This slick Linux browser is like a tricked-out Opera – and it’s faster than Firefox

There is no shortage of web browsers. But what makes FireDragon a browser you should try?

First off, FireDragon was originally a fork of LibreWolf, but the development team (which is the same team behind Garuda Linux) decided to switch to the Floorp browser as its base.

Also: I’ve tried nearly every browser out there and these are my top 6 (none are Chrome)

FireDragon reminds me of a tricked-out version of Opera (without the integrated AI or Workspaces). There’s even a built-in Workspaces option, similar to that of Opera. As for the UI, I would have liked to at least see a vertical tabs option, but that can always be added via an extension (such as Sidebery). My only wish is that, when using extensions such as Sidebery, the horizontal tab bar could be hidden.

What makes FireDragon special?

The Garuda team knows its way around a UI, and it creates some of the coolest looking themes on the market. I’m not a big fan of dark themes, but I can admit that everything the Garuda developers touch turns out beautiful.

But beyond the beauty, why should you consider FireDragon?

Also: 5 great Chrome browser alternatives that put your privacy first

Before we get too deep into this, know that FireDragon is only available for Linux and can be installed on Arch-based distributions from within the AUR repository and on other distributions via Flathub, AppImage, or binary tarballs.

Features

With that said, FireDragon is a privacy-focused web browser that includes:

• Searx and Whoogle search engines (the default being SearxNG), which can even be run locally (if necessary)
• Dark Reader
• Workspaces for improved tab management
• dr460nized branding
• Firefox account support
• Presets for both profile-sync-daemon and Firejail (for even more security)
• Fast webpage loading thanks to customized settings, FastFox tweaks, and the disabling of media autoplay
• Hidden navigation buttons (instead of grayed-out buttons when inactive)
• PBMode Security (for security/tracking protection that blocks HTTP loads at the network level)
• Latest Fingerprinting is an option in firedragon.cfg
• Ships with uBlock Origin pre-installed
• A custom self-hosted sync server for Firefox accounts, which may provide additional privacy compared to standard Firefox sync
• Mouse gestures, thanks to Gesturefy

The thing about FireDragon that appeals to me is that it’s almost like the love-child of Firefox and Opera. It feels like Firefox but looks like Opera, and (to me) that’s a good thing. And because it’s privacy-focused, you can bet it’s safe to use. 

For example, out of the box, FireDragon uses Resist Fingerprinting (RFP) instead of the regular FireDragon fingerprinting protection settings. From within Settings > Privacy & Security > “Resist Fingerprinting & IP address leaks” section, you can enable strong protection against fingerprinting, which is the added protection from Firefox that includes forced light mode, some API disabling, and more. The one thing about this setting is that it will most likely break some sites you visit.

Also: 6 obscure browsers that are better than Chrome

The good news is that the default protection is solid, so you probably won’t need to enable the strong protection against fingerprinting option. All of the bits and pieces found in FireDragon come together to create a nice and secure experience.

How does FireDragon perform?

I was pleasantly surprised to find that FireDragon outperforms Firefox in both startup and page load times. It’s not as fast as Chrome or Opera, which lands it somewhere in the middle ground of browser performance.

I’ll take that because the added security makes the lack of blazing speed worth it.

Also: I speed-tested 11 browsers – and the fastest might surprise you

Other than that, FireDragon performs very well, with the stability of a much more mature browser.

Although I’m set with Zen Browser being my default, I will keep FireDragon installed for those moments when I need a bit more privacy (but don’t want to bother with Tor).

Is FireDragon right for you?

First off, you have to be a Linux user to add FireDragon to your current stable of web browsers. 

Second, you’ll want to be a fan of the sidebar because FireDragon leans into that feature, allowing you to add web panels to get quick access to certain sites that can function well as a panel. For instance, I added Perplexity.ai as a web panel so I could access the AI search without leaving the current page I’m viewing.

I find FireDragon to have just the right mix of features, along with a beautiful (dr460nized) UI. Will it become my default? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find it appealing enough to make the switch.

Also: 5 alternative browsers that might just replace Safari on your Mac

You can install FireDragon on Arch-based distributions with the command:

yay -S firedragon

If you have a Linux distribution that supports Flatpak installs, FireDragon can be added with the command:

flatpak install flathub org.garudalinux.firedragon

If you’re a Linux user, I’d highly recommend you give FireDragon a go and see if it doesn’t replace your default.

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