Brewser DocsGlossary
Homebrew and Brewser terms in plain language
New to Switch homebrew? Here are the terms you'll run into, in plain language.
Homebrew — Software made by the community that runs on a device outside its official app store. Brewser is homebrew, and it runs web-app homebrew inside itself.
CFW (Custom Firmware) — Modified console software that lets homebrew run. On the Switch this is usually Atmosphère. Brewser requires CFW.
Atmosphère — The most common Switch custom firmware. If your console runs Atmosphère, it can run Brewser.
NRO — The file format for Switch homebrew apps (.nro). Brewser ships as an NRO you place in the
/switch/ folder on your SD card. See Installing.
hbmenu (Homebrew Menu) — The launcher that lists your installed homebrew NROs. You start Brewser from here.
sysNAND — Your console's built-in system storage — the "real" system.
emuNAND / emuMMC — An emulated copy of the system stored on your SD card, kept separate from your sysNAND. Many people run homebrew from an emuMMC to isolate it from their clean system. See the FAQ on ban risk.
Tegra X1 — The NVIDIA chip inside the Switch. Brewser's runtime is tuned for it; it's capable but a 2015-era mobile part, which is why performance matters.
nx.js — The open-source JavaScript-for-Switch project Brewser's runtime is built on (heavily extended). See Architecture.
Manifest — The small JSON file describing a Brewser app — its name, id, and the capabilities it declares. See the Manifest Reference.
The catalogue — Brewser's in-app store of published web apps, at play.brewser.io. See The Catalogue.