This guide walks you through installing Otter Browser on Manjaro Linux, starting with a system update and the installation of build tools via pacman. It then explains how to pull the AUR package using an optional helper like YAY, or fall back to cloning the GitHub repository and compiling with qmake if necessary. The instructions cover common pitfalls such as missing qt5‑webengine or libssl.so, offering quick fixes through pacman packages. Finally, it shows how to launch Otter, configure themes and extensions, and provides a concise troubleshooting table for frequent issues.

Install Otter Browser on Manjaro Linux

If you’re tired of Chrome’s endless telemetry or Firefox’s bloated extensions, Otter Browser gives you a lightweight alternative that still feels familiar. In this post I’ll walk you through getting it up and running on Manjaro, covering the AUR route, compiling from source when necessary, and fixing the most common hiccups.

Why Otter Might Be Your Next Desktop Companion

Otter’s interface is basically a stripped‑down version of Chrome 48, which means your bookmarks, extensions, and even some old website quirks still work. I’ve seen users complain about Chrome being too heavy after an update; Otter keeps the same feel but with a fraction of the memory.

Step 1: Prepare Your Manjaro System

sudo pacman -Syu          # keep the base system updated
sudo pacman -S git base-devel   # build tools needed for AUR

Updating ensures you have the latest libstdc++ and other dependencies, while git and base-devel let you fetch and compile packages from the AUR.

Step 2: Install an AUR Helper (Optional but Handy)

cd ~
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

YAY (Yet Another Yaourt) handles dependency resolution automatically. If you prefer not to install a helper, you can just pacman -U the downloaded PKG files later.

Step 3: Pull Otter Browser from AUR

yay -S otter-browser          # or yay -S otter-browser-git for bleeding‑edge

The AUR package pulls in all required Qt dependencies. If you already have Qt5 installed, this will just patch the missing bits.

Common Pitfall: “libqt5webengine-… not found”

I’ve seen this pop up after a recent Manjaro kernel upgrade. Running

sudo pacman -S qt5-webengine

This usually fixes it. If that still fails, move on to building from source.

Step 4: Build From Source (Fallback)

1. Get the sources

   git clone https://github.com/otter-browser/otter-browser.git
   cd otter-browser

2. Install Qt5 development headers

   sudo pacman -S qt5-base qt5-webengine qt5-xmlpatterns

3. Compile

   qmake
   make -j$(nproc)

4. Install

   sudo make install

Building from source guarantees you have the exact version that works with your current Qt libraries, especially after major system upgrades.

Step 5: Launch and Configure

otter-browser &

The first run will create a minimal config directory at ~/.config/otter. From there, sync bookmarks or install extensions just like you would in Chrome. If you want to mimic your old browser’s look:

• Themes: Go to “Preferences => Appearance” and pick a theme.
• Extensions: Drag and drop .xpi files into the Extensions page.

Troubleshooting Quick‑Fixes

Symptom	Fix
Otter crashes on start	Make sure qt5-webengine is installed.
“Could not load libssl.so”	Install openssl-1.1 via pacman.
Extensions don’t work	Verify the extension’s compatibility with QtWebEngine; older Chrome extensions may need a patch.

I’ve run into the “Could not find libssl.so” error after switching from Arch to Manjaro 21, and it was just a missing OpenSSL link.

Wrap‑Up

That’s all you need: update your system, optionally install YAY, pull Otter from AUR (or build), then launch. You’ll get a fast browser that feels like old Chrome but without the bloat.