Linux users hoping for another independent browser have some disappointing news. Kagi is ending development of Orion for Linux and Windows, leaving the future of both versions in the hands of whoever is willing to take them on.
In its announcement, Kagi says it will focus its browser team on macOS and iOS. The company plans to release the Linux and Windows source code, with details expected within 30 days, but it will not serve as the core maintainer.
For Linux users, the consequences are immediate. The current beta stopped receiving updates from Kagi after October 2, 2026, and the company advises against using it as your main browser.
Windows users will not get the company’s planned release later this year, either. Instead, developers will have the opportunity to build on the code once Kagi makes it available.
Kagi attributes the decision to limited resources, describing a browser team of just a handful of developers funded entirely by its users. It has contacted open-source foundations and organizations about long-term stewardship, although the announcement names no successor.
As a Linux fan, I find this frustrating. Another browser option is welcome, particularly when it offers something beyond a different interface wrapped around familiar technology.
Orion’s use of WebKit made the Linux project interesting, and Kagi chose to develop its browser without forking Chromium. That gave people who care about browser engine diversity a reason to follow its progress.
Still, I can understand the resource problem. Every additional platform brings more work, and enthusiasm from potential users does not automatically provide the developers needed to maintain it.
Releasing the code gives that work a chance to continue, but someone has to accept responsibility for fixes, releases, and the less exciting maintenance tasks. A source repository alone cannot promise users a dependable browser.
I hope a capable community or organization picks this up. Until that happens, Linux users have an unsupported beta, Windows users have a canceled launch, and both have a future that depends on someone else stepping forward.
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