Hey there, fellow Internet explorer! We all know and love our go-to web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Vivaldi. They've been our trusty companions in the vast landscape of the internet. But, did you know that the Linux ecosystem offers a whole bouquet of lesser-known, alternative web browsers?
That's right! And today, we're going to dive into six underrated Linux browsers that deserve a place on your radar.
1. Suckless surf - Minimalism at Its Best
Ever heard of Suckless surf? Well, it's a bit different from the mainstream browsers we're used to. Created by the brilliant minds behind the dwm window manager, Suckless is all about making software that sucks less. It follows the golden rule of the Linux philosophy - doing one thing exceptionally well.
So, what makes surf stand out? Well, when you open it up, you'll notice there's no fancy address bar or new tab button. Sounds strange, right? But it's actually a feature, not a bug. Surf is designed to be super lightweight and distraction-free.
If you decide to make surf your main squeeze for web browsing, consider opening it with duckduckgo.com as the argument. And the best part? You'll find surf readily available in most Linux distributions' default repositories. For example, if you're using Ubuntu, just pop open your terminal and type in:
sudo apt install surf
2. SeaMonkey - The All-in-One Package
Next up, we've got SeaMonkey. It's like the all-inclusive vacation of web browsers. This browser has a fascinating history, tracing its roots back to the Mozilla Application Suite, which, believe it or not, evolved from Netscape Communicator and was last updated in 2006. SeaMonkey took the torch and has been running with it ever since.
But here's the cool part - SeaMonkey isn't just a browser; it's a whole suite. You'll get an email client, HTML editor, IRC, and news client bundled into one. It's like your one-stop-shop for all things internet.
Visually, SeaMonkey takes a few cues from its Netscape ancestors, but if you want to give it a modern facelift, you can easily apply skins.
3. Carbonyl - Browsing from the Terminal
Now, here's a gem for the Linux terminal enthusiasts - Carbonyl. It's the top pick for those who prefer text-based web browsing. But don't be fooled; it's not just any text-based browser. Carbonyl is a fork of the Chromium project, and it offers fast connections and even allows you to view somewhat blocky images and watch YouTube videos right in your terminal.
But that's not all. Carbonyl is incredibly resource-efficient, which means you can SSH into a remote, low-spec machine and browse the web at lightning speed. It even lets you sign into your favorite accounts like Gmail, Slack, Asana, and OpenAI without the hassle of keyboard navigation. Plus, it supports mouse input, making it more accessible and user-friendly.
4. Konqueror - The Multi-Talented Browser
If you're the kind of person who loves versatility, Konqueror might be your next best friend. This web browser is part of the KDE family, but here's the cool part - it also doubles up as a file manager and document viewer.
Imagine this: you're creating a new directory deep within your file system, and suddenly, you get an urge to read an article about using ChatGPT as a fortune teller. No problem! Konqueror lets you seamlessly transition from managing your files to reading that article without switching windows.
And guess what? You don't even need to have the entire KDE environment to run Konqueror. Installing it on Ubuntu or Debian-based distros is as easy as pie. Just open up your terminal and type in:
sudo apt install konqueror
5. GNOME Web (Formerly Epiphany) - A Speedy and Lightweight Option
Now, for all you GNOME enthusiasts out there, we've got GNOME Web, formerly known as Epiphany. Surprisingly, it's not the default browser on stock Ubuntu, even though Ubuntu itself uses the GNOME desktop.
GNOME Web is based on the GTK port of Apple's WebKit engine, and it's designed to run on any Unix-like system, whether it uses GNOME or not. But what sets it apart is its speed and optimization for low-powered systems.
You can get GNOME Web on any Linux distribution, and you can install it as a Flatpak with a simple command:
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Epiphany
6. Microsoft Edge - The Familiar Face
Lastly, we've got a bit of a curveball here. Microsoft's Edge browser has made its way to Linux, and it's not quite the same as the old Internet Explorer we used to know.
It's now based on Chromium, just like Chrome. But, it still carries Microsoft's philosophy with it. However, it's worth noting that a 2020 report from Trinity College, Dublin found Edge to be one of the worst browsers for privacy, similar to Yandex, and even worse than Google Chrome.
But, if you're feeling nostalgic for Microsoft's reign in the browser world, you can give Edge a spin. To get it on your Linux machine, download DEB and RPM packages from the official download page and follow the installation process.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, folks - a tour through the fascinating world of underrated Linux browsers. While it's always fun to explore the road less traveled, you might still find comfort in the arms of more well-known browsers like Mozilla Firefox, which comes preinstalled on most popular Linux distributions. If you decide to stick with the familiar, there are plenty of tweaks to make Firefox faster and more privacy-conscious.
Happy browsing!