How to Install Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux

Brave Browser is a free and open-source web browser created by Brendan Eich, the co-founder of Mozilla and the creator of JavaScript. It is designed to provide users with a fast, secure, and privacy-focused browsing experience. Brave Browser has gained popularity among internet users due to its unique features and benefits, such as:

  • Built-in ad-blocker: Brave Browser blocks all ads and trackers by default, which makes browsing faster and safer.
  • Private browsing: Brave Browser offers a private browsing mode, which does not save your browsing history or cookies.
  • Brave Rewards: Brave Browser’s rewards program allows users to earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) for viewing privacy-respecting ads. Users can use BAT to tip content creators or support their favorite websites.
  • Compatibility with Chrome extensions: Brave Browser is built on the same open-source Chromium codebase as Google Chrome, which supports most Chrome extensions.
  • Faster browsing speed: Brave Browser is optimized for speed, which means it loads web pages faster than many other web browsers.

Brave Browser stands out among popular web browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, and Firefox due to its emphasis on privacy and security features. In today’s world, online privacy and security are significant concerns, and Brave Browser addresses those concerns by providing a privacy-focused browsing experience. By default, Brave Browser blocks all ads and trackers, ensuring that advertisers and third-party companies cannot track users’ online activity. Additionally, Brave Browser includes built-in HTTPS Everywhere, which encrypts users’ online traffic and enhances online security.

If you are using Manjaro Linux and want to install Brave Browser, you can use the command line terminal with the Arch Linux user repository (AUR) and Manjaro’s natively installed pamac AUR Helper. The guide will demonstrate using these tools to install Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux.

Step 1: Update Manjaro

Before installing Brave Browser on your Manjaro Linux system, ensuring all available package upgrades are up to date for a smooth installation experience is essential. You can achieve this by executing simple commands in the terminal. Start by updating your Manjaro system with the command below:

sudo pacman -Syu

If it has been some time since your last system update, it’s advisable to perform a complete database refresh using the following command:

sudo pacman -Syyu

In case you encounter any issues while upgrading Manjaro Linux, refer to our guide titled “How to Update Manjaro Linux Using the Command Terminal.” This guide provides helpful tips and various methods to effectively tackle any challenges during the terminal upgrade process.

Step 2: Enable AUR

It is essential to enable the Arch User Repository (AUR) before installing Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux using the pamac AUR helper. AUR is a community-driven repository that offers many packages not found in the official repositories.

To verify if AUR is enabled on your Manjaro Linux system via the command line, execute the following command:

cat /etc/pamac.conf | grep EnableAUR

When executing this command, the contents of the “pamac.conf” file will be displayed, and the command will search for the “EnableAUR” line. If AUR is already enabled, the output will display the “EnableAUR” line without the “#” symbol at the beginning of the line.

However, if AUR is not yet enabled on your Manjaro Linux system, you can enable it by running the following command:

sudo sed -Ei '/EnableAUR/s/^#//' /etc/pamac.conf

With the help of the “sed” command, you can locate the “EnableAUR” line in the “pamac.conf” file and remove the “#” symbol from the beginning of the line to enable AUR. Once AUR is enabled, you can leverage the pamac AUR helper to install Brave Browser or any other software package available on AUR.

Step 3: Install Brave Browser

Now that you have successfully enabled the AUR package management helper, you can install Brave Browser. As mentioned earlier, there are three options: stable, beta, or unstable. However, for most users, it is recommended to install the default version.

To install the stable version of Brave Browser, execute the following command in the terminal:

sudo pamac install brave-bin

After installation, confirm the version build by executing the following command:

brave --version

If you prefer to try out newer features, you can install the beta version of Brave Browser by executing the following command:

sudo pamac install brave-beta-bin

After installation, confirm the version build by executing the following command:

brave-beta --version

For advanced users or developers who want to experience the latest developments in Brave Browser, the Brave Nightly or developer option is available. To install the Brave Nightly version, execute the following command:

sudo pamac install brave-nightly-bin

After installation, confirm the version build by executing the following command:

brave-nightly --version

Step 4: Launch Brave Browser

Launching Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux is a straightforward process that can be done in two ways – via the command terminal or the application icon in the menu. Here is how you can launch Brave Browser stable, beta, or nightly version:

Launching via Command Terminal:

To launch the stable version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

brave

To launch the beta version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

brave-beta

To launch the Nightly version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

brave-nightly

Launching via Application Icon:

  1. Click on the “Applications” icon in the menu.
  2. Search for “Brave Browser” in the search bar.
  3. Click on the icon for the version of Brave Browser you want to launch – stable, beta, or Nightly.
  4. The Brave Browser will launch, and you can start browsing the internet.

Example of Brave Browser application icons on the Manjaro menu:

launch brave browser stable, beta or nightly on manjaro linux from application menu

If you are using Brave Browser for the first time on Manjaro Linux, here are some tips and tricks that can help you get started:

  1. Brave Browser has built-in ad-blocking and tracking protection, which helps to keep your browsing data private and secure. You can adjust these settings by clicking the Brave Shield icon in the address bar.
  2. Brave Reward is a feature that allows you to earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) by viewing ads. By default, Brave Rewards is turned on. However, you can turn it off in the settings if you don’t want to participate.
  3. You can customize your Brave Browser experience by adding extensions. To do this, click on the three dots in the top right corner, then select “More Tools” and “Extensions.” From there, you can browse and install extensions.
  4. Brave Browser has a built-in password manager that can save your login details for websites. If you want to use this feature, click on the three dots in the top right corner, then select “Settings” and “Passwords.”
  5. You can easily import bookmarks and settings from other browsers by clicking on the three dots in the top right corner, then select “Settings” and “Import Bookmarks and Settings.”
  6. If you want to change the default search engine in Brave Browser, click on the three dots in the top right corner, then select “Settings” and “Search Engine.”
  7. Brave Browser offers a dark mode, which can be easier on the eyes and save laptop battery life. To turn on dark mode, click the three dots in the top right corner, then select “Settings” and “Appearance.”
  8. Lastly, Brave Browser offers a private browsing mode called “Private Window with Tor.” This mode uses the Tor network to help protect your identity online. To open a private window with Tor, click on the three dots in the top right corner, then select “New Private Window with Tor.”

Following these tips and tricks lets you maximize your Brave Browser experience on Manjaro Linux. Happy browsing!

Example of Brave first-time configuration window after launch on Manjaro Linux:

example brave browser first time setup on manjaro linux

Example of Brave default window after launch on Manjaro Linux:

example brave browser default homepage on manjaro linux

Additional Tips

Update Brave Browser

Updating Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux is a simple process that can be achieved using the pamac package-management helper. Here are the steps to update Brave Browser to the latest version:

To check for available updates for all installed packages, including Brave Browser, open the terminal and execute the following command:

sudo pamac checkupdates -a

After entering this command, a list of available updates for your system will be displayed, including any updates for Brave Browser.

Next, run the following command to install any available updates for all installed packages, including Brave Browser:

sudo pamac upgrade -a

Once you execute this command, you will be prompted to review the available updates and confirm the installation process. It is crucial to carefully review the updates before proceeding to ensure that you are aware of any changes that will be made to your system.

Remove (Uninstall) Brave Browser

To remove Brave Browser from your Manjaro Linux system, you can use the pamac package-management helper in the terminal. Here are the steps to remove Brave Browser:

Open the terminal and execute the following command to start the process of removing Brave Browser from your Manjaro Linux system:

sudo pamac remove brave-bin
sudo pamac remove brave-beta-bin
sudo pamac remove brave-nightly-bin

Upon entering this command, the Brave Browser package will be completely removed from your Manjaro Linux system.

Conclusion

To sum up, the process of installing Brave Browser on Manjaro Linux is straightforward and can be accomplished with the help of the pamac package management tool in the terminal. By activating the AUR, you gain access to a wide array of packages not found in the official repositories, such as Brave Browser. After installation, you can conveniently launch Brave Browser either from the terminal or by clicking the application icon in the menu.

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