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This document is a WORK IN PROGRESS.
This is just a quick personal cheat sheet: treat its contents with caution!

Firefox

Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, Mozilla Corporation.

Nice alternative to consider: librewolf

Reference(s)

TODO

Table of contents

Install

Compiling the source version of Firefox can be a long process; a pre-compiled (binary) version does exist in the Gentoo portage repository: firefox-bin package. Moreover, the "firefox" package to built firefox from source is only focused on stabilizing ESR versions. 

# emerge -a firefox-bin
But if you rather prefer the long way for the ESR version: 
# emerge -a firefox


# pacman -S firefox

# apt install firefox

# yum install firefox

# dnf install firefox

Installing a web browser is a good opportunity to read carefully https://www.privacytools.io/ (especially to apply the sections on addons and about:config tweaks).

Config

A sane Firefox configuration is suggested here: https://www.privacytools.io/

Addons

  • (adnauseam)
  • bitwarden
  • cookie autodelete
    • config:
      • about:addons -> Extensions -> Cookie AutoDelete -> ... -> Preferences -> CAD Settings
        • Enable Support Firefox's Container Tabs
  • dark background and light text
  • decentraleyes
  • emoji cheat sheet
  • firefox multi-account containers
  • h t t p s everywhere
  • invidition
    • config
      • about:addons -> Extensions -> Invidition -> Preferences
        • Instance: invidio.us
        • Interface: Dark Mode (selected)
        • Interface: Thin Mode (selected)
  • languagetool
  • grammalecte
  • (noscript security suite)
  • privacy badger
  • privacy spy
  • (privacy settings)
  • qwant
    • config:
      • Preferences -> Search -> Default Search Engine : Qwant
  • qwant lite
    • config:
      • Preferences -> Search -> Default Search Engine : Qwant Lite
  • SQLite Manager (https://add0n.com/sqlite-manager.html?version=0.2.7&type=install)
  • ublock origin
  • useragent switcher
  • vimium
  • wayback machine
  • temporary containers
    • config:
      • about:addons -> Extensions -> Temporary Containers -> "..." -> Preferences
        • General: "Automatic Mode" selected
        • General: "Random Container Color" selected
        • General: "Container Icon" = "circle"
        • General: "Container Number" = "Keep counting until browser restart"
        • General: "Delete no longer needed Temporary Containers" = "After the last tab in it closes"
  • terms of service; didn’t read: be informed
  • tree style tab
    • config:
      • about:addons -> Extensions -> Tree Style Tab -> Preferences
        • "Unlock Expert Options" selected
        • Appearance -> Theme -> Photon
        • Toolbar Icon Color -> for Dark Theme
        • Tree Behavior -> "When a new tree appears, collapse others automatically" (unselected)
        • Tree Behavior -> "When a tab gets focus, expand its tree and ..." (unselected)
  • (uMatrix)

Misc configurations

  • see https://www.privacytools.io/browsers/#browser

  • see https://www.privacytools.io/browsers/#webrtc

  • see https://www.privacytools.io/browsers/#about_config

  • Preferences -> Customize...

    • Toolbar disposition:
      • Back"
      • Forward
      • Main search bar
      • Reload
      • Downloads
      • Add-ons,
      • Wayback Machine
      • Flexible Space
      • Bitwarden
      • uBlock Origin
      • HTTPS Everywhere
      • Cookie AutoDelete
      • Decentraleyes
      • Privacy Badger
      • Multi-account Containers
      • PrivacySpy
      • Flexible Space
      • User-Agent Switcher
      • Emoji Cheatsheet
      • Vimium
      • Invidition
      • LanguageTool
      • Dark Background and Light Text
    • "Title Bar" unselected (bottom left)
    • "Drag Space" unselected (bottom left)
    • Themes (bottom left) -> Dark
    • Density (bottom left) -> Compact

  • Preferences -> General -> Settings - Network Settings (scroll all the way down) -> Select "Enable DNS over HTTPS"

  • For small screens (e.g. 13 or 14 inches): about:config -> layout.css.devPixelsPerPx = 1.3 (default was -1)

  • Remove tab bar: https://medium.com/@Aenon/firefox-hide-native-tabs-and-titlebar-f0b00bdbb88b

    • about:config -> toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets : True -> Menu -> Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> find "Profile Directory" path (e.g. /home/user/.mozilla/firefox/lkw7qu5i.default-release) -> create "chrome" directory in that directory -> add the following userChrome.css file into the "chrome" directory: 
      #titlebar {margin-bottom: -30px !important;}
#tabbrowser-tabs {visibility: collapse !important;}
      or? 
      #titlebar {margin-bottom: -30px !important;}
#TabsToolbar { visibility: collapse !important; }

TODO: searx instead of duckduckgo?

Use

  • Run Firefox: 
    $ firefox
or
$ firefox-bin

Troubleshooting

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