[SOLVED] Firefox takes too long to open lately, what lightweight browser would you recommend for Linux? (lemmy.fmhy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by InternetPirate@lemmy.fmhy.ml to c/opensource@lemmy.ml

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Maybe I've installed too many plugins? I have close to 20.

Edit: It was just an issue on Arch Linux.

No, I am 40 plugins all active and they have not changed my browser load time almost at all.

Make sure there are no other issues. If you are on Arch Linux, there is a problem with xdg-desktop-portal-gnome that if installed will slowdown loading of many programs.

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[-] BrikoX@vlemmy.net 21 points 1 year ago

There are a few Firefox forks:

LibreWolf
Waterfox
Arkenfox

And then there is Brave which I find smoother than Firefox, but that's just me.

[-] simple@lemmy.mywire.xyz 11 points 1 year ago

+1 for LibreWolf, great Firefox fork

[-] nodiet@feddit.de 6 points 11 months ago

Yeah but by using brave you are contributing to the browser engine monopoly that chromium has created

[-] BrikoX@vlemmy.net -1 points 11 months ago

And I support Mozilla goal of creating something independent, but I also don't like their engine. Everything using Blink is not automatically a bad thing.

[-] SSUPII@sopuli.xyz 16 points 11 months ago

No, I am 40 plugins all active and they have not changed my browser load time almost at all.

Make sure there are no other issues. If you are on Arch Linux, there is a problem with xdg-desktop-portal-gnome that if installed will slowdown loading of many programs.

[-] InternetPirate@lemmy.fmhy.ml 6 points 11 months ago

That was it thanks.

[-] vintprox@geddit.social 1 points 11 months ago

In my case, xdg-desktop-portal-gnome is required by xdg-desktop-portal, which in turn is required by flatpak. I wonder what effect will removing have on apps?

[-] SSUPII@sopuli.xyz 1 points 11 months ago

It means Gnome is the only installed Portal protocol manager. Install one of these first, then remove the Gnome one https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/XDG_Desktop_Portal#List_of_backends_and_interfaces

[-] passepartout@feddit.de 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

As others have said, Librewolf and Waterfox are both forks of Firefox.

That said, i am using Firefox on Fedora from the repos with no issues. Do you use the snap version? Ubuntu ships it default and it is as trash as snaps are in general (it has exactly the problem you stated, taking too long to open). There are guides to install the .deb version (apt installs the snap version...) or you could use flatpak. Another thing to check is if you have a new addon / plugin running thats hogging resources.

[-] bookworm@feddit.nl 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Another thing you can try is some kind of caching solution, like profile-sync-daemon that will put your profile in RAM.

[-] radioactiveradio@lemm.ee 10 points 11 months ago

If you're on ubuntu or any of it's derivatives, Firefox is installed via snap by default. Snaps are late to start because of reasons beyond my understanding.

[-] hitwright@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Web is not lightweight. I think Gemini could be better, but it's far from popular. https://drewdevault.com/2020/03/18/Reckless-limitless-scope.html

[-] illectrility@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

I love LibreWolf. It's a Firefox-based privacy browser. You could give Brow.sh a try. A truly remarkable experience :)

[-] Andy@programming.dev 6 points 1 year ago

I can't really leave Firefox but use some extensions to try to lighten the experience, like uBlock Origin configured for "hard mode," TabStash with eager discarding turned on, and LocalCDN.

[-] mrpibb@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I’ve used NetSurf a bit on low spec machines.

[-] lckdscl@whiskers.bim.boats 4 points 1 year ago

As others have said, Librewolf is excellent

[-] one@lemmy.nz 3 points 11 months ago

Try starting firefox in safe mode. If the load time is still too long then it is not the plugins.

[-] circuitsunfish@plesiosaur.net 3 points 1 year ago

@InternetPirate lynx

[-] apersaud@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

If you're on ubuntu, try starting it from terminal instead. If it starts immediately, then it's a snap issue. Not sure if it's already been addressed tho

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