Rules Converter Library

joystmp

What is the library Orion using to convert ABP syntax rules to Safari syntax?

AdGuard has created a Swift library which is easy to use and is also used by their apps.

https://github.com/AdguardTeam/SafariConverterLib

dino

joystmp Orion uses it's own custom light weight implementation for converting ABP rules. We can think about using AdGuard library later, if we will see some aditional benifits using that (benifits > resources to be needed to refactor code for that).

joystmp

dino AdGuard library is tried and tested by several users and has been in development for a long time. So naturally, I expect it to more optimised and better at handling various edge cases.

Also, shifting to AdGuard library would allow Orion team to focus on other important matters.

Moreover, my experience has been that Orion's own custom converter is more suited for easylist's filters and not well suited for adguard's filters (which are more complex).

chorizo

the point is that the adguard's filterlists are much more effective than ABP, also in the official documentation under custom filterlist there are some adguard list suggested so are this lists supported or not?
another question is what update schedule have the lists on mobile?

joystmp

AdGuard library also provides advanced-blocking rules separately from the converted rules. If Orion can use them, it would obviate the need for advanced adblockers like uBlock Origin.

joystmp

There's also Brave's native adblocker written in Rust, available as a library for anyone to use.

chorizo

having native adguard blocking in Orion is my dream. on desktop I run Orion totally filtered by adguard app but on mobile I can do this only at Dns, I also wrote in the adguard git to ask support for orion mobile but they say that is apple that don't allow content blocking outside safari (their app work as a vpn to filter DNS but the fine grained blocking is done by safari extension, this differ from desktop version where the app work as a transparent proxy and you can filter every app)

joystmp

@dino I've used AdGuard's library to convert filter lists and then loaded them in Safari using Blocki app and I must say, I am impressed by how easy it is to use it and how good it works.

dino

joystmp we will soon prioritize that 🙂

Anatomy5803

Feature Request: Integration of SafariConverterLib for Enhanced Content Blocking in Orion Browser

What does your feature entail?

The proposed feature entails integrating the SafariConverterLib from AdGuard into the Orion browser. This library is designed to convert rules to the Content Blocking API and enabling the usage of scriptlets and extended CSS. Currently, Orion uses its own built-in converter, which is limited and primitive. By adopting SafariConverterLib, Orion can significantly enhance its content blocking capabilities, providing users with more robust and flexible ad-blocking and privacy protection features.

What is it for?

The primary purpose of this feature is to improve the effectiveness and flexibility of content blocking in the Orion browser. By leveraging SafariConverterLib, Orion can support a wider range of blocking rules, including advanced scriptlets and extended CSS, which are not currently supported by the built-in converter. This will allow users to block more types of unwanted content, such as ads, trackers, and other privacy-invading elements, thereby enhancing their browsing experience and privacy.

How will it affect existing workflows or user experience?

Integrating SafariConverterLib will have a positive impact on the user experience by providing more comprehensive and effective content blocking. Users will notice a reduction in ads, trackers, and other unwanted content, leading to faster page load times and improved privacy. The feature will not disrupt existing workflows but will enhance them by offering more powerful and flexible content blocking options.

What are the exact ways that you see a user using your proposed feature?

Enhanced Ad-Blocking:
- Users will be able to block a wider range of ads, including those that use advanced techniques to bypass traditional ad-blockers.
- Example: A user visits a website with intrusive ads that the current converter cannot block. With SafariConverterLib, these ads are effectively blocked, providing a cleaner and faster browsing experience.
Improved Privacy Protection:
- Users will benefit from better protection against trackers and other privacy-invading elements.
- Example: A user is concerned about being tracked across different websites. With the enhanced content blocking, trackers are blocked more effectively, reducing the risk of privacy breaches.
Custom Rule Support:
- Users can create and use custom blocking rules that utilise scriptlets and extended CSS.
- Example: A user wants to block a specific type of content that is not covered by existing filters. With SafariConverterLib, they can create a custom rule using extended CSS or scriptlets to block this content (YouTube ads).
Seamless Integration with Existing Filters:
- The feature will work seamlessly with existing filter lists, enhancing their effectiveness.
- Example: A user subscribes to a popular ad-blocking filter list. With SafariConverterLib, the filter list becomes more effective, blocking more types of unwanted content.

How would it work into the existing feature to extend its usefulness?

The integration of SafariConverterLib will extend the usefulness of the existing content blocking feature in Orion by providing a more powerful and flexible rule conversion engine. The current built-in converter will be replaced or augmented by SafariConverterLib, allowing Orion to support a wider range of blocking rules. This will result in more effective ad-blocking and privacy protection, enhancing the overall usefulness of the content blocking feature.

Examples from Other Browsers/Apps:

AdGuard for Safari: AdGuard uses SafariConverterLib to convert rules to the Content Blocking API, enabling advanced ad-blocking and privacy protection features. This has been well-received by users for its effectiveness and flexibility.
WebShield & wBlock: These extensions written by me and @0xCUBE respectively provide level of advanced content blocking by supporting scriptlets and extended CSS that is desirable for Orion.

By integrating SafariConverterLib, Orion can offer a similar level of advanced content blocking, making it a more attractive option for users who prioritize ad-blocking and privacy protection.

Vlad

Anatomy5803 Thanks for all the details. Can you add URLs to relevant content blocking lists and suggest Orion default after this is implemented?

0xCUBE

I can vouch for this. Here's the link to my extension, which is incomplete but is working well enough: https://github.com/0xCUB3/wBlock

joystmp

Vlad
For macOS, I would suggest
Base filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/extension/safari/filters/2_optimized.txt
Tracking Protection filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/extension/safari/filters/3_optimized.txt
Social Media filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/extension/safari/filters/4_optimized.txt
Annoyances - https://filters.adtidy.org/extension/safari/filters/14_optimized.txt
URL tracking - https://filters.adtidy.org/mac_v2/filters/17_optimized.txt

For iOS,
Base filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/ios/filters/2_optimized.txt
Tracking Protection filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/ios/filters/3_optimized.txt
Social Media filter - https://filters.adtidy.org/ios/filters/4_optimized.txt
Annoyances - https://filters.adtidy.org/ios/filters/14_optimized.txt
URL tracking - https://filters.adtidy.org/mac_v2/filters/17_optimized.txt
Mobile - https://filters.adtidy.org/ios/filters/11_optimized.txt

Incorporation of url tracking filter would require $removeparam support, which I've requested for here.

Anatomy5803

@Vlad @joystmp for macOS all you need is: base, tracking protection, easyprivacy. for iOS you need: base, mobile, tracking protection, easyprivacy. If a user wants to enable other lists, like annoyances, they can do so. the default lists cause minimal breakage & provide the most benefit in terms of ad blocking & protecting privacy.

Vlad

Anatomy5803

Thanks, we will be looking to switch to this setup once we implement the new rule library.

cc @dino

chorizo

yes please make this happen