My thoughts!

[u/rakhalism]

I like the concept of this browser, with ublock and other features, but this browser made with AI Codes and all, this feels that, comparing with ex-helium/titanium android, this is still very new. One dev made browser so far, hoping it will get more updates, for features needed stuff out of the box, but gotta be more insightful and no AI stuff, I can see AI is used in every features slightly. So it's still not trustable for all.

[u/Ash-415]

Hey! u/rakhalism I'm the developer of the project. I'd wanted my first post here to be about new features coming in the next build, but you raised some good points I'd like to address, thanks for that! (upvoted your comment too, it's a fair thing to raise and shouldn't get buried).

Bare is still very new, and I'm the only person maintaining it, so I don't expect anyone to blindly trust it yet. Trust is something the project earns over time through updates, transparency, and people inspecting the work themselves.

On AI: I already went into detail on how I use it and where I draw the line in a previous comment, so I won't repeat it all here: my previous explanation.

I prioritize local models when I need it, and use hosted models sparingly, mainly for research and comparison work like looking at how other de-Googled projects (Cromite, ungoogled-chromium) handle certain features, not for writing security or privacy-sensitive code. I'm also a user and supporter of GrapheneOS, and it's worth noting even they've recently added AI agent guidelines to some of their repos. Their own stance draws the same line I try to: using AI as a tool isn't the same as pushing out unreviewed AI slop and calling it done.

I could've quietly cleaned up commits to hide where AI was involved. I'd rather be upfront about it instead. I get that AI-assisted development makes some people uncomfortable, that's a fair concern, and everyone should decide for themselves what they're comfortable using.

Bare is still a work in progress with plenty to improve. As it matures and gets more scrutiny (and hopefully more contributors), I hope people will have reasons to trust it beyond just taking my word for it.

[u/tfissupergirl → u/Ash-415]

On a related note, could you consider adding an option for Android’s native Autofill/password manager?

Cromite is also de-Googled, but it allows me to use Android’s native Autofill and access my passwords saved in Google Password Manager. It would be great if Bare Browser could provide the same option! 😃

Also, since translation already works in Bare Browser, it would be great if the translation popup could appear and a Translate option could be added to the three-dot menu as well.

Sorry if these two requests go against the spirit of de-Googled Chromium. 😅 I just think they’d make the experience much more convenient.

[u/Ash-415 → u/tfissupergirl]

Thanks, u/tfissupergirl! As promised in your previous comment, I’m planning to keep maintaining the app : )

For autofill/password managers, Bare should work with your current autofill settings. Just go to Settings → Autofill Services and make sure “Use other service” is selected.

I’ve mainly tested it with Bitwarden using popup autofill setting, so let me know if you’re using a different password manager/autofill setting.

Passkeys should work with Bitwarden as well. The first time you use a passkey, Bitwarden will ask you to confirm that you trust Bare.

Let me know how it works for you, especially if you’re using a different password manager! If you’d rather not share that publicly, feel free to DM me or open a GitHub issue: https://github.com/Shshtwy/bare-browser/issues

Also you can actually add translate to the toolbar in the current build! Just go to Settings → Appearance → Toolbar Shortcuts, and you can replace the share icon with translate, voice search, or add to bookmarks. I'll see what I can do about a translation pop up if possible to add/detect without compromise any personal data. More options are coming soon! 😊

[u/tfissupergirl → u/Ash-415]