Firefox "clone" for Ubuntu

Question

In Windows I use, beside the main Firefox installation, one or even two "Firefox clones" for different purposes (specifically oriented addons and configurations, light configuration without addons, configuration for a different user, etc).

For example, in Windows, Pale Moon, Cometbird and Wyzo are FF clones (but they do not have Linux support). Basically, Flock browser would also qualify, and it had support for Linux: but it was discontinued.

---

A "Firefox clone" is a term that I adopted from the use in Windows, the meaning of which includes these two elements:

(1). is a browser that is identical (based on Mozilla Firefox) or very similar and has large/full support for FF extensions, configuration, profiles. = can use FF extensions etc.

(2). runs independently from Firefox, can be opened at the same time with Firefox = does not share FF extensions etc.]

(That is, a FF clone would be to Firefox what Google Chrome and SRWare Iron are to Chromium - almost identical, but able to run separately in parallel.)

---

[Seamonkey, has support for Linux, but (although it can use a lot of FF extensions): themes are not working, the interface is in general different and rather primitive. It has the merit of keeping the pace with FF 4+ (in contrast with Swiftweasel, for example.)]

---

Are there such more browsers available in Ubuntu?

(As for comments asking why I "really" need these "clones", I am just used to doing that, I like two separate Firefox-like browsers: isn't pleasure, just like curiosity, a good reason for an action?)

---

Edit after using multiple accounts: after testing for a while this solution that has prevailed here (was most up-voted) of using multiple accounts I have to say that it may involve certain problems in cases where other separate customizations/advanced uses are implemented. (For example, using scripts to search internet for selected text may open new unwanted profiles instead of the default one; or using firefox "openwith" addon to try and open a link with a new ff profile would give a report that the profile is not accessible.) A complete separate browser for a parallel use may be in such cases more useful. (In this respect, Seamonkey deserves to be taken into account. )

---

Edit considering the definitive answer: although answers proposing the use of multiple accounts were most voted, I will prefer an answer that proposes a separate browser, for two reasons: 1. that is what the question asks for in the first place, and 2. multiple accounts may involve some problems, like those mentioned above.

Solution 1

Now, Pale Moon is available for Linux. More on this, here.

---

In addition to the previously mentioned Iceweasel, there's also IceCat, Swiftfox and Swiftweasel.

(If you're feeling adventurous, there's also Conkeror, which is basically Firefox for people who hate using a mouse.)

Flock was discontinued.

Finally, if you want, literally another Firefox installation, you could just download the binary package and install it to another location.

---

Edit for setting as the definitive answer:

As indicated, the intended browsers should satisfy two conditions: (1) support Firefox addons and plugins, and (2) run separately from Firefox, without interference.

Icecat fully satisfies these demands. More details in this complementary answer.

Swiftweasel also satisfies the demands, but in relation with an outdated version of Firefox.

Seamonkey has a limited support for themes but the most important extensions are supported (more here.)

---

For details and updates keep an eye on this complementary answer.

Solution 2

The best Firefox-clone would be a new separate instance of Firefox running with a separate profile. That could be launched from a separate shortcut/launcher or from within Firefox (see the addon at the end).

Firefox allows the creation of separate profiles, they are easy to setup and you may use as many sets of addons and configurations as you wish.

To start the profile manager, open the terminal and type firefox -ProfileManager -no-remote

Then the profile manager comes up, click on create profile, and then name your profile, for example set1. You can also point another location for the profile folder. By default, the profile folder is located at /home/user/.mozilla/firefox/ and is named with a string of 8 random characters, followed by the name you gave it. You have to do Ctrl + H while in the home directory, to be able to see .mozilla folder.

Instead of rebuilding an existing profile you have already built on Windows, you may go to the profile folder of your Windows Firefox, copy all contents and then paste them on your recently created profile folder in Ubuntu's Firefox. As detailed here, on Windows, the default location of Firefox profile folder is **%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles**

Then again, start profile manager, select your profile and you will be using it just the same.

Repeat the process for every profile you wish to create.

Now to be able to start each profile from a single shortcut and use more than one profile simultaneously, as detailed in this question, create a new text file on your desktop, name it set1.desktop.

Copy this to the text file

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Firefox set1
Comment=My primary profile
Exec=firefox -Profile /home/user/.mozilla/firefox/xxxxxxxx.set1 -no-remote
Path=/home/user
Icon=/my/icon/location
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false

Replace user and set1 with your username and profile name, respectively, and place the 8 random characters attributed to this profile.

Note that you can set up a customized icon for this profile, this is helpful for diferentiation purposes, just point its location on the Icon line, for example /home/user/images/firefoxicon.png

After that, save the changes, right click on the text file, make sure its name has the .desktop and on the permissions tab, allow it to run as an application.

Now you have a shortcut to start this Firefox profile. When launched, you can right click on this icon in the Unity launcher and lock it there, so it is always accessible. You may move the shortcut somewhere else in your home folder too, it doesn't have to be on the desktop.

Repeat the previous steps for each profile you have created before, and then, with just a double-click, you will have one or more Firefox profiles started.

It will require some work to set up, depending on how many profiles you wish, but after that, it really is almost like you had several Firefox instances installed.

The source of this answer is this one given by Mik to a separate question: How to create shortcuts to different Firefox profiles.

To switch profiles within Firefox with one click, see this addon.

Solution 3

Instead of using clones, you may use different profiles with Firefox.

Just press Alt + F2 and type firefox -profilemanager. Create different profiles as necessary and run them simultaneously if needed.

To run Firefox with a different profile you would type firefox -P PROFILENAME -no-remote

You may even create different .desktop files with the command-line options added to launch them easily. Simply copy the /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop file to ~/.local/share/applications rename it and edit the exec line adding the -P PROFILENAME -no-remote.

Solution 4

If you really want them to be identical, but still have at least some difference, you may want to use the Firefox Nightly build.

Since the only Linux downloads on the site are annoying source-code tarballs, you will probably want to install via the repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install firefox-trunk

Then, just check your programs list for "Nightly." It will be called "Nightly Web Browser," but that one is Firefox Nightly.
It runs with a completely separate profile, and will have some subtle differences from the stable, tested Mozilla Firefox.

This should be exactly what you're looking for!

Solution 5

I've found Waterfox very helpful. It's updated and supports Firefox's add-ons, it also doesn't restrict the addons you can install and keeps a different profile from the original Firefox.

View more solutions

Comments

[Admin]

I am honestly stunned by the need you feel for entirely different browsers, while wanting them to be exactly alike. Could you elaborate on a scenario in which this is needed? I believe there is absolutely no need to use different identical entities for that in most cases.

[Admin]

For the scenario where someone may not want to start all addons, you can just create a profile specifically for that, in which you have no addons, or have them all disabled.

[Admin]

Ok, I'm editing my question to make the procedure clearer.

[Admin]

I just mean, create a separate (system-level) user account for each user. It's like profiles except it works for all of your applications. Even the newbest of newbies can learn to click their name on a login screen.

[Admin]

@Brendan Long: my only concern is to use this website to find more about linux software and then to use it to make that accessible. i am just curious about finding something like palemoon in linux. why not. even if by now the answers i got convinced me that managing accounts in ff is the way to go. but i never use system-level accounts and i will not start now

[Admin]

There's nothing wrong with using multiple browsers if that's what you want to do (the whole point of Linux is that you can do what you want). I just figured if multiple users was your main issue, you might want to know an easier way. I realize it seems like people are attacking your decisions, but the reason people are asking these questions is because sometimes we can help people solve a problem by showing them a solution that's not necessarily the one they're looking for.

[Admin]

@ Brendan Long: anyway, i got what i wanted: a 10+ answer (after a while we might start deleting these comments)

[Admin]

I suppose you could use the Nightly build, and the normal build. That might be fun. (I use the Nightly build almost exclusively; I just left the standard one on there incase Nightly ever releases a build so unstable that you can't use it for everyday browsing.)

[Admin]

No; at least not in Ubuntu. If you look in ~/.mozilla, you'll see that firefox is Firefox's profile, and firefox-trunk is Nightly's profile. I use Firefox Sync to keep my add-ons, passwords, preferences, etc. synchronized across installations. (I have my Windows installation set NOT to synchronize Add-ons.) TIP: if you have lots of add-ons, and want your firefoxes to share them, but don't want to use Sync, or just want to save hard disk space, try a symbolic link here... ;) the downside is that it re-checks compatibility every time you switch, and you can't have both running @same time

[Admin]

changing profiles in this way is not less demanding than just enabling/disabling addons each time etc. and is not what my question asks. but as a general solution it might work in case a FF addon would easily switch between profiles. is there a such addon?

[Admin]

Once you set up different .desktop files as To Do suggests, all it takes is a single click to open Firefox with the profile you desire. I'm doing a similar thing but with Chrome. I've made .desktop files and suitable shortcuts in lubuntu-rc.xml.

[Admin]

and there is an addon to switch profile at one click: addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/profileswitcher/…. ill edit an answer to add that

[web.learner]

Flock had actually changed their engine away from Gecko to Chromium last time I used it. Wikipedia confirms that.

[Dan Jones]

I'm confused as to what you're looking for, then. Iceweasel and Icecat are both almost exactly Firefox, without the Mozilla branding. Swiftfox is almost exactly Firefox, but with slightly different compile options. Swiftweasel is the same thing as Swiftfox. If those aren't clones, what makes Firefox-based Flock a clone? That's even more changed than the first four I mentioned.

[Dan Jones]

I've never tried Swiftfox, but since it's just a differently-compiled firefox, I'm not surprised it runs the same profiles/etc. It's meant to be identical. Swiftweasel displaying basic html in Gmail is probably Google's fault for incorrectly identifying the browser, although, perhaps Swiftwesasel has an odd User-Agent. You didn't comment on Iceweasel or Icecat, though, which really are just rebranded versions of Firefox. Much more of a true Firefox clone than Flock ever was, since, as I recall, Flock couldn't even run every Firefox plugin.

[user228314]

You might also have linked to my post here that I did a few days ago in answer to your question.

[cnavigator]

Oh sorry, I had linked on the original answer but then I was asked to provide more details, I'll update it right now. Thanks once again.

[JamesTheAwesomeDude]

@cipricus Umm, I use both Firefox Nightly and the "normal" build side-by-side, and I can tell you, as a fact, that, unless you've intentionally merged the config directories, they're going to have separate profiles. If you run ls ~.mozilla, you'll see that firefox and firefox-trunk are different directories.

[Admin]

How to install Iceweasel in Ubuntu, but I'm afraid it doesn't meet condition № 2, and only partially № 1 (not up-to-date to the latest Firefox, hence, not the same support to all plugins, etc.).

[Admin]

@carnendil - thanks a lot: the idea was to check all options and see which qualify for the two conditions.

[Admin]

you are right. i do not know why the opposite seemed so obvious to me. this solution works, not because FF and Nightly are "identical, but still have at least some difference", but because they are: (1) almost identical and (2) run independently from each other. So, Nightly satisfies completely both demands. I have created an answer in order to summarize, adjust and update all solutions provided here, and I add a link to your answer there too

[Admin]

@TomasLycken (also for Dan Jones)- commenting "if you want, literally another Firefox installation, you could just download the binary package and install it to another location". doesn't that mean just unpacking it and running the executable? i keep an eye in this way on multiple ff versions (like here). but all such 'portable' versions will share my /.mozilla/firefox/ folder (same extensions etc as the main ff installation)

[Admin]

@Seth: Flock went Chromium and then exclusively mobile. Dead for the purpose therein.

[Admin]

Gmail running in HTML only is likely Google's fault, rather than the browser. I'm guessing that Google doesn't recognize the User Agent, so falls back to HTML. If you were to install a User-Agent switcher, and switch to the default Firefox user-agent, it should work fine.

[Dan Jones]

@cipricus, yes if you install multiple versions of Firefox, they will all use the same folder, unless you do some trickery when you launch it. For example, you could launch it like this: HOME="$HOME/.firefox2" /path/to/other/firefox and that would probably (I haven't tested this, but have done a similar thing with Dropbox) use a folder under ~/.firefox2/.mozilla/firefox instead.