A Collection Of The Ultimate Web Browsers For Ubuntu

Web browsers are vital if you're going to have any sort of online experience on your computer. There are hundreds of choices out there, as well as the standard browser which will come pre-installed on your computer, but that's often not the best choice, and it can be quite an intimidating task to sift through every dodgy review site on the internet to try and find the right browser for you. Ending up with a Downloads folder filled with installers and a desktop littered with icons isn't what you want or need, so this collection of web browsers for Ubuntu should be able to help you decide on which one you want before you go and download every single browser available on the internet.

Google Chrome

It's barely a needed question to ask, but have you heard of Google? The answer should be yes, unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade. Google's sleek internet browser is called Google Chrome, and it is a user-friendly dream of a browser. The tab system works well, and you'll find that it's tough competition for the standard Firefox browser which Ubuntu has pre-installed. The main reason why you should get Google Chrome is if you use your Google account for a lot of your online travels - Google Docs, Youtube or Google Drive, for example, would all need your Google Account, and if you use any of those regularly then Google Chrome would be a good browser for you.

Mozilla Firefox

However, if you want to stick with the pre-installed web browser for Ubuntu, that might be a good idea, depending on your internet style. Firefox is a good browser, and it is packed full of content due to a vast plugin and extension library. You can customize Firefox with different themes and even create your own themes, which is an experimental new feature. It is also concerned with your privacy, and allows you to have a lot of control over your own security, so anyone who is conscious of what they do online and a little scared of big companies like Google watching them on the internet would do well to go with Firefox, since they come across as a much friendlier, more user-concerned company who have developed a safe and secure browser.

Opera

Leading on from one secure browser to another, Opera might be even more secure than Firefox. It is a widely popular alternative to the usual 'big' browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox, and it has been praised for being very fast and responsive. But it also concerns itself with security, and comes with many features which make your online browsing secure. For example, it has an ad-blocker which works effectively to guard you from malware hiding in phony advertisements on the internet, and an unlimited VPN for you to hide your IP address, making it less likely that you'll be tracked by hackers. Also, as a nice little extra, although it doesn't have an extensive library of add-ons, it does have an in-built video pop-up feature, which allows you to watch videos from one tab while you're working in another - something which you'd have to install onto Firefox or Google Chrome.

Min

Min is a lesser-known open source web browser which might be right for you. If you've got a lower-end setup, its minimalist design will work perfectly with your computer, while other web browsers with higher requirements might lag or crash with your system. Its clean user interface is very aesthetically appealing, but it also manages to be packed full of features at the same time as being neat and tidy. For example, tabs are grouped into tasks, so that you won't get lost with millions of tiny labels like you might with other web browsers. It also immediately uses DuckDuckGo, a security-conscious search engine which finds many websites which aren't listed on Google, which could be interesting if you're bored and want to find some unusual search results.

Midori

This is a widely known web browser for Ubuntu as well as many other Linux distros. It has private browsing, speed dialing, tab management and so on. It's based on Webkit rendering engine and it's free as well as very lightweight platform for browsing. It can compete with most web browsers in terms of features and speediness. Some of the most notable features are integration with HTML 5 and CSS as well as many other great features. It's default with many Linux distros.

Tor

This browser is a special version of Mozilla which is specifically designed to make people anonymous when browsing the web. You can avoid all tracking and get to some blocked information as well. It's very stable and great for browsing without being watched.
It also has plenty of tools that you can use but you shouldn't install extra extensions because of the security.

Chromium

This is an open-source browser which is less often used than Google Chrome, except for developers. It is a platform for future development. Some Linux distributions have Chromium as a default. Chromium, for example, doesn't have the same features that you can find in Google Chrome.

Conclusion

The web browser you pick needs to be right for you. If it doesn't suit your needs, it isn't worth your time, no matter how many cool features it has or colours it comes in. If security is important to you, consider Firefox - if you want something which will work on a less expensive computer, try Min - if you like familiarity and Google, Google Chrome is for you - and for a fast and responsive browser, you should definitely go with Opera. Mixing and matching or sticking with one is all valid, as long as you find what is right for you and your setup.

Ashley Halsey works as a professional writer at Lucky Assignments and Gum Essays, which has led her to become involved with a lot of projects all around the country. When she isn't attending business training courses, she travels and reads extensively with her two children.

Linux notes from DarkDuck

15 Aug 2019