Browsing the Internet from the command line may seem like a thing of the past, but it's actually a common practice for system administrators or Linux enthusiasts looking for efficiency, low resource consumption, or simply a different experience. Despite the evolution of graphical web browsers and their feature-rich interfaces, CLI browsers (console or terminal) remain popular for practical, accessibility, and even privacy reasons. If you prefer the terminal or find yourself managing servers without a graphical environment, knowing the most robust and up-to-date alternatives is essential.
They are not just a relic: these browsers allow you to navigate the web surprisingly effectively, access documentation, diagnose servers, and perform everyday internet tasks without the limitations of a graphical environment. In this review, we take a detailed look at the main options available, breaking down features, advantages, installation, and little tricks based on real-world experience and the best sources in Spanish and English.
Terminal Browsers: Why Are They Still Essential?
The Linux terminal or console has always been a powerful tool for controlling the system. Having browsers that work from the command line allows you to quickly access information online or perform diagnostic tasks on servers without a graphical environment installed. There are several reasons to choose a CLI browser:
- Minimal resource consumption: Ideal for older computers, servers, or devices with limited hardware.
- Remote access: Allows you to browse the web via SSH, without exposing the graphical interface.
- Privacy and security: Limits the execution of scripts, cookies, and trackers, reducing the attack surface.
- Advanced Diagnostics: Checking how a website behaves at the plain text level and compatibility with assistive technologies.
Lynx: The dean of text-based browsing
Lynx It's probably the oldest and most recognized console browser within the GNU/Linux and Unix ecosystem. First launched in 1992 at the University of Kansas, it remains maintained by a loyal community. Its philosophy is simplicity: text only, making it a perfect tool for slow connections, servers, or environments where graphics are out of place.
Lynx works simply. It highlights hyperlinks with the cursor and allows you to select links by typing the associated number or navigating with the arrow keys. It doesn't process images, videos, or most modern scripts, which eliminates distractions and potential threats. However, you can configure Lynx to invoke external programs when it finds images or videos, opening a small window into multimedia if you really need it.
Notable advantages:
- Support for SSL/TLS, allowing you to browse sites with encryption.
- Possibility of using it as a diagnostic tool to check the accessibility or usability of a website.
- Useful in web server testing, as it shows exactly how a page behaves without JavaScript or advanced CSS.
Installing Lynx on Linux is very simple; it's available in the repositories of virtually all distributions:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install lynx - CentOS/RHEL/Fedora:
sudo yum install lynx - ArchLinux:
sudo pacman -S lynx - OpenSUSE:
sudo zypper install lynx - alpine linux:
sudo apk add lynx
To use it, just run in the terminal: lynx someweb.com
w3m: text mode but with images (if you want)
w3m (header screenshot) is another classic console browser, well known for its agility and its surprising ability to display images on compatible terminals. Originally developed in Japan (in fact, its name means "view the World Wide Web"), w3m is still maintained by independent developers and is compatible with most distributions.
Its strong point is the fidelity of HTML representation, within what is possible in text mode. It displays colors, tables, frames, and unlike its competitors, it can display images in compatible terminals (such as xterm or kitty with inline support). Plus, the keyboard shortcuts are pretty straightforward, allowing you to open new tabs, go back, navigate to a specific URL, and more.
To install it:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install w3m w3m-img - Fedora/CentOS:
sudo yum install w3m - ArchLinux:
sudo pacman -S w3m - OpenSUSE:
sudo zypper install w3m - alpine linux:
sudo apk add w3m
To launch it, simply: w3m webaddress.com
Includes shortcuts like SHIFT+Q to go out, SHIFT+B to go back and SHIFT+T to open a new tab. Its documentation is extensive and easily accessible from the browser itself.
Links and Links2: the balance between text and graphics mode
Links It is famous for offering two display modes: text-only (ideal for terminals) and a very basic graphics mode that works even without an X Window environment (using the framebuffer or SVGAlib). It is open, fast, and supports HTML4, tables, frames, drop-down menus, horizontal scrolling, UTF-8, tabbed browsing, and partial JavaScript support (although recent versions have dropped this support).
Its modern version, left2, adds interface improvements and the ability to display more graphical formatting (if you launch the browser with "links2 -g"). Links/Links2's most notable features are:
- Context menus and quick access to options.
- Optimal performance on older systems or those with very limited resources.
- Support for downloads, bookmarks, and browsing via FTP and SSL.
Installation is just as simple:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install linksosudo apt install links2 - Fedora/CentOS:
sudo yum install links - ArchLinux:
sudo pacman -S links
To start: links www.website.com
It doesn't excel at accepting or rejecting cookies like Lynx, but it's reliable, simple, and configurable. Perfect for those coming from graphical browsers who want a smoother transition to the terminal.
ELinks: extra functions in text mode
Links It was born as an improved fork of the Links project. Although its development was halted in 2017 due to security issues, it was relaunched under the name felinks and remains a powerful option. Its improvements over Links include more advanced tabbed browsing, bookmark support, additional menus, and some mouse interaction within the terminal.
Among its strengths:
- Allows for a more modern text-mode experience, with more customization options.
- It works especially well in systems where you want to minimize graphical dependencies but want more than just plain text.
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install elinks - Fedora/CentOS:
sudo yum install elinks - ArchLinux:
sudo pacman -S elinks
The basic usage command is: elinks site.com
It is recommended to check the version and look for updates to avoid security issues.
Browsh: modernity comes to the terminal
Browsh is a different option that has arrived to modernize the CLI experience. Its proposal is that of a hybrid CLI browser, which uses a "headless" graphical browser underneath (Firefox without a visible interface) to render modern websites and transforms the output into graphics and text compatible with the terminal. This allows you to view entire pages, including JavaScript, advanced CSS, and even some videos, all converted to ASCII art within the terminal.
Its development is recent and actively maintained. Installations can be performed by downloading .deb or .rpm packages directly from its repository and running:
- For Debian-based systems: download it from GitHub and use
sudo apt install ./browsh_xxx.deb - On Red Hat/CentOS: Download the .rpm and run
rpm -Uvh ./browsh.rpm
Then, it is executed with: browse www.website.com
It requires Firefox to be installed, as it's the "engine." The experience is as close to a modern graphical browser as you can get on the CLI, and allows you to view pages with complex scripts or navigate sites that don't support Lynx, Links, or w3m.
My preference?
Vivaldi. It's clear that for normal use, CLI or command-line browsers aren't an option. However, for the aforementioned cases, I'd stick with Lynx or w3m. While Browsh looks good, it's somewhere in between, falling short of either. Which is your favorite?