How to Install Firefox Browser on Manjaro 21 Linux

The Firefox browser was developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It can be found on nearly all Linux distributions as a primary or secondary web browser, and it’s even used for some educational institutions! By default, Firefox is not natively installed on Manjaro anymore but can be installed still non the less from the Arch User Repository.

The tutorial will use the yay AUR helper, ideally most users may be using some sort of wrapper for Pacman, for new users, it is essential to install one to keep your packages up-to-date easily while you learn Arch/Manjaro.

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install the Firefox browser on Manjaro 21 Linux, including Firefox beta, Firefox nightly, and Firefox ESR for those interested in alternative version choices.

Update/Upgrade Manjaro

Update your system to make sure all existing packages are up to date.

sudo pacman -Syu

Install yay Helper

To begin the installation, you must have GIT installed to import the yay repository to install/build. From your command terminal, use the following code to begin the installation.

sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm base-devel git

Now clone the yay archive using the following terminal command.

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-git.git

Next, move the archive to the /OPT/ directory. This is a good location for any other archive installs, keep everything located, and traditionally the location is a commonly used area for different applications.

sudo mv yay-git /opt/

Now navigate to the yay-git directory location.

cd /opt/yay-git

Build the package using the makepkg command.

makepkg -si

Install Firefox

Now that you have installed the package management helper, you can install the Firefox browser. As explained at the start of the tutorial, there are three options: stable, beta, or nightly, but installing the default version is recommended for most users.

Install Firefox (Standard)

yay -S firefox

Confirm the version build installed using the following command.

firefox --version

Example output:

Install Firefox Beta

yay -S firefox-beta-bin

Confirm the version build installed using the following command.

firefox-beta --version

Example output:

Install Firefox Nightly

yay -S firefox-nightly

Confirm the version build installed using the following command.

firefox-nightly --version

Example output:

Install Firefox ESR

yay -S firefox-esr-bin

Confirm the version build installed using the following command.

firefox-esr --version

Example output:

Those unfamiliar with the term ESR stand for Firefox Extended Support Release. This is an official version of Firefox developed for large organizations like universities and businesses that need to set up and maintain Firefox on a large scale.

Launching Firefox Browser

Firefox can be launched from your terminal, but most often, the easiest way is to open Firefox is using the path Taskbar > Internet > Firefox.

Example:

Once open, you will see a default landing page.

Example:

Example Nightly:

Update/Upgrade Firefox Browser

The best way to upgrade the Firefox browser, depending on what versions you have installed, is using the following command that should all the requirements from standard to nightly.

yay -Syu --devel --timeupdate

Remove (Uninstall) Firefox Browser

When you no longer want Firefox installed on your system or a particular version, you can remove the browser using one of the commands below that suit the version you have installed.

Remove Firefox (Standard)

yay -Rns firefox

Remove Firefox Beta

yay -Rns firefox-beta-bin

Remove Firefox Nightly

yay -Rns firefox-nightly

Remove Firefox ESR

yay -Rns firefox-esr-bin

Optionally, you can run the following command to clean up any leftover unused dependencies, and this is highly recommended to run, so your system does not become bloated.

yay -Yc

Comments and Conclusion

In the tutorial, you have learned how to quickly install yay AUR helper along with learning how to install, maintain, and if so, remove Firefox Browser standard, beta, nightly, or esr from your Manjaro desktop.

Be sure to have fun testing out the new Firefox Beta or Nightly features, but remember that they may be unstable and have some bugs. If you do experience any issues with your browser, don’t hesitate to fall back on the instructions in the tutorial.