Opera (web browser) facts for kids
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Opera 102 displaying the Wikipedia main page on Windows 11
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| Developer(s) | Opera |
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| Initial release | 10 April 1995 |
| Stable release |
114.0.5282.21
 / 25 September 2024 |
| Preview release |
19.0.1326.26 (January 8, 2014)
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| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Windows 10 or later, macOS, Linux, (Formerly FreeBSD, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo DS Lite) |
| Available in | 42 languages |
| Type | Web browser |
| License | Freeware |
Opera is a popular web browser made by a company also called Opera. It works on many different devices, like computers and phones. You can use Opera on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Opera is one of the oldest web browsers still around today. It first came out on April 10, 1995. For its first ten years, it was a paid program. It also used its own special technology to show web pages. Later, it became free and started using a different technology called Chromium.
In 2019, Opera also launched a special version for gamers called Opera GX. This browser helps gamers by using less computer power. It also has tools to block ads and trackers.
Contents
History of Opera
Opera was created by Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy in 1994. They were working at a company in Norway at the time.
In 1995, they started their own company, Opera Software AS. Opera was first released to the public in 1996. It worked on Microsoft Windows 95. By 1998, they started making versions for mobile phones and devices.
How Opera Changed Over Time
Opera 4.0 came out in 2000. This version had a new core that made it easier to create Opera for different operating systems.
At first, you had to buy Opera after a trial period. With version 5.0 in 2000, Opera became free but showed ads. Later, users could choose to see banner ads or text ads from Google.
In 2005, with version 8.5, all the ads were removed. Opera then made money from its agreement with Google. Google became Opera's main search engine.
Opera 9.1, released in 2006, added fraud protection. This helped protect users from fake websites. Version 9.5 improved this protection even more.
In 2006, Opera also created browsers for Nintendo DS and Wii gaming systems. These were called Nintendo DS Browser and Internet Channel.
Opera 10.50 introduced a new JavaScript engine called Carakan. This made Opera much faster than before.
On December 16, 2010, Opera 11 was released. It added new features like extensions and tab stacking. Tab stacking lets you group many tabs together.
Switching to Chromium
On February 12, 2013, Opera announced a big change. They decided to stop using their own technology for showing web pages, called Presto. Instead, they would use WebKit, which is used by Google's Chrome browser. This meant using code from the Chromium project.
Soon after, Google created a new technology called Blink from WebKit. Opera decided to follow Google and use Blink as well.
On May 28, 2013, Opera 15 was released. This was the first version based on Chromium. Many older Opera features were removed. Also, Opera Mail became a separate program.
In 2016, a group of companies from China bought Opera. On July 27, 2018, Opera Software became a public company. This means its shares could be bought and sold on the stock market.
In January 2017, Opera released a "concept browser" called Opera Neon. It showed how a browser could look very different. It displayed websites like icons on a computer desktop.
Modern Opera Updates
On May 10, 2017, Opera 45 was released. This version was called "Opera Reborn." It updated the look of the browser. It also added light and dark modes. It even built in popular messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Opera 50 came out on January 4, 2018. This version added protection against cryptocurrency mining. This stops websites from using your computer's power to mine cryptocurrency without your permission. It also added Chromecast support.
On April 9, 2019, Opera 60 was released, called Reborn 3. It focused on a simpler design and improved the free VPN service. It also included tools for Web3 and cryptocurrency apps.
On June 24, 2021, Opera 77 (Opera R5) was released. This update added more music streaming services to the sidebar. You could now use Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music directly in Opera. It also added "Pinboards" to collect websites and notes.
In 2023, Opera added new features with AI tools. These include AI Prompts that suggest things to you. You can also access ChatGPT and ChatSonic from the sidebar.
On June 20, 2023, Opera launched Opera 100, called Opera One. This version was built with AI in mind. It includes a special AI called Aria. Aria is a GPT-based AI that can find web information and create text. This version also added "Tab islands" to group tabs together.
What Opera Can Do
Opera has created many features that other web browsers later used. These include:
- Speed Dial, which shows your favorite pages as pictures.
- Blocking pop-up ads.
- Reopening pages you just closed.
- private browsing, which doesn't save your history.
- tabbed browsing, which lets you open many pages in one window.
Opera also has a built-in screenshot tool called Snapshot. It lets you take pictures of web pages and draw on them. It also has built-in ad blockers and tracking blockers.
Built-in Messaging Apps
Opera's computer browser lets you access many social media messaging apps. These include WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and VK.
Easy to Use
Opera has a bookmarks bar and a download manager. Its "Speed Dial" feature lets you add as many pages as you want. These pages show up as small pictures when you open a new tab.
Opera was one of the first browsers to support Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) in 1998. This is a way to design how web pages look.
Privacy and Security
Opera has features to help keep you safe online. You can easily delete your private data, like HTTP cookies and browsing history.
When you visit a website, Opera shows a security badge in the address bar. This badge tells you details about the website's security. Opera's fraud and malware protection warns you about suspicious pages. It checks pages against lists of known bad websites.
In 2016, Opera added a free virtual private network (VPN) service. This helps keep your internet connection private and secure. It can also help you access websites that might be blocked.
Crypto-wallet Support
In 2018, Opera added a built-in cryptocurrency wallet. This made Opera the first browser with this feature. It lets you store and manage digital money.
In March 2020, Opera's Android browser could access special '.crypto' websites. This was the first browser to do this without needing an extra tool. Later, the iOS and computer versions also got this feature.
In January 2022, Opera launched Opera Crypto Browser. This browser was made for blockchain and Web3 technologies. However, it was later stopped, and its features were added to the main Opera and Opera GX browsers.
AI Chatbot
In 2023, Opera added an AI chatbot called Aria. This AI uses Opera's own technology and connects to OpenAI's GPT model. It can help you find information and create text.
Other Versions of Opera
Opera GX
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A screenshot of Opera GX on Windows 11
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| Developer(s) | Opera Software Poland | ||||||||
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| Initial release | 11 June 2019 | ||||||||
| Stable release(s) | |||||||||
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| Operating system | Windows 10 or later macOS 10.13 or later Android 9.0 or later iOS 15.5 or later |
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| Type | Web browser | ||||||||
| License | Freeware | ||||||||
Opera GX is a special version of Opera made for gamers. It was first announced on May 21, 2019. It became available for Windows computers on June 11, 2019. The macOS version came out in December of the same year.
Opera GX has features that help gamers. It lets you limit how much network, CPU, and RAM your browser uses. This helps your computer run games better. GX Cleaner helps you clear out old files like cache and cookies.
The browser also connects with gaming platforms like Twitch and Discord. It has a special page called GX Corner. This page shows gaming news, deals, and new game releases.
In 2019, Opera GX won a Red Dot award for its design. It also reached one million downloads around that time.
On May 20, 2021, a mobile version of Opera GX was released for iOS and Android phones. This mobile version also won a Red Dot award in 2021.
In August 2023, Opera GX introduced a VTuber named GX Aura. She became the mascot for the browser on social media.
How Opera is Developed
Opera Software uses three main stages to develop its browser. These are "developer," "beta," and "stable." You can download and install each stage separately.
New features are first tested in the "developer build." If they work well and users like them, they move to the "beta version." Finally, they are included in the "stable" version that most people use.
The developer version is for people who want to try new features early. It's not meant for everyday browsing because it can be unstable. But it lets advanced users see what's coming next. New developer versions are released often, sometimes a few times a week.
The beta version is more complete and stable. It's used to make sure everything works perfectly before the final release. New beta versions come out every couple of weeks. Both developer and beta versions can be installed next to the regular Opera browser without problems. Each has a different icon so you can tell them apart.
How Many People Use Opera
Opera is the fifth most popular web browser. As of April 2021, over 320 million people actively use Opera's different products.
Other Uses of Opera's Technology
In 2005, Adobe Systems used Opera's technology, Presto, in its software. This included programs like Adobe GoLive and Adobe Dreamweaver.
Opera's technology was also used in the Internet Channel for the Wii gaming system. It was also used in the Nintendo DS Browser and Nintendo DSi Browser for Nintendo's handheld systems.
