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  • Desktop Kagi Assistant PWA: Opens External Links in the PWA Instead of the Default Browser

  • BugsAIDone

When installing Kagi Assistant as a PWA, external links such as from citations given open within the PWA. They ideally should open as a tab in the default browser as the PWA should behave more like a "standalone" app and when navigating to a webpage through Assistant most would expect a result would open in the browser in a new tab rather than within the PWA. I use Fastmail as a PWA and links from my email open properly in a new browser tab.

I expected that when I clicked an external link it would open in a new browser tab instead of within the PWA window. This is likely an issue with the manifest.

    5 days later

    In the context of the Assistant, using a webview to load references provides a smoother experience compared to opening another application. It allows to review references and seamlessly continue the conversation.
    Could you share specific user flows or problems related to using a webview where opening external links in the default browser would offer a better experience?

      Luis It just seems like the expected behavior with most PWA's I've used. For example I have my email webapp, Fastmail installed as a PWA. If I open a link in an email it opens in my default browser and can therefore be referenced and managed with my various other browser tabs. Given Assistants' focus on research, being able to click a reference and have it open in a browser tab rather than in the PWA is more convenient as I can read the page and then prompt assistant with more questions as well as keep those browser tabs managed in Vivaldi for future reference as I continue my research. ChatGPT's Windows app behaves this way as well and is just an Electron app which isn't a PWA but still a Chromium wrapper. This should really be a very simple change to the PWA's manifest or could even be a setting that the user could toggle to open links in the same window "target=self" or a new window "target=blank".

          I should be more clear, this is in reference to behavior on desktop not mobile.

            mackid1993 I thought you were referring to mobile. Agreed, we’ll adjust the behaviour to open tabs in your default browser.

                Luis changed the title to Desktop Kagi Assistant PWA: Opens External Links in the PWA Instead of the Default Browser .

                  Luis Thanks yeah, on Mobile it makes sense... on Desktop it's very confusing behavior! Glad we cleared that up!!

                    24 days later
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