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January 29, 2024Aaliyan Javeed8 min readArch

How to Install Google Chrome on Arch Linux

On Arch Linux Google Chrome can be installed in almost 6 ways: using pacman, git repository, Arch User Repository, Flatpak, snap and software manager.

Aaliyan Javeed I’m Aaliyan javaid, an electrical engineer and a passionate tech enthusiast. I have been working with embedded systems, programming, and Linux operating systems for over 2 years. I love to explore new technologies and share my knowledge and experience with others.
How to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux

Browsing the internet has become nowadays a necessity as people frequently consult online sources for various reasons. Therefore, it has become crucial to have an efficient browser that provides fast browsing along with a number of potentially useful features thus contributing to a seamless experience. On Arch Linux, the default browser is quite less efficient and doesn’t come with a wide range of features. Google Chrome on the other hand proves to be a far better choice in this regard and is supported on Arch Linux platform.

Outline:

How to Install Google Chrome on Arch Linux

How to Remove Google Chrome From Arch Linux

Conclusion

How to Install Google Chrome on Arch Linux

There are a number of various browsers like Firefox, Edge, and Tor, but Google Chrome beats them all by its efficiency and number of features. The installation process for every application differs on Arch Linux, but most of the time the default repository is the most convenient way for installation. However, the default repository might not have the updated version of the application and in that case, you have to shift to other ways. So, in the case of Google Chrome, there are various methods that can be used to install it on Arch Linux which will be discussed in this guide.

Method 1: Through Pacman

In Arch Linux pacman is the default package manager and it is the most convenient and easy way to install any application on it, so to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux execute:

sudo pacman -S chromium

Once the installation is complete launch Google Chrome browser on Arch using the following terminal command:

chromium

Method 2: Through GitHub

Another way to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux is by using the GitHub repository which provides the development teams to host repositories by giving cloud platform. On Arch Linux, git is not installed by default so you have to install it first and then visit the Arch Linux User Repository to get the git repository link for chrome. Once you have copied the link for Chrome clone its repository by executing:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/google-chrome.git

Once the clone for Google Chrome is created navigate to the created directory and then install it on Arch Linux using PKGBUILD package by executing:

cd google-chrome

<strong>makepkg -si

Once the installation is complete update Google Chrome on Arch Linux using the pull command, this can be helpful if an older version is downloaded or if there are any new updates:

git pull

Now launch the Google Chrome on Arch Linux by executing:

google-chrome-stable[/cc]
Alternatively, to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux we can use its deb package that is converted to zst format for Arch Linux. For that use only the s flag with makepkg command as it will install only the necessary dependencies while building the packages:

makepkg -s

Now install Google Chrome on Arch Linux using pacman package manager along with the U flag which is responsible for upgrading the existing package:

sudo pacman -U google-chrome-120.0.6099.216-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

Note: If you haven’t installed git previously on Arch Linux then you can install using pacman by executing:

sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git

Here, the base-devel is package group that installs the required development tools that are not already installed using the needed flag.

Method 3: Through AUR Helper

Packages or applications on Arch Linux can be installed using the Arch User Repository with the help of different Arch helpers like yay, pamac, pakku and more. The AUR is an Arch Linux repository that is managed by the Arch community which hosts package build files named PKGBUILDs which can be installed using the makepkg command. Here I have used the yay AUR helper to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux:

yay -S google-chrome

Once the web browser is installed on Arch Linux launch it by executing:

google-chrome-stable

Note: By default, AUR helpers are not installed on Arch Linux, so you have to install them by yourself so in the case of installing yay here are the commands that are to be executed by the given order:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-git.git

<strong>cd yay</strong>

<strong>makepkg -si

Method 4: Through Flatpak

Flatpak is a package manager that is a framework used for distributing packages for all of the Linux distributions by using the flathub repository. To install Google Chrome on Arch Linux using the flatpak execute:

flatpak install flathub com.google.Chrome

Once the installation of Google Chrome is complete on Arch Linux launch Chrome by executing:

flatpak run com.google.Chrome

Method 5: Through Snap

Just like Flatpak snap is also a package installer that can serve the purpose of installing applications on almost every Linux distribution. It makes the installation of new applications safer due to its self-contained snaps, and it uses sandbox to run application, so to install Google Chrome on Arch Linux just execute:

sudo snap install chromium

Once the installation is complete launch the Google Chrome on Arch Linux by executing:

chromium

Like every other package manager snap is also not pre-installed on Arch Linux so in that case install snap by executing the following commands in the given sequence:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/snapd.git

<strong>cd snapd</strong>

<strong>makepkg -si</strong>

<strong>sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket</strong>

<strong>sudo ln -s /var/lib/snapd/snap /snap

Method 6: Through Software Manager

The software manager of Arch Linux uses the Flatpak package manager for installing Google Chrome, but this method holds the significance when it comes to installing a package using its GUI. This approach is ideal for individuals who are new to Linux and have little experience with the command line interface. To install Google Chrome on Arch Linux simply search for it in software manager and click on install:

One Google browser is installed on Arch Linux launch it by navigating to its application menu:

How To Remove Google Chrome from Arch Linux

The process of removing any application or package depends on its installation method like if chrome browser is installed through the default repository of Arch Linux, then it should be removed by executing:

sudo pacman -Rns chromium

Since the name of the package is same when it comes to installing chrome using the AUR helper yay so in case of both ways of installation that are through yay and git the removal command is the same:

sudo pacman -Rns google-chrome

However, in the case of git you need to remove the clone directory to remove Google Chrome completely from Arch Linux. To remove Google Chrome if installed using snap package manager then just execute:

sudo snap remove chromium

To remove Google Chrome if installed using Flatpak then just execute:

flatpak remove flathub com.google.Chrome

To remove Google Chrome if installed using Arch Linux software manager, then navigate to all the installed applications and from the search for Google Chrome after that click on Uninstall:

Note: The chrome and chromium browser are totally not the same though they are both created by Google. The chromium is an open-source web browser which is best option for developers as it does not track the user history and do not send any data to Google, more like of incognito version of chrome. Whereas the Chrome is a web browser that comes with features like logging in to your Google account and provides a stable browsing experience.

Conclusion

Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers and that is because of its high performance, compatibility and wide range of features. On Arch Linux Google Chrome can be installed by almost 6 ways which include using pacman, git repository, Arch User Repository, Flatpak, snap and software manager.

The recommended one among all of the installation methods is by using Arch Linux default repository. There are two types of browsers Google provides: one is chromium and other is chrome. Google Chrome is a web browser equipped with built-in functionalities and data tracking capabilities. On the other hand, Chromium serves as an open-source platform, offering developers a flexible environment and providing users with enhanced privacy options.

Written by

Aaliyan Javeed

I’m Aaliyan javaid, an electrical engineer and a passionate tech enthusiast. I have been working with embedded systems, programming, and Linux operating systems for over 2 years. I love to explore new technologies and share my knowledge and experience with others.

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