Konqueror

Konqueror is part of the K Desktop Environment (KDE), primarily developed for the Linux platform, but also available for some other platforms (including BSD and, recently, Microsoft Windows, although Windows support is very limited). It functions as a file manager, web browser and file viewer. Like the rest of the "kdebase" package, Konqueror is licensed unter the GNU General Public License (GPL).

User Interface

Konqueror's user interface is somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's Internet Explorer. It works extensively with panels, which can be rearranged or added. For example, one could have a bookmarks panel on the left side of the browser window, and by clicking a bookmark, the respective webpage would be viewed in the larger panel to the right, or one could display a hierarchical list of folders in one panel and the content of the selected folder in another. The panels are quite flexible and can even include a console window. Panel configurations can be saved, and there are some default configurations (e.g. "Midnight Commander" displays a screen split into two panels, where each one contains a folder, website or file view).

Navigation functions (back, forward, history etc.) are available during all operations. Most keyboard shortcuts can be remapped using a graphical configuration. The address bar has extensive autocompletion support for local directories, past URLs and past search terms.

The application uses a Single Document Interface, tabbed or multiple window mode are not supported.

Web Browser

Konqueror has been developed as an autonomous web browser project. It is compliant with HTML 4.0, supports JavaScript, Java applets, Cascading Style Sheets, SSL, and other relevant standards.

Konqueror integrates several customizable search services, which can be accessed by entering the service's abbreviation code (e.g. "gg:" for Google) followed by the search term(s).

Konqueror's rendering speed is on par with that of competing browsers, but sites with malformed HTML are typically less leniently rendered than by other browsers. Problems can also result from the use of plug-ins on a website which cannot be run under the operating system on which Konqueror is run.

File Browser

Like Internet Explorer, Konqueror also allows browsing the local directory hierarchy -- either by entering the a locations in the address bar, or by selecting items in the file browser window. It allows browsing in different views, which differ in their usage of icons and layout. Files can also be executed, viewed, copied, moved, and deleted.

File Viewer

Using the KParts? object model, Konqueror executes components that are capable of viewing (and sometimes editing) specific filetypes and embeds their client area directly into the Konqueror panel in which the respective files have been opened. This makes it possible, to, for example, view a KOffice document directly from within Konqueror. Any application that implements the KParts? model correctly can be embedded in this fashion.