults
We adjust Shields' ad and tracker blocking rules and filter list sources to set your browser's default blocking behavior.
Wallet and Web3 provider setup
We configure or replace Brave Wallet's default network list and dApp provider injection to match your browser's Web3 behavior.
Web3 links and custom protocols
Custom protocol handlers set at build time, for example resolving ipfs:// links through a gateway you choose. Brave removed its own IPFS support in 2024.
Sync on your own servers
We point Brave Sync at your own server, built on Brave's open-source go-sync, so bookmarks, history and settings move between devices on your infrastructure.
Rewards and BAT removal or replacement
We remove Brave Rewards and its BAT payouts, or replace them with your own program, since Rewards depends on Brave's own backend services.
Deliverables
What you get
- 01
Base decision
A written comparison of Brave and plain Chromium against your requirements, with a recommendation.
- 02
Rebranded build
Your own name, icons and defaults, with Brave trademarks removed from the product.
- 03
Feature audit
A keep, change or remove decision for each Brave feature, including Rewards, Wallet, News, Leo and VPN, several of which depend on Brave's own servers.
- 04
Patch series
Your changes as a reviewable series on a named Brave version.
- 05
Build and release pipeline
CI, installers, signing and updates for the platforms you choose.
- 06
Two-upstream upgrade runbook
Steps for absorbing new Brave and Chromium releases without breaking your patches.
Compare
Brave base or plain Chromium base?
Neither is better in general. The right base depends on which features you want to inherit and how much upstream tracking you can carry.
| Question | Brave as the base | Plain Chromium as the base |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy defaults | Shields content blocking and other privacy features come included | You add or build any privacy features yourself |
| Upstreams to track | Two: Brave and Chromium | One: Chromium |
| Feature control | You inherit Brave's feature set and must remove or adapt what you do not want | You start clean and add only what you choose |
| Branding and licensing | Brave's name and logos cannot be reused; the code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 | Chromium's open-source licenses apply; you still need your own branding |
| Rewards and Wallet | Rewards and BAT depend on Brave's own services, so a derived browser usually removes or replaces them; Wallet can be kept and reconfigured | Not present; you build or integrate your own if needed |
| Time to first build | Shorter for privacy features, longer for untangling Brave-specific parts | Shorter to a clean baseline, longer to reach the same privacy features |
Why it matters
What this gives you
Shields included from the start
Content and tracker blocking ships as part of the base instead of something you build from a plain Chromium checkout.
A smaller patch set to write
brave-core already adds privacy features, a wallet and sync, so your own patches can focus on branding and product features.
Chrome extensions keep working
Brave installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store, and a browser built on it generally keeps that support. We test it as part of the project.
Engineers who track both upstreams
Keeping a Brave-based browser current means rebasing against Brave's releases and Chromium's. We run that two-upstream routine as ongoing work, not a one-time patch.
Our approach
How a Brave-based project runs
Base decision
We compare Brave and plain Chromium against your product and pick one with you.
You get: A written recommendation
Feature audit
We go through Brave's features and decide what to keep, change or remove, including services your browser cannot depend on.
You get: A keep, change or remove list
Rebrand and patch
We replace branding and implement your features as small patches on top of Brave.
You get: A branded build with a patch series
Test
We test your features, the retained Brave features and core browsing on each platform.
You get: Test results and known limits
Release and maintain
We ship signed builds and document how to follow both Brave and Chromium releases.
You get: Signed builds and a two-upstream runbook
When this is not the right fit
- You only need your feature inside the Brave users already have. Build an extension, since Brave runs Chrome ones.
- You cannot commit to tracking two upstreams. A plain Chromium base has one fewer dependency to keep in step.
Tech stack
Technologies we use
The engines, APIs and tools we use for Brave-based browsers.
brave-core
ChromiumShieldsadblock-rustBrave WalletBrave Sync (go-sync)
Rust
C++FAQ
Common questions
Usually not as it is. Rewards and its BAT payouts depend on Brave's own services, so a derived browser removes Rewards or builds its own equivalent. Wallet is different: it can be kept and pointed at the networks you choose.
No. Those are Brave's trademarks, so a derived browser needs its own name and branding. Brave's code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, and we go through the license and trademark obligations with you before work starts.
Not out of the box. Brave removed its built-in IPFS node and native ipfs:// handling in version 1.69 in August 2024. If your product needs IPFS, we add it as your own feature, usually by resolving ipfs:// links through a gateway you choose.
You follow two upstreams, and a change in either can break your patches. That is manageable with a small patch series and a written upgrade runbook, but it is ongoing work that needs an owner.
If you want Brave's content blocking and wallet and can carry the extra upstream, Brave can save effort. If you want fewer dependencies and full control of the feature set, plain Chromium is usually simpler to maintain.
Proof
Related production work
Web3 browsers
BrowseWeb3 (BW3)
A Chromium/Brave-based Web3 browser for LayerAI, with a built-in wallet, a native VPN and custom ad blocking, so users need no extensions.
- Brave
- Web3
- Wallet
Custom Chromium and Brave builds
Egon Browser
A Brave-based browser we built for a private client, with its own branding and privacy defaults set to the client’s requirements.
- Brave
- Privacy
- Branding
Family-safe and content filtering
Asil Browser
The first version of what became Kahf Browser: a family-safe browser built on Brave and Chromium, released under the Asil name.
- Brave
- Family-safe
- Chromium
Our services
Related services
Brave-based browsers
Plan your Brave-based browser
Tell us what your Brave-based product needs. We will assess it against both upstreams and tell you what it takes to build and maintain.
