The Landscape of Browser Architecture

It struck me that the browser itself is becoming a landscape. Once a simple hyperlink document viewer, it can no longer be explained as just a “window on a desktop.” That skin is shedding.

The browser is evolving into a dual to the cloud, shaped by edge computing, local-first design, and decentralization. It is emerging as the estuary of human-computer interaction—no longer confined to screens, but projected into physical space, hosting cameras, microphones, and linking every sensory channel.

AI is dissolving the constraints of authorship, accelerating the creation of computational artifacts and spaces. What does participatory design look like in this unfolding combinatorial landscape, where interfaces and intelligences co-evolve?

1. The Browser as a Platform for Spatial Computing

Modern browsers now run advanced graphics, mapping, and XR...

WebGPU / WebGL for 3D rendering
WebXR for AR/VR integration
Real-time geospatial data
Structured light + camera pose