WebKit is a browser engine developed by Apple and primarily used in its Safari web browser. It’s also the engine behind web browsers on iOS and iPadOS. Here are some key points about WebKit:
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Purpose: WebKit allows web browsers to render web pages by providing a set of classes for displaying web content in windows. It handles features like following links, managing a back-forward list, and maintaining a history of recently visited pages.
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Usage: Besides Safari, WebKit is used in various other contexts:
- PlayStation consoles (starting with the PS3)
- Tizen mobile operating systems
- Amazon Kindle e-book reader
- Nintendo consoles (starting with the 3DS Internet Browser)
- Discontinued BlackBerry Browser
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JavaScript Engine: WebKit’s JavaScript engine, JavaScriptCore, powers the Bun server-side JS runtime. Unlike Node.js (which uses V8), WebKit uses its own engine for server-side JavaScript.
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Open Source: WebKit is open source and available under the BSD 2-Clause license, with some components (WebCore and JavaScriptCore) under the GNU Lesser General Public License.