Basilisk

ApplicationMoonchild Productions

Also called basilisk browser

Moonchild ProductionsBrowsers

An independent XUL browser from the Pale Moon team, aimed at older extension styles. On Windows the process is basilisk.exe.

What you need to know

Basilisk is a XUL browser from the Pale Moon team. It is not Pale Moon and not Firefox.

basilisk.exe is Basilisk. palemoon.exe is Pale Moon on Goanna. firefox.exe is Mozilla Firefox. They do not share profiles.

What is it?: Web browser
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If basilisk.exe is open, I would treat it as Basilisk, not Pale Moon and not Firefox. Closing palemoon.exe does not quit this window.

What is Basilisk?

Basilisk is an independent XUL desktop browser from the Pale Moon team. The Windows executable is basilisk.exe.

If you have never used it

If you want the Pale Moon team's other XUL browser, this is Basilisk, not Pale Moon and not Firefox. Download it from basilisk-browser.org. The process is basilisk.exe. palemoon.exe is Pale Moon (Goanna). firefox.exe is Mozilla Firefox.

What is it used for?

XUL-style browsing

Pages and chrome in a XUL browser. Current Firefox WebExtensions often will not apply.

Older extension habits

That is the Basilisk pitch. Pale Moon has its own add-on world and a different exe.

A second Moonchild browser

You can have Pale Moon and Basilisk at once. They are not the same profile.

Who is it for?

People who want XUL-era extensions without Pale Moon specifically
Users already on Moonchild browsers
Anyone who assumed basilisk.exe was firefox.exe or palemoon.exe

Current status

Basilisk (2018) is a current web browser from Moonchild Productions. The vendor still points Windows users at https://basilisk-browser.org/.

How old is it?

Moonchild Productions launched Basilisk in 2018 as a XUL browser aimed at older extension styles. Pale Moon (2009) is the Goanna sibling. Firefox Rapid Release is a different train. Basilisk is not a 2024 Chromium skin.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Current Windows build

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
basilisk.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

Basilisk can restore the last session. It is not a Windows service.

File locations

Common Basilisk locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Basilisk\

File formats

HTMLPDFPNGJPEG

Common problems

Modern sites expect current Gecko or Chromium

Some banks break. That can be engine family, not a dead NIC.

People install Firefox add-ons from AMO blindly

Current WebExtensions often fail. Use what the Basilisk FAQ names.

Getting unstuck

Confirm basilisk.exe under Basilisk

Pale Moon is palemoon.exe. Firefox is firefox.exe. Open file location.

Read basilisk-browser.org/faq.shtml

Pale Moon support pages will name the other product. Mozilla Support is a third wrong map.

Install only from basilisk-browser.org

A Basilisk plus Pale Moon bundle from a mill is junk.

Alternatives

Pale Moon if you want the Goanna sibling. Firefox if you want current Gecko. Chrome if you need Chromium site compatibility.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	basilisk-browser.org/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	basilisk-browser.org/faq.shtml Vendor support
Official site	basilisk-browser.org/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

A modest CPU is enough. Broken sites are often compatibility, not missing RAM.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Basilisk official site · Vendor product page
Basilisk help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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