qutebrowser

Open qutebrowser with a specified storage directory

$ qutebrowser --basedir [path/to/directory]

$ qutebrowser --set [content.geolocation] [true|false]

$ qutebrowser --restore [session_name]

$ qutebrowser --target [auto|tab|tab-bg|tab-silent|tab-bg-silent|window|private-window]

$ qutebrowser --temp-basedir --json-logging

qutebrowser [OPTIONS] [URL...]

Invokes the qutebrowser application. OPTIONS are command-line flags that modify its behavior. URLs are optional addresses to open upon startup; if omitted, the configured start pages are loaded.

-h, --help
    Shows the help message and exits.

--version
    Shows qutebrowser version information and exits.

--private-window
    Opens a new window in private browsing mode (incognito), not saving history or cookies.

--temp-basedir
    Starts qutebrowser with a temporary base directory, ensuring no configuration or history is saved.

--basedir
    Specifies an alternative base directory for configuration, data, and cache files.

--config-py
    Uses the specified Python file as the configuration file instead of the default.

--set =
    Overrides a specific configuration setting on startup. Useful for temporary changes.

--backend
    Specifies the web backend to use (e.g., webengine or webkit).

--target
    Opens URLs in an existing window identified by its ID or 'last-focused'.

--debug
    Enables debug logging, providing more verbose output for troubleshooting.

qutebrowser is a free, open-source web browser that sets itself apart with its keyboard-driven workflow and minimal graphical user interface. Inspired by command-line interfaces and text editors like Vim, it offers powerful navigation and interaction entirely through keyboard shortcuts, making it highly efficient for users who prefer not to use a mouse.

Built using Python and Qt, qutebrowser supports modern web standards and is highly customizable, allowing users to tailor its appearance, keybindings, and behavior through a Python configuration file. It aims to provide a fast, efficient, and distraction-free browsing experience.

While powerful for keyboard-centric users, qutebrowser has a learning curve due to its unique keybindings. It may occasionally struggle with rendering complex or heavily JavaScript-dependent websites compared to mainstream browsers, as its rendering engine (QtWebEngine/QtWebKit) might lag behind the very latest features of engines like Blink or Gecko. It is also less suited for users heavily reliant on mouse interactions or extensive browser extensions.

qutebrowser uses a Python-based configuration file (config.py), allowing for highly flexible and programmatic customization of key bindings, colors, fonts, and behavior. This makes it exceptionally powerful for users who want fine-grained control over their browsing environment.

Although it doesn't support traditional browser extensions like Chrome or Firefox, its Python backend and extensive command system allow for significant customization and integration with external tools through custom commands and userscripts.

qutebrowser was initially conceived and developed by Florian Bruhin, with the first public release in 2014. Its development was driven by the desire for a browser that integrated the efficient, modal editing paradigm found in Vim with a modern web rendering engine (initially QtWebKit, later primarily QtWebEngine). It gained popularity among developers and power users seeking a fast, keyboard-only browsing experience, differentiating itself from other minimalist browsers by its deep configurability via Python.

vim(1), lynx(1), w3m(1), surf(1)