Installing popular web browsers like Google Chrome and Opera on Debian 11 is straightforward thanks to the availability of official .deb packages. As an experienced Linux system administrator, I will guide you through the simple process while also providing some additional tips for browsing the web on Debian.
Installing Google Chrome
Google provides an official .deb package to install Chrome on Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu and Debian. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Go to https://www.google.com/chrome/ in your current browser and click the "Download Chrome" button.
- On the next screen, click the "Accept and Install" button under the .deb (64-bit) section to download the package for 64-bit Debian/Ubuntu.
- After the download completes, open your terminal and install the package with:
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
And Google Chrome is now installed on your Debian 11 desktop! You can launch it from the applications menu or run google-chrome in your terminal.
Installing Opera Browser
The Opera browser is another excellent option on Linux thanks to its built-in ad blocking, VPN service, and unique features like Flow for sharing links between devices.
Installing Opera on Debian involves similar steps:
- Go to https://www.opera.com/ and click the "Download" button.
- Opera will detect you are on Debian/Ubuntu and provide a .deb download.
- After it finishes downloading, install with:
sudo dpkg -i opera-stable_latest_amd64.deb
Now Opera is installed and can be launched from your applications menu.
Comparing Chrome and Opera
As you can see, installing these popular Chromium-based browsers on Debian only takes a minute. But why might you choose one over the other?
Google Chrome is the most popular browser globally thanks to its minimal design, sync with Google services like Gmail, and vast extension ecosystem. However, it is also somewhat of a resource hog.
Opera delivers Chrome‘s compatibility and standards support along with some unique enhancements:
- Built-in VPN and ad blocking requiring no extensions
- Innovative Flow feature to share links, photos, files between devices
- Battery saver and bandwidth compression features
- Support for Chrome extensions
For most users, Chrome likely meets all your needs. But Opera is a fast, full-featured alternative worthy of consideration on Debian and other Linux distributions.
Command Line Web Browsing with Lynx
While desktop browsers like Chrome and Opera are ideal for modern web experiences, the flexibility of Linux allows web browsing directly from the terminal as well with text-based browsers like Lynx. Although lacking JavaScript and multimedia support, Lynx can be handy for quick searches or when running Linux without a GUI.
To install Lynx on Debian:
sudo apt install lynx
You can then open any web page like:
lynx amazon.com
Use arrow keys to scroll, Page Up/Down to jump between links, and Enter to follow a link. The "b" key goes back. Type "h" inside Lynx to view all keyboard shortcuts.
For times when a full graphical browser is overkill or unavailable, Lynx provides a simple text-based web experience directly in Debian‘s terminal.
Wrapping Up
I hope this guide was helpful for installing popular web browsers like Google Chrome and the advanced Opera alternative on your Debian 11 desktop or server. With just a quick .deb package installation and launch from the menu, you can be browsing in no time. Let me know if you have any other questions!