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SeaMonkey
DeveloperSeaMonkey Council
Initial releaseJanuary 30, 2006; 20 years ago (2006-01-30)
Stable release
2.53.23[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 31 December 2025
Preview release2.53.22 Beta 1 (31 October 2025; 3 months ago (2025-10-31)[2]) [±]
Repository
Written inC++, XUL, XBL, JavaScript
EnginesGecko, SpiderMonkey
Operating systemWindows, macOS, Linux[3]
Available in26 languages[3]
List of languages
Belarusian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Dutch, English (US), English (British), Finnish, French, Galician, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Slovak, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian
TypeInternet suite
LicenseMPL-2.0[4]
Websiteseamonkey-project.org

SeaMonkey is a free and open-source Internet suite.[5] It is the continuation of the former Mozilla Application Suite, based on the same source code,[6] which itself grew out of Netscape Communicator and formed the base of Netscape 6 and Netscape 7.[7]

SeaMonkey was created in 2005 after the Mozilla Foundation decided to focus on the standalone projects Firefox and Thunderbird. The development of SeaMonkey is community-driven, in contrast to the Mozilla Application Suite, which until its last released version (1.7.13) was governed by the Mozilla Foundation. The new project-leading group is called the SeaMonkey Council.[5]

Compared to Firefox, the SeaMonkey web browser keeps the more traditional-looking interface of Netscape and the Mozilla Application Suite. It also retains the legacy XPCOM-based add-on system which allows the user to extend SeaMonkey by modifying add-ons for Thunderbird or the add-ons that were formerly compatible with Firefox before the latter switched to WebExtensions.[8][9]

Components

[edit]

SeaMonkey consists of a web browser (which is a descendant of the Netscape family),[10] an email and news client program (SeaMonkey Mail & Newsgroups, which shares code with Mozilla Thunderbird), an HTML editor (SeaMonkey Composer) and an IRC client (ChatZilla). The software suite supports skins. It comes with two skins in the default installation, Modern and Classic.[11]

Mail

[edit]
SeaMonkey Mail & Newsgroups 2.53.17.1

SeaMonkey Mail is a traditional e-mail client that includes support for multiple accounts, junk mail detection, message filters, HTML message support, and address books, among other features such as a calendar.[12] It shares code with Mozilla Thunderbird; both Thunderbird and SeaMonkey are built from Mozilla's comm-central source tree.[13]

Composer

[edit]
SeaMonkey Composer 2.53.17.1

SeaMonkey Composer is a WYSIWYG HTML editor descended from Mozilla Composer. Its main user interface features four tabs: Normal (WYSIWYG), HTML tags, HTML code, and browser preview. The generated code is HTML 4.01 Transitional.[14]

Naming

[edit]

To avoid confusing organizations that still want to use the original Mozilla Application Suite, the new product needed a new name. After initial speculation by members of the community, a July 2, 2005 announcement confirmed that SeaMonkey would officially become the name of the Internet suite superseding the Mozilla Application Suite.[15]

"Seamonkey" (with a lowercase "m") refers to brine shrimp and had been used by Netscape and the Mozilla Foundation as a code name for the never-released Netscape Communicator 5 and later the Mozilla Application Suite itself. Originally, the name "Seamonkey" was derived by Netscape management to replace "Buttmonkey", which their developers had chosen following an internal contest for the codename.[16]

The SeaMonkey Council has now trademarked the name with help from the Mozilla Foundation.[17] The project uses a separate numbering scheme, with the first release being called SeaMonkey 1.0. Despite having a different name and version number, SeaMonkey 1.0 is based on the same code as Mozilla Application Suite 1.7.

For trademark and copyright reasons, Debian rebranded SeaMonkey and distributed it as Iceape until 2013.[18]

History

[edit]

On March 10, 2005, the Mozilla Foundation announced that it would not release any official versions of Mozilla Application Suite beyond 1.7.x, since it had now focused on the standalone applications Firefox and Thunderbird.[19] However, the Foundation emphasized that it would still provide infrastructure for community members who wished to continue development. In effect, this meant that the suite would still continue to be developed, but now by the SeaMonkey Council instead of the Mozilla Foundation.[citation needed]

SeaMonkey was first released on September 15, 2005. SeaMonkey 1 was released on January 30, 2006.[3]

Core Mozilla project source code was licensed under a disjunctive tri-license (before changing to MPL 2.0) that gave the choice of one of the three following sets of licensing terms: Mozilla Public License, version 1.1 or later, GNU General Public License, version 2.0 or later, GNU Lesser General Public License, version 2.1 or later.[20]

Release history

[edit]

Parts of this table are based on the SeaMonkey release notes, and status meetings.

  •   Old release
  •   Current release
  •   Current test release
Release history
Gecko branch Version Release date Significant changes
1.8 1.0 alpha September 15, 2005
1.0 beta December 19, 2005 SVG graphics support enabled by default.[21]
1.8.0 1.0 January 30, 2006[22] Official version 1.0 release.
1.0.1 April 13, 2006 Security updates and native support for Intel-based Macintosh computers, via Universal Binary.
1.0.2 June 1, 2006 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.3 July 27, 2006 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.4 August 2, 2006 Small fix for a regression with the Microsoft Media Server protocol in 1.0.3.
1.0.5 September 14, 2006 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.6[23] November 8, 2006 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.7 December 20, 2006[24] Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.8 February 27, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.0.9 May 30, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes. Marks the end of life for SeaMonkey 1.0.x series.
1.8.1 1.1 alpha August 30, 2006 Major feature work
1.1 beta November 8, 2006
1.1 January 18, 2007 Official version 1.1 release.
1.1.1 February 28, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.2 May 30, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.3 July 19, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.4 August 3, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.5 October 19, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.6 November 5, 2007 Several small problems in displaying certain web pages corrected
1.1.7 November 30, 2007 Stability improvement and security fixes. Problem with running SeaMonkey from read-only application directories corrected.
The last to be built for Solaris 8.
1.1.8 February 7, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.9 March 25, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.10 July 2, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.11 July 15, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.12 September 23, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.13 November 12, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.14 December 16, 2008 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.15 March 18, 2009 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.16 April 8, 2009 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.17 June 22, 2009 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.18 September 3, 2009 Stability improvement and security fixes.
1.1.19 March 16, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes. End-of-life of 1.1.x product line.
The last to support Windows 98/Me.
The last to be built for Solaris 10.
1.9.1 2.0 alpha 1 October 5, 2008 Toolkit transition and major feature work
2.0 alpha 2 December 10, 2008 Toolkit transition and major feature work
2.0 alpha 3 March 3, 2009 Toolkit transition and major feature work
2.0 beta 1 July 21, 2009 Follows Gecko 1.9.1.1 stable release, major feature work
2.0 beta 2 September 12, 2009 Major feature work
2.0 RC 1 October 10, 2009 First release candidate
2.0 RC 2 October 19, 2009 Second release candidate
2.0 October 27, 2009 Official version 2.0 release.
2.0.1 December 15, 2009 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.2 January 11, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.3 February 17, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.4 March 30, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.5 June 22, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.6 July 20, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.7 September 7, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.8 September 15, 2010 Stability improvements only.
2.0.9 October 20, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.10 October 28, 2010 Security fix.
2.0.11 December 9, 2010 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.12 March 2, 2011 Security fix.
2.0.13 March 23, 2011 Stability improvement and security fixes.
2.0.14 April 28, 2011 Stability improvement and security fixes.

This is the last version to support Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and PowerPC Macs

1.9.3 2.1 alpha 1 May 18, 2010 Feature work
2.1 alpha 2 July 7, 2010 New addons manager, Feature work Archived July 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
2.0 2.1 alpha 3 August 24, 2010 Third alpha release
2.1 beta 1 October 20, 2010 First beta release
2.1 beta 2 February 14, 2011 Second beta release
2.1 beta 3 April 7, 2011 Third beta release
2.1 RC 1 May 12, 2011 First release candidate
2.1 RC 2 June 6, 2011 Second release candidate
2.1 June 10, 2011 Official version 2.1 release.
The last to be built for OS/2.
5.0 2.2 beta 1 June 22, 2011 First beta release
2.2 beta 2 June 28, 2011 Second beta release
2.2 beta 3 July 2, 2011 Third beta release
2.2 July 7, 2011 Official version 2.2 release.
6.0 2.3 beta 1 July 25, 2011 First beta release
2.3 beta 2 July 31, 2011 Second beta release
2.3 beta 3 August 6, 2011 Third beta release
2.3 August 16, 2011 Official version 2.3 release.
2.3.1 August 23, 2011[25] Official version 2.3.1 release. Added a security certificate in order to avoid disabling future automatic software updates.
2.3.2 August 31, 2011 [1] Official version 2.3.2 release. Removed root certificate for Diginotar. Many downloads erroneously identify themselves as version 2.3.1.[26]
2.3.3 September 6, 2011 [2] Official version 2.3.3 release. Removed trust exceptions for certificates issued by Staat der Nederlanden. Fixed an error with .gov.uk domains.
7.0 2.4 beta 1 September 6/7, 2011[27] First beta release
2.4 beta 2 September 12, 2011 Second beta release
2.4 beta 3 September 18, 2011 Third beta release
2.4 September 27, 2011 Official version 2.4 release.
2.4.1 September 29, 2011 Official version 2.4.1 release.
8.0 2.5 beta 1 September 30, 2011 First beta release
2.5 beta 2 October 7, 2011 Second beta release
2.5 beta 3 October 14, 2011 Third beta release
2.5 beta 4 November 9, 2011 Fourth beta release
2.5 November 22, 2011 Official version 2.5 release.
9.0 2.6 beta 1 November 23, 2011 First beta release
2.6 beta 2 December 3, 2011 Second beta release
2.6 beta 3 December 9, 2011 Third beta release
2.6 beta 4 December 14, 2011 Fourth beta release
2.6 December 20, 2011 Official version 2.6 release.
2.6.1 December 22, 2011 Official version 2.6.1 release.
10.0 2.7 beta 1 December 24, 2011 First beta release
2.7 beta 2 December 30, 2011 Second beta release
2.7 beta 3 January 7, 2012 Third beta release.
2.7 beta 4 January 20, 2012 Fourth beta release.
2.7 beta 5 January 26, 2012 Fifth beta release.
2.7 January 31, 2012 Official version 2.7 release.
2.7.1 February 10, 2012 Official version 2.7.1 release.
2.7.2 February 17, 2012 Official version 2.7.2 release.
11.0 2.8 alpha 1 December 17, 2011 First alpha release.
2.8 alpha 2 December 18, 2011 Second alpha release.
2.8 beta 1 February 4, 2012 First beta release.
2.8 beta 2 February 9, 2012 Second beta release.
2.8 beta 3 February 18, 2012 Third beta release.
2.8 beta 4 February 25, 2012 Fourth beta release.
2.8 beta 5 March 6, 2012 Fifth beta release.
2.8 beta 6 March 8, 2012 Sixth beta release.
2.8 March 13, 2012 Official version 2.8 release.
12.0 2.9 alpha 1 January 20, 2012 First alpha release.
2.9 beta 1 March 26, 2012 First beta release.
2.9 beta 2 March 30, 2012 Second beta release.
2.9 beta 3 April 14, 2012 Third beta release.
2.9 beta 4 April 19, 2012 Fourth beta release.
2.9 April 24, 2012 Official version 2.9 release.
2.9.1 April 30, 2012 Official version 2.9.1 release.[28]
This is the last version to support Windows 2000.[29]
13.0 2.10 beta 1 May 12, 2012 First beta release.
2.10 beta 2 May 23, 2012 Second beta release.
2.10 beta 3 June 1, 2012 Third beta release.
2.10 June 6, 2012 Official version 2.10 release. Introduction of tabs lazy loading.
2.10.1 June 16, 2012 Official version 2.10.1 release.
14.0 2.11 beta 1 June 8, 2012 First beta release.
2.11 beta 2 June 14, 2012 Second beta release.
2.11 beta 3 June 23, 2012 Third beta release.
2.11 beta 4 July 1, 2012 Fourth beta release.
2.11 beta 5 July 6, 2012 Fifth beta release.
2.11 beta 6 July 11, 2012 Sixth beta release.
2.11 July 17, 2012 Official version 2.11 release.
15.0 2.12 beta 1 July 21, 2012 First beta release.
2.12 beta 2 July 27, 2012 Second beta release.
2.12 August 28, 2012 Official version 2.12 release.
2.12.1 September 10, 2012 Official version 2.12.1 release.
16.0 2.13 beta 1 September 1, 2012 First beta release.
2.13 beta 2 September 7, 2012 Second beta release.
2.13 beta 3 September 14, 2012 Third beta release.
2.13 beta 4 September 23, 2012 Fourth beta release.
2.13 beta 5 September 29, 2012 Fifth beta release.
2.13 beta 6 October 5, 2012 Sixth beta release.
2.13 October 9, 2012 Official version 2.13 release.
2.13.1 October 12, 2012 Official version 2.13.1 release.
2.13.2 October 27, 2012 Official version 2.13.2 release. Last version supported on Mac OS X 10.5
17.0 2.14 beta 1 October 22, 2012 First beta version.
2.14 beta 2 October 26, 2012 Second beta version.
2.14 beta 3 November 2, 2012 Third beta version.
2.14 beta 4 November 9, 2012 Fourth beta version.
2.14 beta 5 November 9, 2012 Fifth beta version.
2.14 November 9, 2012 Official version 2.14.
2.14.1 November 30, 2012 Official version 2.14.1.
18.0 2.15 beta 1 November 26, 2012 First beta version.
2.15 beta 2 December 9, 2012 Second beta version.
2.15 beta 3 December 7, 2012 Third beta version.
2.15 beta 4 December 14, 2012 Fourth beta version.
2.15 beta 5 December 21, 2012 Fifth beta version.
2.15 beta 6 January 2, 2013 Sixth beta version.
2.15 January 8, 2013 Official version 2.15 release.
2.15.1 January 20, 2013 Official version 2.15.1 release.
2.15.2 February 4, 2013 Official version 2.15.2 release.
19.0 2.16 beta 1 January 12, 2013 First beta version.
2.16 beta 2 January 27, 2013 Second beta version.
2.16 beta 3 February 1, 2013 Third beta version.
2.16 beta 4 February 8, 2013 Fourth beta version.
2.16 beta 5 February 15, 2013 Fifth beta version.
2.16 February 21, 2013 Official version 2.16 release.
2.16.1 March 8, 2013 Official version 2.16.1 release.
2.16.2 March 13, 2013 Official version 2.16.2 release.
20.0 2.17 beta 1 February 26, 2013 First beta version.
2.17 beta 2 March 18, 2013 Second beta version.
2.17 beta 3 March 24, 2013 Third beta version.
2.17 beta 4 March 28, 2013 Fourth beta version.
2.17 April 2, 2013 Official version 2.17 release.
2.17.1 April 14, 2013 Official version 2.17.1 release.
21.0 2.18 beta 1 April 5, 2013 First beta version.
2.18 beta 2 April 19, 2013 Second beta version.
2.18 beta 3 April 27, 2013 Third beta version.
2.18 beta 4 May 3, 2013 Fourth beta version.
2.18 Not released Official version 2.18 has been skipped due to technical problems with the build architecture.[30]
22.0 2.19 beta 1 June 20, 2013 First beta version.
2.19 beta 2 June 26, 2013 Second beta version.
2.19 July 2, 2013 Official version 2.19 release.
23.0 2.20 beta 1 July 9, 2013 First beta version.
2.20 beta 2 July 23, 2013 Second beta version.
2.20 beta 2 July 30, 2013 Third beta version.
2.20 August 6, 2013 Official version 2.20 release. TLS 1.1 support.[31]
24.0 2.21 beta 1 September 7, 2013 First beta version.
2.21 beta 2 September 11, 2013 Second beta version.
2.21 September 17, 2013 Official version 2.21 release. TLS 1.2 support.[31]
25.0 2.22 beta 1 October 21, 2013 First beta version.
2.22 beta 2 October 25, 2013 Second beta version.
2.22 October 30, 2013 Official version 2.22 release.
2.22.1 November 18, 2013 Official version 2.22.1 release.
26.0 2.23 beta 1 December 6, 2013 First beta version.
2.23 beta 2 December 8, 2013 Second beta version.
2.23 December 12, 2013 Official version 2.23 release.
27.0 2.24 beta 1 February 3, 2014 First beta version.
2.24 February 6, 2014 Official version 2.24 release.
28.0 2.25 beta 1 February 13, 2014 First beta version.
2.25 beta 2 March 9, 2014 Second beta version.
2.25 beta 3 March 14, 2014 Third beta version.
2.25 March 19, 2014 Official version 2.25 release.
29.0 2.26 beta 1 April 9, 2014 First beta version.
2.26 beta 2 April 18, 2014 Second beta version.
2.26 May 2, 2014 Official version 2.26.0 release.
2.26.1 June 16, 2014 Official version 2.26.1 release.
30.0 2.27 Not released Official version 2.27 has been skipped due to technical problems with the build architecture.[32]
31.0 2.28 Not released Official version 2.28 has been skipped due to technical problems with the build architecture.[32]
32.0 2.29 beta 1 August 27, 2014 First beta version.
2.29 beta 2 September 2, 2014 Second beta version.
2.29 September 7, 2014 Official version 2.29 release.
2.29.1 September 24, 2014 Official version 2.29.1 release.
33.0 2.30 beta 1 October 9, 2014 First beta version.
2.30 beta 2 October 12, 2014 Second beta version.
2.30 October 15, 2014 Official version 2.30 release.
34.0 2.31 beta 1 November 2, 2014 First beta version.
2.31 beta 2 November 28, 2014 Second beta version.
2.31 December 4, 2014 Official version 2.31 release.
35.0 2.32 beta 1 December 16, 2014 First beta version.
2.32 beta 2 December 21, 2014 Second beta version.
2.32 beta 3 January 4, 2015 Third beta version.
2.32 January 13, 2015 Official version 2.32 release.
2.32.1 February 6, 2015 Official version 2.32.1 release.
36.0 2.33 beta 1 February 26, 2015 First beta version.
2.33 March 10, 2015 Official version 2.33 release.
2.33.1 March 24, 2015 Official version 2.33.1 release.
37.0 2.34 Not released Official version 2.34 has been skipped.
38.0 2.35 September 3, 2015 Official version 2.35 release.
39.0 2.36 Not released Official version 2.36 has been skipped.
40.0 2.37 Not released Official version 2.37 has been skipped.
41.0 2.38 beta 1 September 7, 2015 First beta version.
2.38 September 26, 2015 Official version 2.38 release.
42.0 2.39 beta 1 November 2, 2015 First beta version.
2.39 November 8, 2015 Official version 2.39 release.
43.0 2.40 March 14, 2016 Official version 2.40 release.
This is the last version to support CPUs without SSE2 under Windows.
This is the last version to support Mac OS X 10.6-10.8.[33]
44.0 2.41 Not released Official version 2.41 has been skipped.
45.0 2.42 Not released Official version 2.42 has been skipped.
46.0 2.43 Not released Official version 2.43 has been skipped.
47.0 2.44 Not released Official version 2.44 has been skipped.
48.0 2.45 Not released Official version 2.45 has been skipped.
49.0 2.46 December 22, 2016 Official version 2.46 release.
50.0 2.47 Not released Official version 2.47 has been skipped in favour of 2.46.
51.0 2.48 beta 1 April 15, 2017 First beta version.
2.48 July 31, 2017 Official version 2.48 release.
This is the last version to support GTK2 on Linux.
52.4 2.49.1 November 4, 2017 Official version 2.49.1 release. Built from the same Extended Support Release (ESR) branch as Firefox 52 ESR and Thunderbird 52.
52.6 2.49.2 February 15, 2018 Official version 2.49.2 release. Built from the same Extended Support Release (ESR) branch as Firefox 52 ESR and Thunderbird 52.
52.7.3 2.49.3 May 4, 2018 Official version 2.49.3 release. Built from the same Extended Support Release (ESR) branch as Firefox 52 ESR and Thunderbird 52.
52.9.1 2.49.4 July 27, 2018 Official version 2.49.4 release. Built from the same Extended Support Release (ESR) branch as Firefox 52 ESR and Thunderbird 52.
This is the last version to support plugins other than Flash on macOS.[34]
2.49.5 September 4, 2019 Official version 2.49.5 release. Built from the same Extended Support Release (ESR) branch as Firefox 52 ESR and Thunderbird 52.
This is the last version to support Windows XP/Server 2003 and Windows Vista/Server 2008.
This is the last version to support ALSA on Linux.
This is the last version to support NPAPI plugins other than Flash.[34]
60.3 and later 2.53.1 beta 1 January 18, 2020 Updates backported from multiple Extended Support Release (ESR) branches.[35]
2.53.1 February 28, 2020
2.53.2 beta 1 April 15, 2020
2.53.2 May 3, 2020
60.4 and later 2.53.3 beta 1 June 15, 2020
2.53.3 July 7, 2020
60.6 and later 2.53.4 beta 1 August 20, 2020
2.53.4 September 22, 2020
60.8 and later 2.53.5 beta 1 October 29, 2020
2.53.5 November 13, 2020
2.53.5.1 November 17, 2020
2.53.6 beta 1 December 28, 2020
2.53.6 January 22, 2021 Last version to include support for NPAPI plugins.[36]
2.53.7 March 10, 2021 Updates backported from multiple Extended Support Release (ESR) branches.[35]
2.53.7.1 April 15, 2021
2.53.8 beta 1 May 31, 2021
2.53.8 June 30, 2021
2.53.9 beta 1 August 11, 2021
2.53.9 August 26, 2021
2.53.9.1 September 28, 2021
2.53.10 beta 1 October 29, 2021
2.53.10 November 16, 2021
2.53.10.1 December 13, 2021
2.53.10.2 December 28, 2021
2.53.11 beta 1 January 30, 2022
2.53.11 March 2, 2022
2.53.11.1 March 25, 2022
2.53.12 beta 1 April 23, 2022
2.53.12 May 4, 2022
2.53.13 beta 1 June 16, 2022
2.53.13 July 11, 2022
2.53.14 beta 1 August 31, 2022
2.53.14 September 29, 2022
2.53.15 beta 1 December 7, 2022
2.53.15 January 20, 2023
2.53.16 beta 1 February 28, 2023
2.53.16 March 31, 2023
2.53.17 beta 1 June 20, 2023
2.53.17 August 4, 2023
2.53.17.1 September 20, 2023
2.53.18 beta 1 November 14, 2023
2.53.18 December 9, 2023
2.53.18.1 January 16, 2024
2.53.18.2 March 28, 2024
2.53.19 beta 1 July 18, 2024
2.53.19 September 4, 2024
2.53.20 January 7, 2025
2.53.21 June 5, 2025
2.53.22 beta 1 September 22, 2025
2.53.22 October 31, 2025
2.53.23 December 31, 2025

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

SeaMonkey

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
SeaMonkey is a free and open-source application suite that integrates a , advanced and newsgroup client, , IRC chat client, and into one cohesive package, all powered by the rendering engine. Developed by a volunteer , it serves advanced users, web developers, and corporate environments seeking a comprehensive alternative to standalone applications. The suite emphasizes extensibility through add-ons and supports multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and , with the latest stable release, version 2.53.22, issued on October 31, 2025. Originating as the successor to the Mozilla Application Suite, SeaMonkey emerged when the Mozilla Foundation discontinued active development of the integrated suite in favor of separate products like and Thunderbird. The project was established in through a initiative that forked and rebranded the , ensuring the continuation of the all-in-one suite tradition popularized by earlier software like . By incorporating and security updates from Mozilla's ecosystem, SeaMonkey maintains compatibility with modern web standards while preserving features such as tabbed browsing, junk mail filtering, encryption, and the DOM Inspector for debugging. Governed by the SeaMonkey Council—a group of dedicated contributors including roles like release engineer Edmund Wong—the project operates under the legal umbrella of the SeaMonkey Association (SeaMonkey e.V.), which handles trademarks and licensing. Available in over 20 languages, SeaMonkey prioritizes stability and customization, appealing to users who value an integrated experience over modular tools, though with the release of version 2.53.22, it shifted to 64-bit architectures exclusively, dropping support for 32-bit systems on Windows and . Its ongoing development reflects a commitment to the open-source ethos, with regular releases addressing security vulnerabilities and incorporating enhancements from upstream projects.

Overview

Description and Purpose

SeaMonkey is a free and open-source application suite that continues the tradition of the Mozilla Application Suite by providing an integrated set of tools for web-related activities. Built on the Mozilla rendering engine, it combines multiple functionalities into a single, cohesive package, emphasizing ease of use for users who prefer a streamlined alternative to disparate applications. The primary purpose of SeaMonkey is to deliver a unified experience for essential tasks, including web , and newsgroup management, editing, and IRC chatting, all within one application. This approach appeals to individuals who favor integrated software over modular open-source tools such as for and Thunderbird for , offering seamless interoperability without the need to switch between programs. Key benefits include high degrees of customizability, such as adjustable toolbars and tabbed interfaces, along with privacy-focused features inherited from its roots, like integration with search engines such as . SeaMonkey maintains support for web standards up to those in 60, with ongoing security backports from later ESR versions, ensuring compatibility with many legacy and modern web contents while potentially lacking some recent features. It targets power users, web developers, and corporate environments seeking a robust, all-in-one solution as an alternative to commercial integrated suites or scattered open-source options. As of November 2025, SeaMonkey 2.53.22 remains actively maintained, with official builds available for cross-platform use on Windows, macOS, and .

Development and Licensing

SeaMonkey's development is led by a global community of volunteers under the SeaMonkey Project, established in 2005 as a of the Mozilla Application Suite, drawing directly from 's open-source codebase in the comm-central repository. Contributors worldwide collaborate on enhancements, bug fixes, and maintenance, with the project emphasizing stability for its all-in-one . The development process involves daily nightly builds for testing experimental features, followed by rigorous before stable releases. The suite is built on Mozilla's Gecko rendering engine, with releases aligned to the Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) cycle to prioritize long-term stability and security updates, incorporating backports from ESR versions such as Firefox 115.29. Periodic merges from Mozilla Central ensure integration of core improvements while adapting them to SeaMonkey's unified interface. Governance is handled by the SeaMonkey Council, which coordinates efforts via mailing lists like [email protected] and [email protected], while issue tracking and contributions occur through Mozilla's Bugzilla system. SeaMonkey is distributed under the 2.0 (MPL 2.0), a that permits free modification, use, and redistribution of the source code, provided that any derivative works make their source available under the same terms. Binary releases are governed by a permissive (EULA) from the SeaMonkey Association (SeaMonkey e.V.), allowing non-exclusive use without additional restrictions. Sustainability relies entirely on volunteer contributions and public donations collected by the SeaMonkey e.V., with no corporate sponsorship akin to that of the . Official builds are provided for 64-bit versions of Windows, macOS, and , ensuring broad accessibility on major desktop platforms, while community-driven unofficial ports exist for systems like .

Components

Web Browser

The SeaMonkey , referred to as Navigator, functions as the primary tool for accessing and rendering web content within the integrated suite. It employs the rendering engine, originally developed by , to interpret and display , CSS, and other web technologies, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of sites. This engine forms the foundation for Navigator's core operations, including tabbed browsing that allows multiple web pages to be opened and managed within a single window, efficient bookmark management for organizing saved links with folders and tags, integrated download handling that tracks progress and stores files in a dedicated manager, and automatic pop-up blocking to suppress unwanted advertisements and dialogs. These capabilities enable users to navigate the web with streamlined efficiency, restoring sessions automatically after crashes to recover open tabs and windows. As of version 2.53.22 (October 31, 2025), support for plugins (such as Flash and ) has been removed. Navigator supports contemporary web standards, including for multimedia and interactive elements, CSS3 for advanced styling and layouts, and execution powered by the engine embedded within . This compliance allows for smooth rendering of modern websites, such as those featuring video playback without plugins or responsive designs. Additionally, Navigator accommodates extensions through the Add-ons platform, where many add-ons designed for the ecosystem are compatible, permitting users to add features like ad blockers or productivity tools directly to the browser. On the privacy and security front, Navigator incorporates built-in phishing protection via Mozilla's Safe Browsing service, which identifies and blocks access to known malicious or fraudulent sites reported as phishing attempts or malware hosts. It also offers a private browsing mode that disables history logging, cookie storage, and form data retention during sessions to enhance user anonymity. Cookie management is handled through a centralized Data Manager, providing granular controls over site permissions, while inheriting Mozilla's tracking protection to limit third-party trackers and fingerprinting attempts. The emphasizes flexibility with customizable toolbars that users can rearrange or hide, support for themes ranging from full visual overhauls to lightweight Personas, and multi-window functionality for parallel browsing tasks. Integration with the broader SeaMonkey suite ensures seamless handling of hyperlinks from messages or the , opening them directly in without external applications. A of is its preservation of the classic Application Suite layout, including a persistent sidebar that provides one-click access to browsing history, active downloads, and bookmarks, fostering a cohesive, all-in-one that contrasts with the minimalist designs of contemporary browsers.

Email and Newsgroups Client

The Mail & Newsgroups client in SeaMonkey serves as a comprehensive tool for handling and communications, integrated seamlessly within the all-in-one application suite. It enables users to configure and manage multiple email accounts supporting POP3 and IMAP protocols for retrieving messages from servers, alongside SMTP for outgoing . This setup allows for centralized access to various providers without switching applications, facilitating efficient asynchronous communication. Key email features include threaded conversations, which group related messages to provide context and streamline replies, and robust attachment handling for viewing, saving, and attaching files directly in compositions. Spam filtering employs adaptive Bayesian methods that evolve based on user markings of junk or good mail, enhancing accuracy over time. Messages can be organized using folder hierarchies, with support for offline reading by downloading content for access without an connection, particularly useful for IMAP folders when configured for offline use (enabled via the mail.server.default.offline_download preference for new folders). For Usenet interactions, the client uses the NNTP protocol to subscribe to , read articles, and post responses, with messages stored in dedicated folders for easy navigation and retrieval. Offline capabilities extend to newsgroups, allowing users to download threads in advance for review or composition when disconnected. Folder-based applies similarly, enabling archiving and sorting of posts alongside . The client's address book, shared across SeaMonkey components, supports LDAP directories and provides auto-completion for email addresses during composition, reducing typing errors and speeding up workflows. Advanced search functionality scans message bodies, subjects, and headers across accounts, while tags allow color-coded labeling and virtual folders—created via customizable mail views—help in filtering and prioritizing content without altering physical storage. Security is bolstered by support for encrypting messages and applying digital signatures to verify authenticity and prevent tampering. The client briefly references the suite's for handling links in emails, ensuring secure verification of connections before navigation. The adopts a classic three-pane layout—folders pane on the left, message threads in the center, and selected message preview on the right—supplemented by tabbed browsing for multiple folders or compositions. Views are highly customizable, with options to adjust column widths, sort orders, and display modes to suit individual preferences.

HTML Editor

SeaMonkey's , known as , provides users with a straightforward tool for creating and editing web pages without requiring deep knowledge of coding. It functions as a (What You See Is What You Get) editor, allowing intuitive content manipulation similar to a word processor, while also offering access to underlying source code for precise adjustments. Composer supports dual editing modes: a visual interface for drag-and-drop placement of elements like text, images, and tables, and an source view that displays the raw code for manual tweaks, enabling users to insert or modify tags directly. It handles core web formats including for structure, CSS for styling with improved support for properties like positioned layers, and basic insertion through the source mode. Key capabilities include table creation with dynamic resizing, quick insertion or deletion of cells, image embedding in formats such as , , , and BMP with adjustable sizing, and form building using standard elements like input fields and buttons. The editor integrates seamlessly with SeaMonkey's other components, supporting direct publishing of pages via FTP or HTTP protocols to web servers, which simplifies uploading without needing external software. Users can preview edited content within the suite's browser to test rendering, links, and functionality on the fly. Advanced features encompass spell-checking during composition to catch errors in real-time, basic template-like reuse through saved page structures, and multi-page site management by organizing files into projects for cohesive website development. Accessibility tools are incorporated modestly, such as prompts for alt text on images to aid screen readers and guidance on using headings for better navigation structure, though it lacks automated compliance validation. Despite its strengths in simplicity, is not designed as a full-fledged (IDE); it prioritizes basic web authoring for non-professionals over advanced scripting, , or complex project workflows, potentially limiting its use for intricate site development. and other dynamic elements remain inactive during editing modes, requiring browser preview for testing.

IRC Client

The IRC client in SeaMonkey, known as ChatZilla, enables users to engage in real-time conversations on Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks. It supports connections to various IRC servers, including popular ones like , which was added to the default network list in SeaMonkey 2.53.8. Users can join channels, send private messages, and manage nicknames through standard IRC commands, with the client providing a built-in list of networks accessible via the /networks command. The interface features tabbed windows for managing multiple networks and channels simultaneously, allowing seamless switching between conversations. Conversations are logged automatically to files, with options to switch logs on date changes even if the client remains open. Customizable themes, or "motifs," enhance the , supporting built-in options, downloadable styles, or user-created ones via CSS. As of version 2.53.22 (October 31, 2025), a modern theme has been added. Key features include auto-join lists for favorite channels upon connection, ignore lists to filter unwanted messages, and support for (DCC) file transfers and chats. Scripting capabilities allow extension through plug-ins, enabling custom automation and functionality enhancements. Integration with the broader SeaMonkey suite permits hyperlinks in chats to open directly in the built-in . While direct synchronization with the is not natively implemented, the client leverages shared components for consistent user data handling. Security measures include support for SSL/TLS encryption on connections, with the default port updated to 6697 in SeaMonkey 2.53.8 for secure IRC sessions. SASL authentication is available via scripts, facilitating secure login to networks like . A indicator displays connection status, and the client handles certificate exceptions for SSL ports. ChatZilla originated as a Mozilla extension in 2000 and became embedded in the Mozilla Application Suite before transitioning to a bundled component in SeaMonkey following the project's formation in 2005. Post-2010 updates focused on deeper integration, such as modernizing code and aligning with SeaMonkey's preferences, while Firefox discontinued support after version 56; SeaMonkey continues to include it as a default extension in releases like 2.53.21.

Additional Integrated Tools

SeaMonkey's serves as a centralized repository for managing contacts across the suite's components. It supports the creation of multiple address books, including a default Personal Address Book and a Collected Addresses book that automatically gathers addresses from incoming messages. Users can organize contacts into categories for easier sorting and searching, and the tool integrates seamlessly with the for auto-completion during composition, the IRC client for participant lists, and the HTML composer for inserting contact details. Additionally, it enables import and export of contacts in (VCF) format, facilitating with other applications. LDAP directory support further enhances its utility for enterprise environments by allowing synchronization with external contact databases. The , formerly known as the Site Manager, provides a unified interface for handling site-specific to enhance and convenience. It allows per-site storage and of passwords, , web form history, and permissions, with options for selective deletion or blocking. Form auto-fill capabilities streamline logins and by populating fields based on saved information, while a master password option encrypts stored credentials to prevent unauthorized access. This tool integrates with the browser to prompt users for saving sensitive and offers granular controls over exceptions for trusted sites. SeaMonkey's Download Manager handles file acquisitions through a dedicated that supports queuing multiple downloads, pausing and resuming interrupted transfers—even across sessions—and monitoring progress with speed and time estimates. As of version 2.53.22 (October 31, 2025), it has been migrated to a new , with previous cleared during . Downloads are automatically linked to the browser's , enabling quick access to recent files via chronological lists. The manager also includes basic security checks, such as warnings for potentially harmful files, and allows customization of default save locations and actions for specific file types. The suite incorporates a built-in help system accessible via the Help menu or F1 key, featuring an integrated viewer for documentation on usage, , and advanced features. This includes context-sensitive assistance for components like the editor and mail client, along with a Troubleshooting Information page that displays system details for diagnostic purposes. Complementing this, SeaMonkey supports UI customization through themes, including Personas for quick visual changes and full themes available via the add-ons manager. Users can apply thousands of options to alter colors, icons, and layouts, with options for high-contrast variants to improve . Multi-account profiles enable users to maintain separate configurations for distinct workflows, such as personal versus use, by storing unique sets of bookmarks, passwords, accounts, and preferences. Switching between profiles is straightforward through the Tools > Switch Profile menu, which allows selection without closing the application, and profile management tools support creation, deletion, and relocation of data folders for portability across devices. This feature ensures isolation of settings while preserving the suite's integrated experience. Accessibility in SeaMonkey is supported through compatibility with operating system-level features and built-in options. It adheres to standard accessibility APIs, enabling integration with screen readers like NVDA or JAWS for navigation of menus, forms, and content via keyboard shortcuts and labels. High-contrast modes from the host OS are respected, inverting or enhancing colors for better visibility without disrupting functionality, and the suite includes zoom controls, resizable text, and keyboard-only operation to accommodate diverse user needs.

History

Origins from Mozilla Application Suite

The roots of SeaMonkey trace back to the suite, developed in the mid-1990s as an integrated Internet application package that bundled a (), email and newsgroups client (Netscape Messenger and Collabra), and an HTML editor (Netscape Composer). Released on June 11, 1997, with version 4.0, Communicator aimed to provide a comprehensive toolset for web browsing, communication, and in an era when such all-in-one solutions were common. Facing competitive pressures, Netscape open-sourced the Communicator codebase on March 31, 1998, under the project, marking the transition to community-driven development. This open-source effort culminated in the Mozilla Application Suite, first released as version 1.0 on June 5, 2002, as a rewritten, unified cross-platform suite built on the rendering engine. The suite retained and evolved Communicator's integrated approach, featuring Mozilla Navigator as the , Mail & Newsgroups for and access, Composer for editing, and the ChatZilla IRC client as an embedded component. , Mozilla's layout engine developed from the late 1990s, powered the suite's rendering and ensured standards compliance across Windows, macOS, and platforms. In December 2003, Mozilla announced a strategic shift to prioritize standalone applications, leading to the 2004 decision to discontinue official development of the suite after version 1.8, with the final release occurring on April 21, 2006, as 1.7.13. This move focused resources on (a modular browser) and Thunderbird (a dedicated ), as maintaining the integrated suite alongside these proved unsustainable. The suite shared its core codebase with early versions, facilitating technology reuse while emphasizing cross-platform compatibility through and XPCOM frameworks. The Application Suite initially appealed to users accustomed to bundled tools in the early , offering seamless integration for power users before the rise of specialized, modular applications fragmented the market. Many valued its all-in-one design for tasks like browsing, emailing, and web authoring without switching programs, sustaining a dedicated following amid the shift to standalone software.

Formation of the SeaMonkey Project

In early , following Foundation's announcement on that it would cease official development of the integrated Application Suite beyond version 1.7.x to prioritize standalone applications like and Thunderbird, a group of developers proposed an independent to preserve the suite's all-in-one functionality. This initiative was outlined in an signed by ten developers, including Boris Zbarsky, Robert Kaiser, and Neil Rashbrook, who expressed concerns over the lack of clear plans for the suite's future and advocated for its continuation as a separate using 's existing such as CVS and . The letter emphasized short-term goals of integrating the suite's front end with the 1.8 rendering engine and long-term aims of leveraging tools like XPToolkit and for sustained development. On July 2, 2005, the community-led SeaMonkey Project officially took over development of the former Mozilla Application Suite codebase, marking its formal separation from the while retaining access to the open-source engine and related resources under the . Initial leadership emerged organically from the volunteer community, with figures like Robert Kaiser serving as early coordinators to manage release planning and code integration. The project aligned its initial builds with the 1.5 codebase, incorporating 1.8 features for improved performance and standards compliance, though it faced challenges from limited resources, reliance on volunteer contributions for platform ports, and the need to avoid confusion with official products. The SeaMonkey Project's early objectives centered on maintaining the suite's integrated components—such as the browser, , and —for legacy users who preferred a unified application over modular tools, while ensuring ongoing security updates and feature enhancements derived from upstream developments. This volunteer-driven effort addressed Mozilla's resource constraints by branding releases distinctly as "SeaMonkey Suite" to clarify non-endorsement by the Foundation. The first alpha release arrived on September 15, 2005, followed by the stable SeaMonkey 1.0 on January 30, 2006, which included numerous bug fixes and performance improvements over Mozilla 1.7. By 2007, the project achieved greater stability with the SeaMonkey 1.1 release in January, incorporating enhanced testing processes and better synchronization with updates to support a growing user base reliant on the suite's cohesive design. Despite ongoing challenges with manpower for comprehensive pre-release testing, the fork successfully preserved licensing continuity under the tri-license model (MPL/GPL/LGPL) inherited from , fostering an independent path for the application suite.

Key Milestones and Evolution

Following its formation in 2005, SeaMonkey underwent significant engine updates to align with evolving web standards while maintaining its all-in-one suite architecture. In October 2009, the release of SeaMonkey 2.0 marked a major milestone, rebuilding the suite on the 1.9.1 rendering engine from 3.5, which introduced improved support, including better canvas and video elements, along with enhanced performance via the TraceMonkey engine. This shift addressed earlier limitations in standards compliance and positioned SeaMonkey as a more modern alternative to its Mozilla Application Suite predecessor. To ensure long-term stability amid Mozilla's rapid release cycle, the project adopted Extended Support Release (ESR) bases starting in 2017. SeaMonkey 2.49.x transitioned to 52 ESR, providing a stable foundation for security updates without the churn of general releases, while preserving legacy features like XUL-based extensions. Subsequent versions, including the 2.53 series from 2020 onward, incorporated backports from 60 ESR, focusing on core engine stability rather than full feature parity with newer iterations. This approach allowed SeaMonkey to support and partial functionality without overhauling its interface. The introduction of Firefox Quantum in 2017 presented substantial challenges, as it deprecated the platform central to SeaMonkey's extensions and UI. Rather than fully migrating—which would have required rewriting much of the suite—the project opted for selective backports of security and stability fixes, avoiding Quantum's multiprocess architecture to retain compatibility with classic add-ons and the integrated editor. This decision sustained development but limited adoption of newer APIs, such as full WebExtensions support, which remains planned for future releases like 2.57. Community-driven efforts, including active forums and localization into up to 24 languages, helped sustain the project through these adaptations. In the , SeaMonkey emphasized security amid its niche status, with frequent patch releases addressing vulnerabilities via backports from ESR versions up to 91.7 by 2023. Notable updates included SeaMonkey 2.53.18 (2023) and 2.53.21 (June 2025), incorporating fixes for critical issues like bugs, while 2.53.22 (October 2025) added enhancements for regional data formatting and profile management. These efforts occurred against a backdrop of declining suite popularity, as users shifted to specialized tools, yet SeaMonkey retained a dedicated following among web developers valuing its offline editing capabilities and users seeking a customizable, integrated environment resistant to modern web bloat. from Electron-based applications further pressured its , though the project's volunteer base continues to prioritize stability over expansion.

Naming and Branding

Origin of the Name

The name "SeaMonkey" originated as a codename within for the development of 5.0, an ambitious all-in-one planned as a successor to 4.x but ultimately never released to the public in the . This codename emerged during Netscape's efforts to innovate beyond its early browser dominance, reflecting an internal theme of playful, animal-inspired identifiers that paralleled the "" moniker—a portmanteau of "Mosaic killer" referencing the company's Godzilla-like ambition to disrupt the browser. Following Netscape's release of its source code in 1998, the codename "SeaMonkey" carried over into the open-source Mozilla project, where it was informally applied to the evolving Mozilla Application Suite, encompassing the browser, email client, and other integrated tools derived from Netscape's codebase. By the early 2000s, "SeaMonkey" had become a longstanding internal reference for this suite, evoking continuity with Netscape's legacy while fitting Mozilla's whimsical naming conventions, such as the phoenix-inspired origins of . In 2005, as the Mozilla Foundation shifted focus to standalone products like Firefox and Thunderbird, discontinuing official development of the Mozilla Application Suite, a dedicated community of developers forked the codebase to preserve the integrated suite. They formally adopted "SeaMonkey" as the project's name on July 2, 2005, to honor the software's roots and the codename's historical significance, ensuring a seamless transition for users and contributors attached to the all-in-one design. This choice also circumvented potential trademark complications with "Netscape," which remained under AOL's ownership, allowing the open-source effort to emphasize exploration and accessibility in web tools without legal entanglements. Thematically, "SeaMonkey" symbolizes an aquatic companion to the Mozilla mascot—a fantastical monster—representing fluid navigation and boundless discovery in the open-source internet ecosystem, much like the sea monkeys (brine shrimp) that inspired its playful connotation.

Changes and Rebranding Efforts

SeaMonkey was officially announced on July 2, 2005, as the name for the community-revived Mozilla Application Suite, selected from community proposals to reflect an independent project distinct from the Mozilla Foundation's standalone products like Firefox and Thunderbird. This naming choice aimed to maintain the integrated suite concept while avoiding direct association with Mozilla's rebranded offerings, ensuring the project's unique identity in the evolving open-source ecosystem. The project's was introduced on December 2, 2005, featuring a stylized abstract figure resembling a sea monkey in and hues set against a dark blue circular background with wave patterns, designed by Alex Butin following a that received 197 submissions. This artwork replaced temporary placeholders used in early alphas and drew from the aquatic heritage of and , symbolizing continuity while establishing a fresh visual identity for the standalone suite. The , registered as a U.S. by the SeaMonkey Association, has remained consistent, supporting the project's emphasis on a cohesive, marine-inspired aesthetic. In , the adoption of the SeaMonkey name faced debates within the open-source community, notably with , which rebranded it as Iceape due to ongoing disputes with over modifications to official software. These discussions, stemming from broader concerns about usage on derivative works, led to use alternative names like Iceape from until dropping support in 2013, while the core project preserved "SeaMonkey" to honor the nostalgic legacy of the original Suite and foster community attachment. As of 2025, SeaMonkey's branding highlights its identity as an "all-in-one ," with the official website and consistently employing the aquatic theme through the enduring sea monkey iconography and wave motifs to underscore its comprehensive tools for , , and development. initiatives are primarily community-led, featuring promotions via project blogs that share updates and milestones, alongside engagements at events like , where developers have delivered presentations on SeaMonkey's and suite revival since 2006 to build awareness and attract contributors.

Release History

Early Versions (1.x Series)

The SeaMonkey 1.x series represented the project's foundational release cycle, beginning with version 1.0 on January 30, 2006, as the initial stable fork from the Mozilla Application Suite 1.8 branch. This version focused on establishing basic stability, incorporating fixes from prior alpha and beta phases to address crashes and usability issues in the integrated browser, mail client, and other components. Built on the Gecko 1.8 rendering engine, it maintained the all-in-one suite's core functionality while resolving key bugs that had plagued the original Mozilla Suite's final updates. The series advanced with SeaMonkey 1.1, released on January 18, 2007, which aligned more closely with contemporary Mozilla technologies by integrating features from 2.0, including enhanced tab management, integrated search suggestions, and improved protection. Subsequent point releases in the 1.1 branch, such as 1.1.9 in March 2008, delivered incremental stability enhancements and security fixes, with particular attention to refining the ChatZilla IRC client's integration for better usability within the suite. By mid-2008, updates like 1.1.11 began incorporating elements from 1.9.0, providing partial compatibility with 3's standards support, including better performance on tests like , though full alignment awaited the 2.x transition. Security remained a priority throughout the 1.x lifecycle, with regular patches addressing vulnerabilities in the rendering engine and network components; the final update, 1.1.19, arrived on March 16, 2010, patching critical issues but marking the effective end of active development for the series due to constraints. Although the shift to SeaMonkey 2.0 began in September 2009 with a full 1.9.1 base, limited maintenance for 1.x legacy users extended briefly beyond that, emphasizing migration to the newer platform. During its peak in the mid-2000s, amid user backlash to Mozilla's discontinuation of the original suite, the 1.x releases garnered over 2.5 million tracked downloads by late 2007, reflecting strong community adoption.

Modern Versions (2.x Series)

The SeaMonkey 2.x series, beginning in late 2009, marked a significant maturation of the project, aligning more closely with the rapid development cycles of the underlying platform while maintaining the integrated suite's core functionality. This era emphasized stability through synchronization with Firefox's Extended Support Release (ESR) branches where possible, allowing the browser, client, and other components to incorporate patches and improvements without frequent disruptions to suite-wide integrations like shared profiles and extensions. The series shifted from experimental updates to a more predictable rhythm, focusing on backporting essential features to ensure compatibility across the all-in-one application. SeaMonkey 2.0, released on October 27, 2009, was built on the Gecko 1.9.1 engine equivalent to Firefox 3.5.4, introducing enhanced extension support via a new Add-on Manager that mirrored Firefox's mechanisms for installing, updating, disabling, and removing add-ons, themes, and plugins. This update also featured customizable toolbars with options for icon sizing and text display, laying early groundwork for future UI modernizations like Australis by improving user interface flexibility and session restoration capabilities. Subsequent point releases in the 2.0.x line incorporated backports from Gecko 1.9.2 (Firefox 3.6), extending support for HTML5 elements and better Acid3 compliance to enhance web standards adherence. In the mid-series, SeaMonkey 2.10 arrived on June 6, 2012, leveraging the engine aligned with 13 while drawing from the stability of the contemporaneous 10 ESR for core security foundations. Key enhancements included configurable tab restoration limits and domain highlighting in the location bar, alongside platform-level additions like protocol support for faster page loads and 6 features such as and Set objects. SeaMonkey 2.20, released August 6, 2013, further advanced multimedia capabilities with preliminary support for real-time communication, enabling basic peer-to-peer audio and video in web applications, built on the equivalent to 22. It also enabled (CSP) 1.0 and mixed content blocking for improved security on sites. Later in the series, SeaMonkey 2.40, released March 14, 2016, integrated the Australis , featuring a redesigned , customizable panels, and a unified customization mode to streamline access to browser tools and add-ons. Based on 45, this version prepared the suite for upcoming Mozilla engine shifts, including preliminary adjustments toward multiprocess architecture compatibility, though full Quantum integration was deferred for stability. The 2.53 series, starting in 2020 and continuing through 2025, adopted a base from 60.8 ( 60 ESR) with extensive backports from later ESR versions like 78 and 115, prioritizing long-term stability and security over bleeding-edge features to prevent breakage in integrated components such as the and clients. For instance, SeaMonkey 2.53.22, released October 31, 2025, addressed multiple CVEs through backported fixes from 115.29 ESR and Thunderbird 115.29 ESR, including enhancements to TLS 1.3 as the default and GTK3 support on . Release cadence in the 2.x series evolved to semi-annual major updates interspersed with frequent point releases, often quarterly or as needed for , ensuring timely CVE resolutions without overhauling the suite's . This ESR-focused approach minimized risks to extensions and inter-component compatibility, allowing SeaMonkey to remain viable for users seeking a cohesive amid Firefox's accelerated changes.

Support and Latest Developments

SeaMonkey's support is provided by a dedicated community of volunteers who align releases with Mozilla's Extended Support Release (ESR) cycle, delivering approximately one year of security updates per ESR version to keep the suite secure and viable. This model allows backporting of critical fixes from recent Firefox ESR branches, such as version 115.29, ensuring ongoing compatibility with evolving web standards via the underlying Gecko engine. The most recent stable release, SeaMonkey 2.53.22, launched on October 31, 2025, addresses 18 security vulnerabilities through backported patches from and Thunderbird ESR updates, alongside enhancements for platform stability and compatibility. These updates focus on hardening against known exploits while maintaining support for x64 architectures on and later, macOS 10.11 and later, and distributions. SeaMonkey encounters challenges from a shrinking user base, as the dominance of mobile-first browsing and specialized apps reduces demand for traditional all-in-one desktop suites like SeaMonkey. In response, the is working on modern features, though progress is gradual due to the project's volunteer-driven nature. Key resources for users and contributors include the active tracker, which lists over 500 open issues for tracking development and reporting problems. Additionally, portable editions are maintained by third parties such as , enabling easy deployment on without system installation.

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  74. https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/seamonkey_portable
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