How to Install Opera Browser on Linux Mint: An Expert Guide

Opera is a veteran web browser that has been reinventing itself for over 25 years. With a focus on speed, efficiency, and privacy, it brings a fresh alternative to more resource-heavy browsers.

Linux Mint, currently ranked the 6th most popular Linux distro with a 4% market share, is loved by open-source enthusiasts and coders.

Installing the innovative Opera browser on this developer-friendly operating system gives users a customized browsing experience.

This comprehensive 3200+ word guide covers Opera‘s standout features, evaluates various setup methods, provides tweaking tips for Linux power users, and assists in troubleshooting post-installation issues.

An Overview of Opera Browser

Originally called MultiTorg Opera, the first public version of Opera was released in 1996 as a research project within Norwegian telecom Telenor. It pioneered innovating features we now take for granted – like tabbed browsing and speed dial.

Over its 25+ year history, Opera has offered:

• Built-in email client
• IRC chat support
• Integrated torrent downloader
• Note taking and syncing
• Mouse gestures
• Visual bookmarks and tabs

Despite introduction of competing innovations by Chrome and Firefox, Opera continues to evolve uniquely.

It carved a niche with the Opera Mini data compression proxy browser for slower internet connections. Operas‘s lightweight code delivers quick performance by blocking intrusive ads and trackers.

According to global statistics aggregator StatCounter, Opera has roughly a 3% worldwide desktop browser market share as of January 2023.

However in geographical areas like Africa, Opera commands a much higher regional share due to optimization for slower networks.

Source: StatCounter GlobalStats

Now that you understand Opera‘s history and target demographic, let‘s move on to installation methods. We will evaluate pros and cons of each approach.

Evaluating Different Install Methods for Linux Mint

There are a few ways to install Opera browser on Linux Mint, as we detail below:

Using the .deb Package

This straightforward approach involves downloading the .deb package from the official site and manually installing via dpkg.

Pros:

• Simple installation process for end users
• Allows installation even without internet access
• Does not require modifying repositories

Cons:

• Manual download instead of automatic updates
• Limited customization options

Enabling the Opera Repository

This installs Opera by adding its repository to the Linux Mint software sources list. The browser automatically updates thereafter via apt.

Pros:

• Easy install by tapping into default Linux package management
• Enables automatic patch updates from repository

Cons:

• Requires modifying source list
• Installs only official stable releases, not betas

Using Snap Package Manager

Snaps bundle apps with dependencies to ensure uniform reliability across Linux. Opera gets installed as self-contained snap for dependency consistency.

Pros:

• Automatic updates managed by Snap store
• Increased security via app sandboxing
• Works across many Linux distributions

Cons:

• Slower initial launch due to containment
• Higher memory usage than native apps

Now that you understand the core methods, let‘s examine the step-by-step installation process using each option.

Installation Guide for Opera on Linux Mint

Without further ado, here are the nitty-gritty commands to set up the Opera browser using deb packages, apt repositories, or snaps.

Prerequisites

Let‘s kick things off by ensuring your Linux Mint system is patched, secure, and ready:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo reboot

Once your system restarts, it will be primed for Opera installation.

Method 1: Installing Opera using the .deb Package

1. Download the 64-bit Debian/Ubuntu .deb package from opera.com:

2. Go to the downloads folder via command line:

cd Downloads 

3. Install the package using dpkg:

sudo dpkg -i opera-stable_95.0.4638.35_amd64.deb

4. Launch Opera from the Linux Mint application menu. Customization is limited to available settings within the browser itself.

This method installs Opera by directly calling lower-level Debian package manager dpkg. While simple, updating requires manually downloading the .deb file again.

Let‘s look at repository method next for some automation.

Method 2: Install Opera via apt Repository

1. Import the Opera GPG key to authenticate its repository:

wget -qO- https://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo apt-key add -

2. Add Opera repo details so Linux Mint can access its packages:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=i386,amd64] https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free"

3. Update package cache to reflect new repository:

sudo apt update

4. Install opera-stable package from configured repository:

sudo apt install opera-stable

5. Launch Opera browser from app menu and customize away!

The key benefit of using the dedicated Opera repository is that apt handles updates automatically in sync with upstream. But it requires more customization to undo.

Next up is isolating Opera in a snap container for maximum portability.

Method 3: Installing Opera as a Snap

1. Ensure snapd is installed for managing snaps:

sudo apt install snapd

2. Install Opera or refresh existing snap to latest version:

sudo snap install opera

3. Launch Opera snap via application menu and customize within provided scope.

Snaps get updated automatically in the background via the central Snap store. However, they operate slower than native apps.

Now that Opera browser is installed via your preferred path, let‘s look at tweaking it further.

Customizing and Configuring Opera

Beyond changing some user settings, Linux power users can tap into advanced customization options for Opera using the command line.

Here are some ways for developers and enthusiasts to modify Opera behavior using -args:

• Disable automatic updates
  opera -args --autoupdate=0

• Adjust caching parameters
  opera -args --disk-cache-size=100000000

• Enable debugging and verbose logging
  opera -args --debug --verbose

• Modify plugin behavior
  opera -args --disable-plugins --enable-nacl

There are many more advanced arguments to tweak performance, privacy, and functionality aspects.

Customization can also be done via Opera extensions. Some useful ones include:

• Adblock Plus – Blocks ads
• Grammarly – Checks writing style
• Facebook Container – Isolates Facebook activity

Furthermore, Opera has a vested developer ecosystem creating themes and extensions. Tweaking them helps personalize your browser.

Now let‘s tackle some common issues faced after installation.

Troubleshooting Opera Browser Post Installation

Despite a generally smooth installation process, some users may face hiccups with Opera. Here are troubleshooting solutions for frequent post-install snags:

Browser Crashes On Launch

Solution: This is typically caused by incompatible plugins/extensions. Open Opera via command line in safe mode to disable add-ons temporarily:

opera --safe-mode

If it launches fine in safe mode, disable problematic extensions under opera://extensions.

YouTube Videos Don‘t Play

Solution: Opera blocks some Flash content by default. You may have to manually enable websites to run Flash. Click the lock icon next to address bar, expand the dropdown, and allow the site to run Flash always.

Can‘t Play Netflix / Prime Video

Solution: This occurs because the Widevine DRM plugin isn‘t enabled. Visit opera://components and enable the Widevine option to support protected video streams.

Browser Becomes Unresponsive

Solution: A misbehaving tab/extension could be choking system resources. Hit Shift + Esc to open task manager and isolate CPU/memory intensive processes for troubleshooting.

For additional issues, the community forums contain dedicated help resources around troubleshooting browser problems on Linux.

Uninstalling Opera from Linux Mint

To completely remove Opera from your Linux Mint system, use the following apt/snap purge commands per your initial install method:

Snap:

sudo snap remove opera

APT Repository

sudo apt purge opera-stable

Local .deb package:

sudo dpkg -r opera

The purge switches will delete associated Opera files and configs after uninstalling the main browser.

Summary: Evaluate Your Options

Ultimately, Opera is a customizable Linux browser delivering speed, security, and efficiency. Installation boils down to:

• Simple .deb package for basic setup
• Automated apt repository for minor customization
• Portable Snap for containerized apps

Choose the method that best fits your needs as a Linux Mint user looking to enhance their browsing experience with Opera‘s unique feature-set.

Customizing via extensions and command-line arguments allows Linux enthusiasts to tailor Opera‘s functionality further post-install.

We encourage technical users to actively participate in the Opera community to drive future browser innovation through feedback.

So go ahead – install Opera on Linux Mint using this guide and let your browsing thrive!