Best Web Browsers for Ubuntu and Other Linux Distributions

There is no such thing as the perfect web browser. It all depends on what you prefer and what you use it for.

But, what are your best options when it comes to web browsers for Linux?

In this article, I try to highlight the best web browsers that you can pick for Ubuntu and other Linux.

Note: We have tried and tested these browsers on Ubuntu. But, you should be able to install it on any Linux distribution of your choice.

Top Web Browsers for Linux

Illustration for web browser running in Ubuntu Linux

Every browser offers something unique. And, when it comes to the Linux platform, there are some interesting exclusive choices as well.

Before you see this list, please note that it is not a ranking list. The browser listed at number 1 should not be considered better than the ones at 2, 3 or 10.

Non-FOSS alert!

Some applications mentioned here are not open source. They are listed here because they are available on Linux and the article’s focus is on Linux. We have a separate dedicated list of open source web browsers as well.

1. Vivaldi

Pros

• Sidebar for quick web application access
• Calendar and Email integration
• Unique tab management
• Pomodoro feature
• Mobile app available

Cons

• Resource-heavy when using a variety of features
• Not 100% open-source

Vivaldi is an impressive browser that has been getting more attention from Linux users more than ever.

While it is not 100% open-source, you can find most of its source code (except for its UI) online.

With Vivaldi 4.0 release, they have been focusing more on improving the experience for Linux users. You can set clock timers to increase your work productivity, use the built-in translation for web pages, track your calendar, add shortcuts to web applications, and multi-task at its peak with this browser.

Even though it is a fast web browser, I wouldn’t bet on it as the “fastest” or lightest. You need a good amount of memory (RAM) to make use of all the features while you work on stuff.

Overall, it is a feature-rich web browser. So, if you need something with as many as features possible to multi-task, Vivaldi can be your choice.

Vivaldi

How to Install Vivaldi on Linux?

Vivaldi offers both .deb and .rpm packages to let you directly install it in your Linux system.

You can refer to our resources to install Deb files and install RPM files in case you are new to Linux.

2. Mozilla Firefox

Pros

• Privacy protection
• Not based on Chrome engine
• Open Source
• Firefox Account services

Cons

• User Experience changes with major updates

Firefox is the default web browser for most Linux distributions. Hence, it is an obvious choice to start with.

In addition to being open-source, it offers some of the best privacy protection features. And, with the right settings, you can turn it into one of the most secure browsers similar to Tor Browser (which is also based on Firefox).

Not just limited to its security, but Firefox also offers useful integrated features like Pocket (to save web pages and read later), VPN, email alias, breach monitor, and more when you sign in with your Firefox account.

Firefox

How to Install Firefox on Linux?

It should already come pre-installed in your Linux distribution. But, if it is not present, you can search for it in the software center or install it using the terminal with the following command:

sudo apt install firefox

3. Chromium

Pros

• Open Source Chrome alternative
• Similar features to Google Chrome

Cons

• Lacks certain features that Google Chrome offers

Chromium is the open-source alternative and the base for Google Chrome and many other chrome-based browsers.

If you do not want to use Google Chrome, chromium’s your best bet to get the same experience on Linux.

Even though Google controls Chromium and has been locking down Chrome, it is a good option for Linux systems.

Chromium

How to Install Chromium on Linux?

You should be able to find it easily in the software center. But, if you need help, refer to our installation guide for Chromium.

4. Google Chrome

Pros

• Seamless integration with Google services

Cons

• Not open-source

Google Chrome is an excellent web browser unless you do not want to opt for a proprietary solution or products by Google.

You get all the essential features and the ability to integrate all Google services. If you prefer using Google Chrome on Android and want to sync across multiple platforms, it is an obvious choice for desktop Linux.

If you were looking for a simple and capable web browser while using Google services, Google Chrome can be a great pick.

Google Chrome

How to Install Google Chrome on Linux?

Google Chrome offers both Deb and RPM packages to let you install on any Ubuntu-based or Fedora/openSUSE distribution.

If you need help with the installation, I should point you to our guide on installing Google Chrome on Linux.

5. Brave Browser

Pros

• Privacy protection features
• Performance

Cons

• No account-based sync

Brrave browser is one of the most popular Linux browsers.

It is an open-source project and is based on chromium. It offers several useful privacy protection features and is known for its blazing fast performance.

Unlike any other browsers, you can get rewards even if you block advertisements on websites. The rewards you collect can only be used to give back to your favorite websites. This way, you get to block ads and also support the website.

You can expect a faster user experience with minimum resource usage.  

We also have a detailed comparison article on Brave vs Firefox, if you need to decide between the two.

Brave

How to Install Brave on Linux?

Unlike some other web browsers, you cannot directly find a package or in the software center. You need to enter some commands in the terminal to install the browser.

Fret not, you can follow our instructions to install brave browser to proceed.

6. Opera

Pros

• Free VPN in-built
• Extra features

Cons

• Not open source

While Opera is not the most popular choice, it is definitely a useful browser for Linux users.

It comes with a built-in VPN and adblocker. So, you should have the basic privacy protection sorted with the help of the Opera web browser.

You can quickly access popular chat messengers right from the sidebar without needing to launch a separate app or window. This is similar to Vivaldi considering the side chat messenger web apps but the user experience is significantly different.

Overall, it is a good pick if you want a free VPN as an added bonus to other essential browsing features.

It is worth noting that Opera offers a unique Opera GX browser which lets you tweak/enforce limit on system resources when using a browser along with gaming activities. This was still in development for Linux at the time of writing, if it is available by the time you read it, that could be a fantastic option!

Opera

How to Install Opera?

Opera provides Deb package for Linux. You just head to its official website to download and install it.

7. Microsoft Edge

Pros

• Convenient option for Windows users who also use Linux

Cons

• Not open-source
• Still in Beta

Microsoft Edge has surpassed Mozilla Firefox in terms of its popularity. Not just because it’s the default Windows browser, but it also offers a promising web experience while based on Chrome.

At the time of writing this article, Microsoft Edge is available as a beta release for Linux. It works fine at the moment, but lacks quite a few features normally available for Windows.

Overall, you should find most of the essential features available.

If you use Windows and Linux as your desktop platforms, Microsoft Edge can come in handy as the preferred web browser.

Microsoft Edge

How to install Microsoft Edge on Linux?

It is currently available through Microsoft Insiders channel as a beta. So, this could change once the stable release is out.

For now, you can get the Deb/RPM file through the Microsoft Edge insiders web page and install it.

You can also have a look at our how-to article on installing Microsoft Edge on Linux.

Unique Web Browsers for Linux

Most of the users prefer to stick with the mainstream options because of security updates and future upgrades, but there are some different options as well. And, some exclusive to Linux users.

8. GNOME Web or Epiphany

Pros

• Minimal
• Open Source

Cons

• Lacks many features
• No cross-platform support

Epiphany browser is the default GNOME browser. elementary OS utilizes it as its default web browser.

It is a minimal browser that offers a clean and elegant user experience. You cannot sync your bookmarks or history, so you need to manually export them if you want to back them up or transfer to another browser.

GNOME Web

How to Install GNOME Web?

You may find it pre-installed in some Linux distros. If not, you can check out its Flatpak package to install the latest version on any Linux distro.

9. Falkon

Pros

• Firefox-based alternative

Cons

• Not a replacement to Firefox
• No cross-platform support

Falkon is a Firefox-based browser with privacy in mind. It should be good enough for basic web browsing, but it may not be a solution for your daily driver.

You can explore more about it and get the installation instructions in our dedicated article on Falkon browser.

Falkon

10. Nyxt

Pros

• Highly customizable
• Keyboard use focused

Cons

• Suitable for certain users
• Lack of cross-platform support

Nyxt is an interesting web browser built for power keyboard users. You can browse and navigate the web using keyboard shortcuts.

To know more about it and the installation instructions, go through our detailed article on Nyxt browser.

Nyxt

Wrapping Up

When it comes to Linux, you get a variety of choices available to pick. I have deliberately skipped https://itsfoss.com/terminal-web-browsers/command line based web browsers like Lynx here.

So, what would be your selection for the best web browser?

Moreover, I’d be curious to know what do you look for when installing a web browser for your system?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Ubuntu Server vs Desktop: What’s the Difference?

When you click on the download button on the Ubuntu website, it gives you a few options. Two of them are Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server.

This could confuse new users. Why are there two (actually 4 of them)? Which one should be downloaded? Ubuntu desktop or server? Are they the same? What is the difference?

Ubuntu website gives you multiple options

I am going to explain the difference between the desktop and server editions of Ubuntu. I’ll also explain which variant you should be using.

Ubuntu desktop vs Ubuntu server

Ubuntu desktop and server illustartion

To understand the difference between Ubuntu desktop and server, you should understand the difference between a desktop and a server operating system.

Desktop

A desktop is referred to a personal computer. A desktop operating system comes with a graphical user interface so that the users can use their mouse and keyboard. The primary purpose of a desktop is to give you a system that can be used for web browsing, document editing, viewing/editing pictures and videos, coding and gaming. Basically, a general purpose computer for individuals, end users, or family members.

I am using the term desktop here, but this does not mean that it cannot be used on a laptop. Desktop is the generic term for a personal computer.

Server

On the other hand, a server operating system is specifically created for hosting web services like websites, apps, media servers, databases etc.

Usually, a server operating system does not come with a graphical interface. If it is Linux based operating system, you’ll have to use the system entirely via commands in terminal.

The advantage here is that the server OS do not need a lot of RAM and computational power because they do not use graphical desktop environment. Apart from that, the server operating system has packages configured differently as well.

Now that you understand the difference between server and desktop a little, let’s see the difference between Ubuntu server and desktop.

The user interface

The most visible difference between Ubuntu server and desktop is the user interface.

Ubuntu desktop features a graphical user interface with GNOME desktop environment. This makes it easier to use with the help of mouse clicks.

User interface of Ubuntu GNOME edition

Ubuntu server edition runs headless. You will only see a terminal interface when you are logged in to it. You’ll often manage it remotely from other computers overs SSH.

Connecting to remote Ubuntu server via SSH

Installation

Installing Ubuntu as a desktop is easy thanks to the graphical installer. You can create a live USB and experience the desktop version without installing. If you like it, you can install it in minutes following the on-screen instructions.

Installing Ubuntu desktop via graphical installer

Installing Ubuntu as a server is not as easy as the desktop edition. You are stuck with terminal interface. Even the simplest tasks like connecting to Wi-Fi could be a difficult task if you are not familiar with the procedure.

Ubuntu server installation

Applications

The default set of applications in Ubuntu desktop is focused on regular computer users. So, you’ll find web browsers, office suite, media players, games etc.

Applications in Ubuntu

Ubuntu server has applications that are more tailored for running web services. And that’s not it. Some applications are also configured differently. Take SSH for example. Ubuntu server has SSH preconfigured so that you can easily connect to it from remote systems. You have to explicitly enable SSH on Ubuntu desktop.

Hardware requirement

Since the desktop edition features a graphical user interface, you need at least 4 GB of RAM to run Ubuntu desktop. Disk space should be 20 GB at least.

This is where it gets interesting for Ubuntu server. It does not have a graphical interface. The command line interface does not consume a lot of system resources. As a result, you can easily run Ubuntu server on a machine with 512 MB and 5 GB of disk space.

The RAM and disk space on the server is subjected to the web service you run. If a web application requires at least 2 GB of RAM, you should have that much of RAM. But in the simplest of scenario, even 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM could work.

Usage

This is the main differentiator between Ubuntu desktop and server. Ask yourself, for what purpose you want to use Ubuntu?

If it is specifically for deploying web services, go for Ubuntu server. Keep in mind that you need to have basic Linux command line knowledge to navigate through the terminal.

If you want to use Ubuntu as a regular computer like Windows, go with Ubuntu desktop. If you want to use it for learning Linux commands, Docker or even simple (but local) LAMP server installation for learning, stay with Ubuntu desktop.

For a server, Ubuntu server is better than Ubuntu desktop. For regular computing usage, Ubuntu desktop is the better choice.

Should you use Ubuntu desktop for server or install GUI on server?

Here’s the thing. Both Ubuntu desktop and server are Linux. You can use Ubuntu desktop as server for hosting web services. That works.

Similarly, you can install GUI on Ubuntu server and use it graphically. That also works.

GUI login on an Ubuntu server

But just because it works, doesn’t mean you should do it. It defies the entire purpose of creating different editions for server and desktop.

You have to put extra effort in converting a server to desktop and vice versa. Why take that pain?

If your purpose of using Ubuntu is clear, download and install the appropriate Ubuntu edition.

I hope this makes things around Ubuntu desktop and server editions a bit more clear now. If you have questions or suggestions, please utilize the comment section.

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Zulip: An Interesting Open-Source Alternative to Slack

Brief: Zulip is an open-source collaboration platform that pitches itself as a better replacement to Slack. Let us take a closer look.

Messaging and collaboration platforms make a big difference when it comes to your work.

While there are several options available, Slack is a popular one used by many organizations. But, what about an open-source alternative to Slack that you can self-host?

Zulip is one such software.

Zulip: Open Source Collaboration Messaging App

If you want to explore, I must mention that there are more open-source alternatives to Slack out there.

Here, I focus on Zulip.

Zulip is a free and open-source messaging application with paid hosted options and the ability to self-host.

It aims to provide a similar experience to Slack while striving to help you improve the effectiveness of conversations using topics.

In contrast to channels in Slack, Zulip chat adds topics (which are like tags) to quickly filter through the conversations that matter to you.

Features of Zulip

You get most of the essential features with Zulip. To list the key highlights, you can find:

• Markdown support
• Topics for channels
• Drag and drop file support
• Code blocks
• GitHub integration to track issues
• Email notification support
• Self-host option
• Message editing
• GIPHY integration
• Video calls with Zoom, Jitsi, or BigBlueButton

In addition to the features mentioned, you should expect the basic options that you usually get with Slack and others.

Also, you can integrate it with Matrix and IRC if you want.

In my brief test usage, the user interface is good enough for effective communication. However, I failed to find any dark mode or the ability to change a theme.

It looks more straightforward than Slack so that it can improve the user experience side of things.

Install Zulip in Linux

Zulip is available as an AppImage file from its official website. You may refer to our guide on using AppImage in Linux in case you need help.

It is also available as a snap package. So, you can utilize either of them for any Linux distro.

You can also install it through the terminal for Ubuntu/Debian-based distros using APT. Take a look at its official instructions if you want that.

Zulip is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You should also find it available for Android and iOS mobile phones.

Zulip

Considering that you can use Zulip on the web, desktop, and smartphones, it is a suitable replacement for Slack.

Have you tried it yet? What messaging platform do you use to collaborate for work? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

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Linux Jargon Buster: What is sudo rm -rf? Why is it Dangerous?

When you are new to Linux, you’ll often come across advice to never run sudo rm -rf /. There are so many memes in the Linux world around sudo rm -rf.

But it seems that there are some confusions around it. In the tutorial on cleaning Ubuntu to make free space, I advised running some command that involved sudo and rm -rf. An It’s FOSS reader asked me why I am advising that if sudo rm -rf is a dangerous Linux command that should not be run.

And thus I thought of writing this chapter of Linux jargon buster and clear the misconceptions.

sudo rm -rf: what does it do?

Let’s learn things in steps.

The rm command is used for removing files and directories in Linux command line.

abhishek@its-foss:$ rm agatha
abhishek@its-foss:$

But some files will not be removed immediate because of read only file permissions. They have to be forced delete with the option -f.

abhishek@its-foss:$ rm books 
rm: remove write-protected regular file 'books'? y
abhishek@its-foss:$ rm -f christie
abhishek@its-foss:$

However, rm command cannot be used to delete directories (folders) directly. You have to use the recursive option -r with the rm command.

abhishek@its-foss:$ rm new_dir
rm: cannot remove 'new_dir': Is a directory

And thus ultimately, rm -rf command means recursively force delete the given directory.

abhishek@its-foss:~$ rm -r new_dir
rm: remove write-protected regular file 'new_dir/books'? ^C
abhishek@its-foss:$ rm -rf new_dir
abhishek@its-foss:$

Here’s a screenshot of all the above commands:

Example explaining rm command

If you add sudo to the rm -rf command, you are deleting files with root power. That means you could delete system files owned by root user.

So, sudo rm -rf is a dangerous Linux command?

Well, any command that deletes something could be dangerous if you are not sure of what you are deleting.

Consider rm -rf command as a knife. Is knife a dangerous thing? Possibly. If you cut vegetables with the knife, it’s good. If you cut your fingers with the knife, it is bad, of course.

The same goes for rm -rf command. It is not dangerous in itself. It is used for deleting files after all. But if you use it to delete important files unknowingly, then it is a problem.

Now coming to ‘sudo rm -rf /’.

You know that with sudo, you run a command as root, which allows you to make any changes to the system.

/ is the symbol for the root directory. /var means the var directory under root. /var/log/apt means apt directory under log, under root.

Linux directory hierarchy representation

As per Linux directory hierarchy, everything in a Linux file system starts at root. If you delete root, you are basically removing all the files of your system.

And this is why it is advised to not run sudo rm -rf / command because you’ll wipe out your entire Linux system.

Please note that in some cases, you could be running a command like ‘sudo rm -rf /var/log/apt’ which could be fine. Again, you have to pay attention on what you are deleting, the same as you have to pay attention on what you are cutting with a knife.

I play with danger: what if I run sudo rm -rf / to see what happens?

Most Linux distributions provide a failsafe protection against accidentally deleting the root directory.

abhishek@test-vm:~$ sudo rm -rf /
[sudo] password for abhishek:
rm: it is dangerous to operate recursively on '/'
rm: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe

I mean it is human to make typos and if you accidentally typed “/ var/log/apt” instead of “/var/log/apt” (a space between / and var meaning that you are providing / and var directories to for deletion), you’ll be deleting the root directory.

Pay attention when using sudo rm -rf

That’s quite good. Your Linux system takes care of such accidents.

Now, what if you are hell-bent on destroying your system with sudo rm -rf /? You’ll have to use It will ask you to use –no-preserve-root with it.

No, please do not do that on your own. Let me show it to you.

So, I have elementary OS running in a virtual machine. I run sudo rm -rf / --no-preserve-root and you can see the lights going out literally in the video below (around 1 minute).

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Clear or still confused?

Linux has an active community where most people try to help new users. Most people because there are some evil trolls lurking to mess with the new users. They will often suggest running rm -rf / for the simplest of the problems faced by beginners. These idiots get some sort of supremacist satisfaction I think for such evil acts. I ban them immediately from the forums and groups I administer.

I hope this article made things clearer for you. It’s possible that you still have some confusion, specially because it involves root, file permissions and other things new users might not be familiar with. If that’s the case, please let me know your doubts in the comment section and I’ll try to clear them.

In the end, remember. Don’t drink and root. Stay safe while running your Linux system :)

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How to Change and Manage Background Wallpapers in Ubuntu [Beginner’s Tip]

The simplest way to customize Ubuntu is to change the wallpaper. A good wallpaper changes the looks of the desktop drastically.

Changing desktop background in Ubuntu is just a matter of a right click. However, I am writing this tutorial to share a few behind-the-scene tips and information which you might miss or never know even after using Ubuntu for years.

Change desktop background from Ubuntu settings

If you are using Ubuntu with the default GNOME desktop, you should find a dedicated background option in the system settings.

Press the Windows/Super key and look for Settings (or background).

Go to Settings

Go to the Background tab and you’ll see a bunch of wallpapers. These are the default Ubuntu wallpapers that come pre-installed with the operating system.

The current wallpaper is displayed at the top. You’ll also notice that some wallpapers have a clock icon. These wallpapers change throughout the day at a regular time interval. I’ll explain about them later in this article.

Background Settings ubuntu

To change the wallpaper, just select one of the available images. The change takes place immediately.

You are not restricted to just the handful of pre-installed wallpapers. You can download beautiful Ubuntu wallpapers from the internet. The ‘Add Picture’ option at the top lets you add additional pictures.

Add the pictures of your choice and select the one you what to set as the desktop background. You can remove the additional wallpapers by clicking the x icon on the images.

Adding additional wallpapers

This is fine but there is an even easier way to set custom desktop backgrounds.

Set any image as desktop background in Ubuntu

You have got some images that you can use as wallpaper. Select the image, right click and select “Set as Wallpaper” option. It immediately changes the desktop background.

Set an image as wallpaper

When you use this method of setting the wallpaper, your selected image is copied and stored in the Wallpapers folder under the Pictures. This way, even if you accidentally delete the original image file from the Downloads folder (or other location), it keeps on displaying the wallpaper.

Some additional wallpapers are stored in ~/Pictures/Wallpapers folder

Another way of setting an image as wallpaper is to open the image by double click it. Now right click on it and select “Set as Wallpaper”.

Open an image, right click and set it as wallpaper

When you use this method of setting wallpaper, the original image is not copied to the Wallpapers folder under Pictures.

Tip: Personally, when I download a new wallpaper, I use right click to set it first. When it is saved in the Wallpapers folder, I double click on the saved images and then set them as wallpaper. This way, the same image is not copied more than once in the Wallpaper directory.

Also note that only standard image types like JPEG, PNG can be used as wallpaper. Images in newer formats like WebP cannot be used as wallpaper for the moment.

Making a wallpaper slideshow

By default, Ubuntu provides a few set of wallpapers that could be rotated. You identify them with the small clock icon. But what if you want to rotate your chosen set of images?

Things are not that simple when it comes to the slideshow. Ubuntu keeps the default wallpapers in /usr/share/backgrounds directory. The rotating wallpaper slideshow is controlled via xml files in /usr/share/gnome-background-properties directory.

The default wallpaper slideshow in Ubuntu is governed by an XML file

With a little knowledge and care, you may edit this XML file and add your custom images, but this is not something everyone will be comfortable with.

As an alternative, you may use dedicated wallpaper applications in Ubuntu. These applications allow you to create a slideshow of wallpapers with your selected images or download and rotate images from selected sources from the internet.

Wallch is one such tool. You may also use Variety or BingWall.

Creating a wallpaper slideshow with Wallch

If you are using a multi-monitor setup and want to set a different wallpaper on different screens, you’ll have to use a tool like HydraPaper.

Setting different wallpaper on different screen

I know you might wonder if changing wallpaper in Ubuntu required a dedicated tutorial. But I think that it may help the absolute beginner and even teach something new to regular Ubuntu users.

Did you learn something new from this tutorial?

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