How to speed up Firefox on Ubuntu 18.04

Firefox 59

Mozilla Firefox is a web browser that is present in all Gnu / Linux distributions. That is why many call it the Free Software web browser par excellence, but it is true that it does not prevent it from being a heavy web browser.

The heaviness of this program has made Google Chrome very popular as well as other web browsers. But this heaviness can be resolved quickly and not waiting for a new version to correct this problem, but making a few small changes to the version that we have in our Gnu / Linux distribution to speed up Firefox.

Change plugin settings

One of the first steps we can take to make Firefox faster is to change the settings of the plugins we use. In the case of plugins, we have to change the configuration to "Ask to activate" and forget about "Always activate". This will mean that the plugins will stop loading when we open the web browser and we will also avoid possible security holes such as those caused by the Adobe Flash plugin.

Limit the number of plugins

Modern web browsers have a big problem that they are solving little by little and that we can also solve ourselves: limit the number of plugins. The plugins and add-ons are loaded into the memory of the web browser and that makes the program to open a simple registration form occupy more memory than an office suite or a text editor.

The only solution that exists for this is to limit the number of add-ons and plugins and use only those strictly necessary. For example, it is useless to have a Pocket plugin when Firefox already has a plugin in its code with this service. Themes for Firefox also slow down the web browser and removing them is a good option. To perform these tasks we have to return to the Tools → Add-ons menu and deactivate and delete the add-ons that we do not use or we don't need anymore.

Clear Mozilla Firefox cache

Web browser caches are always a huge resource black hole. We can easily limit or eliminate this. First we have to go to Mozilla Firefox Preferences or Options. A window like the following will appear:
Memorai Cache in Firefox

On the side we select the option "Privacy and Security" and In the Cookies and data part of the site, click on the button "Clear data". It will ask us what types of data we want. We can delete all but if we do not want to lose the cookies, then we select "cached web content". And Firefox will erase everything else.

Tricks with About: config

Mozilla Firefox has a configuration option for expert users that by means of lines of code we can make Mozilla Firefox do one thing or another. To access it only we have to write in the address bar the following "about: config" and the following window will appear:
About tab: config

Now we have to change the following lines to the following changes:

    • Change browser.tabs.animate a False
    • Change browser.download.animateNotifications a False
    • Change browser.preferences.animateFadeIn a False
    • Change browser.fullscreen.animate a 0
    • Change security.dialog_enable_delay a 0
    • Change network.prefetch-next a False (Only for slow connections)
    • Change network.http.pipelining a True

We can use the search box that appears in the web browser and in case of not finding said line, we click with the right button and go to the new option where we will create said entry. Once everything is done, we restart the web browser and by default it will use less memory as well as free ram memory when we minimize the web browser window.

Deactivate Pocket and go to Bookmarks

The Pocket plugin is a great Firefox tool but it is true that we can replace it with a marker in the marker bar that it makes Firefox not load this service in every tab. To remove it we have to double click with the mouse on the Pocket icon and select the option "Remove from address bar". Now we have to add the Pocket session to our bookmarks bar.

Delineate open tabs

OneTab

The tabs that we open or have open in Mozilla Firefox consume resources and make the rest of the tabs go slower since the resources that the operating system assigns to the web browser are distributed. It is because of that it is recommended to limit the number of open tabs and even, some users recommend using only a single tab.

To solve this and prevent web pages from opening tabs that we do not want there a very light and powerful extension called OneTab. OneTab is a Firefox add-on that blocks the web browser from opening unwanted tabs as well as opening a certain number of tabs. Yes, it is best to use only one tab but this plugin allows you to open two or three tabs, even temporarily deactivate it so that we can open several tabs if we need it at some point. In the section of Tools → Plugins we will find OneTab.

Compile the Mozilla Firefox code

There is also the option of compile the Mozilla Firefox code and install it from our machine. This form is somewhat difficult and only suitable for expert users, but it is true that any program compiled by the machine that runs it works faster than if we install a package from a repository.

This is the philosophy of Gentoo and for this reason, there are few users who use this Gnu / Linux distribution. Nevertheless, the possibility exists and the results would be remarkable, even if we use another Gnu / Linux distribution such as Debian, Slackware or Ubuntu itself.

Switch to SeaMonkey

SeaMonkey

The Mozilla Firefox browser has become very heavy, recognized by Mozilla's own creators who have decided to change the course of the latest and upcoming versions of Mozilla Firefox. The option to change web browser is there but also we can change Mozilla Firefox for its younger brother: SeaMonkey.

SeaMonkey is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox code that offers us the possibility of having a feed reader and an email reader, all in a single application that works correctly on computers with few resources. But, in exchange for this, the number of add-ons and extensions is limited as well as the extras that Firefox has and SeaMonkey has not.

Distributions like Lxle decided long ago to replace Mozilla Firefox with Seamonkey and its results have not been bad at all. In any case, if it still does not convince, we can always change it back to other web browsers. Long ago we elaborated a list of possible web browsers available for Gnu / Linux.

Are these all?

The truth is that there are many configurations to make Mozilla Firefox fly but it is also true that many of them have expired with the various versions that have appeared. Others are very dangerous and others are difficult and the results are hardly noticeable on a computer that is certain years old.

Personally I would highlight lThe options within About: Config and the control within the plugins and add-ons that we use as the best solutions to speed up Firefox and you? Which option did you like the most?


3 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Chaparral said

    I do not understand how who writes this, Joaquín García, can say that «Ubuntu does not consume much ram memory. . . »
    Right now I am looking at the gauge and it is consuming the following RAM: 2185MiB / 6924MiB.
    Garcia also says that if you consume too much you can go to another lighter version, but is that the solution offered by Ubuntu ?. I do not think they will have to fix it yes or yes.

  2.   Shalem Dior Juz said

    At some time hormonal I carried out all these tutorials to the letter to improve the experience with Firefox in my trusted distribution, there were so many modifications that I remember I ended up writing a text divided into numerals to execute it every time I reinstalled because I forgot. Until Chromium arrived ...

    Although both browsers on GNU / Linux are heavy, the contributions offered by Chromium / Chrome left the always faithful Firefox in the Greek arena. Features such as the very useful task manager, the generous default configuration capacity without going to elaborate "about: config" options that ultimately affect operation, the simple ability to be visually integrated into the desktop, its design, the enormous repository of extensions comparable to that of Firefox, the very practical WebApps with native notifications, the optimization of its staff of applications such as the search engine, Youtube, Keep, Gmail among others so that they work better, among others etc, made the red panda browser it will go from having in some glorious time almost 50% of the market share, to 9%. It's not just statistical data, Chromium / Chrome is definitely top-quality software and it's number one for a reason. It's the sad truth.

  3.   Daniel said

    Hi bros
    I got here looking for a simple solution, avoiding getting to the guts of the codes ...
    personally I've been testing several distro for some time,
    but in machines with limited resources, there is no case those of 2GB of ram are discriminated by the chromium / chrome firefox browsers and the emerging ones after their major updates ...
    I have tried several and the dilemma is that a light one limits you in today's web ... view functionality of this ...
    The resources that the webs request today are many (depending on their developers if they are part directly or indirectly or not of the emerging corporations Ggle Facbok, adding to the development of these browsers that with respect to chrome is commercial surveillance and permanent user behavior, assuming that it is just for your feedback for a better future development ...
    In the end the solution is to give the distro a configuration twice the recommended one!
    In this way you will be able to enter the network and navigate as you want if you are willing to share everything you do and as in this worldwildeweb network, in return allowing all these giants to become more giants ... in one way or another ...
    The world wide web will sadly never become free.
    They dominate us in whatever territory we are, physical or virtual, there will always be a powerful emerging to make us bend to their vision ...
    Or at least try 😡