Proton seeks to simplify the Mozilla Firefox interface

Although today it is easy to declare that Google Chrome is, almost certainly, the most used web browser on the market, especially if you add browsers based on the same Chromium bases, which can be more difficult to determine is what number two is. However, Mozilla wants to go back to the time when Firefox was side by side with Chrome, with new initiatives such as its "Proton" project, with which it seeks to give its browser a much-needed visual update.

At one point, it seemed like Chrome and Firefox were at opposite ends of the spectrum. Chrome adopted Google's old minimalist design language, but it pretty much hid all the advanced features behind the flags. Firefox, on the other hand, offered many more options upfront, but it also tended to overwhelm users.

And it is that as we advance from Techdows, it seems that Proton is proposed as a radical turn. Mozilla seems to focus primarily on the New Tab experience and the dreaded hamburger menu. The former will offer easy options for customizing and customizing new tabs with themes, background images, and content that will be displayed in "speed dial" boxes.

But not only that, but Proton will also address cosmetic changes for the main browser menu. Currently, we can find around a dozen options that might not be necessary for the average user, or that we could at least classify as not essential to appear with such quick access. However, unlike Chrome, it appears that Proton will use an expandable UI instead of placing them on hidden flags or settings pages.

Lastly, Proton will also give the browser a smoother personality through the switch to more rounded corners, and less intense but equally vivid colors.

While this visual update could be considered quite necessary and perhaps even somewhat overdue, there are not a few Firefox users who, for a long time, continue to ask Mozilla to focus on addressing other more technical issues, especially performance, rather than these minor interface changes.