google-chrome

View documentation for the original command

$ tldr chromium

google-chrome [options] [[URL1 [URL2 ...]]]

--help
    Print help and exit

--version
    Print version information

--incognito
    Launch in incognito mode (private browsing)

--new-window
    Open URLs in a new browser window

--user-data-dir=DIR
    Set user data directory for profiles

--profile-directory=NAME
    Select profile (default: Default)

--no-sandbox
    Disable sandbox for testing (insecure)

--disable-gpu
    Disable GPU hardware acceleration

--app=URL
    Run in app mode (windowed kiosk)

--kiosk
    Fullscreen kiosk mode

--proxy-server=HOST:PORT
    Use specified proxy server

--disable-extensions
    Disable all extensions

--start-maximized
    Start in maximized window

--new-tab
    Open URLs in new tabs

--enable-logging
    Enable verbose logging to console

The google-chrome command launches the proprietary stable version of Google's Chromium-based web browser on Linux systems. Installed via official .deb or .rpm packages from Google, it provides a fast, secure browsing experience with features like tabbed browsing, automatic updates, Google account sync, and built-in PDF viewer.

Key capabilities include hardware acceleration, sandboxed processes for security, and support for extensions from the Chrome Web Store. It handles modern web standards including HTML5, WebGL, and WebRTC. On Linux, it integrates with desktop environments like GNOME and KDE, optionally using Wayland.

The command accepts URLs as arguments and numerous flags for customization, such as incognito mode, app mode, or proxy settings. Profiles allow separate browsing sessions. While resource-intensive, it's widely used for its stability and Google ecosystem integration. Requires a graphical environment; runs on X11 or Wayland.

Not installed by default; download from Google. High RAM usage with many tabs. --no-sandbox poses security risks. May require 32-bit libs on 64-bit systems. Updates via package manager or Google's updater.

Add Google's repo:
  wget -q -O - https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -
  echo 'deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
Then sudo apt update && sudo apt install google-chrome-stable

Multiple profiles stored in ~/.config/google-chrome. Create new via --user-data-dir or GUI. Syncs bookmarks/passwords via Google account.

Google Chrome for Linux debuted in 2009 based on Chromium project (2008). Stable channel (google-chrome-stable) receives bi-weekly updates. Evolved with V8 engine improvements, security enhancements, and Linux-specific optimizations like Ozone/Wayland support since 2016.

chromium-browser(1), firefox(1)