How to Install Firefox Developer Edition on ubuntu
A detailed, step-by-step guide for installing Firefox Developer Edition on Ubuntu, covering everything from extraction to desktop integration.
While most Linux software comes through package managers, Firefox Developer Edition is distributed as a .tar.bz2 file, making its installation a bit different. This guide will walk you through the setup process, which you can also use as a reference for installing similar tools on Linux.
This guide was tested on Ubuntu-based distributions. While the general steps remain similar, some commands and paths might differ on other distributions. I'll note distribution-specific differences where relevant.
Download the Software
First, download the software from the official website. After the download is complete you will have a .tar.bz2
archive.
Make sure to download the version that matches your system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
Extract the Archive
Now we need to decompress the archive and move it to a global location. For most distributions, run:
sudo tar xjvf firefox-*.tar.bz2 -C /opt
Distribution-specific notes:
- On Fedora/RHEL, you might need to create the /opt directory first:
sudo mkdir -p /opt
- On Arch-based systems, consider using
/usr/local
instead of/opt
- Some distributions might require different permissions for /opt
- The above command should be run from the same directory that contains the archive
Command Explanation
Let's break down the command we're using:
- Using
sudo
(SuperUser DO) to get administrative privileges for accessing the/opt
directory - Using the
tar
command with these options:
-x
: Extract the archive-j
: Handle.bz2
compression-v
: Show verbose output (list files)-f
: Specify the archive file-C
: Set the target directory
Now if you run /opt/firefox/firefox
you will be able to launch Firefox Developer. However, we can make it much easier to access with a few additional steps.
Create a Symlink
First, let's create a Symlink for the Firefox script and make it globally available in the terminal:
sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/firefox-dev
This will allow you to start Firefox Developer Edition by simply typing firefox-dev
in your terminal.
Create a Desktop Entry
The desktop entry location might vary by distribution:
- For most distributions:
/usr/share/applications/
- For some distributions:
~/.local/share/applications/
# For system-wide installation (requires sudo):
sudo nano /usr/share/applications/Firefox-Developer-Edition.desktop
# Alternative for user-specific installation (no sudo needed):
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
nano ~/.local/share/applications/Firefox-Developer-Edition.desktop
Copy and paste the following into the file:
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Firefox Web Browser
Comment=Browse the World Wide Web
GenericName=Web Browser
Keywords=Internet;WWW;Browser;Web;Explorer
Exec=firefox-dev %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=/opt/firefox/browser/chrome/icons/default/default128.png
Categories=GNOME;GTK;Network;WebBrowser;Utility;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;x-scheme-handler/ftp;x-scheme-handler/chrome;video/webm;application/x-xpinstall;
StartupNotify=true
To save the changes:
- Press Ctrl + S to save
- Press Ctrl + X to exit
You should now see the Firefox Developer Edition icon in your application menu:

If the desktop icon isn't showing properly, add this line to the end of the desktop file:
StartupWMClass=firefox-aurora
Troubleshooting
Common Distribution-Specific Issues
- Permission Issues
- Debian/Ubuntu: You might need to run
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/firefox
- SELinux-enabled systems (Fedora/RHEL): You might need to set correct contexts
- Missing Dependencies
- Ubuntu/Debian: Run
sudo apt-get install libgtk-3-0
- Fedora: Run
sudo dnf install gtk3
- Arch: Run
sudo pacman -S gtk3
- Icon Not Showing
- Some distributions might need to rebuild their icon cache:
sudo update-desktop-database
sudo gtk-update-icon-cache
What's Next?
Here are some essential keyboard shortcuts to boost your development workflow:
- Press F12 or Ctrl + Shift + I to open Developer Tools
- Press Ctrl + Shift + M for Responsive Design Mode
- Press Ctrl + Shift + C to inspect elements
- Press Shift + F5 to reload and clear cache
- Press Ctrl + Shift + E to open Network panel
Stay tuned for my upcoming article about why Firefox Developer Edition might be the better choice for your primary development browser!
Conclusion
Setting up Firefox Developer Edition on Ubuntu might seem tricky at first, but it gives you access to powerful development tools that can significantly improve your workflow. The installation process we covered also serves as a good reference for handling other tar.bz2 software installations on Linux.
If you found this guide helpful or have questions about web development tools, feel free to reach out to me on X @heyoussama. I regularly share tips about Linux, web development, and developer tools.
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