Opera Software

Norwegian software company behind the Opera family of web browsers and Internet services, known for mobile compression, early browsing innovations and a switch from its own engine to Chromium/Blink.

Opera Software is a technology company based in Oslo, Norway, best known for the Opera family of web browsers and related Internet tools. Its products have targeted desktop and mobile users and often emphasize speed, data efficiency and integrated conveniences. Opera has been particularly visible in markets with constrained bandwidth or limited devices, where its data-compression technologies and lightweight mobile clients gained traction.

Products and features

Opera develops several branded browser editions and supporting services that combine core browsing with integrated utilities:

Opera (desktop) — a multi-platform browser for Windows, macOS and Linux with built-in features such as Speed Dial, tab management and extensions support.
Opera for Android and Opera Mini — mobile browsers optimized for small screens and variable networks; Opera Mini uses server-side compression and proxying to reduce data transfer.
Opera GX — a variant targeted at gamers, offering resource-limiting controls, gaming-themed design and integrations with game services.
Integrated services — many editions include an ad blocker, a free privacy proxy or VPN-like service, battery-saver modes, a built-in wallet in some releases and sync features for bookmarks and notes.

History and development

The project began in the 1990s and grew into a commercial company in Norway. For many years Opera developed its own layout engine, Presto, and introduced visible interface innovations such as Speed Dial, refined tab handling and a compact feature set. In the 2010s the company moved the main browser to the Chromium/Blink engine to align with prevailing web standards and reduce maintenance overhead. The consumer browser business later changed ownership while the Opera brand and products continued under new stewardship.

Technical approach and market position

Opera is known for techniques that improve browsing on slow or limited networks, notably server-side compression used by Opera Turbo and Opera Mini. Although it has not been the largest desktop market share holder, Opera has influenced browser design by bundling features often adopted elsewhere and maintains active development with periodic releases across platforms.