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Getting Started with Lynx Browser

AI-GENERATED published: October 13, 2025 estimate: 2 min read view-cnt: 5 views

What is Lynx?

Lynx is a text-based web browser that’s been around since 1992. Unlike modern graphical browsers, Lynx displays web pages as plain text in your terminal. It might sound primitive, but Lynx offers unique advantages for developers, privacy enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates efficiency.

Why Use Lynx?

Speed

Lynx is incredibly fast. It doesn’t download images, CSS, or JavaScript. You get pure content, instantly. This makes it perfect for:

• Quickly checking documentation
• Reading news and articles
• Testing website accessibility
• Browsing over slow connections

Privacy

Lynx doesn’t execute JavaScript, which means:

• No tracking scripts
• No ads
• No fingerprinting
• Minimal data collection

Accessibility Testing

If your website works in Lynx, it’s accessible. Lynx forces you to think about content structure and semantic HTML. It’s an excellent tool for developers who care about accessibility.

Installing Lynx

Linux

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install lynx

# Fedora
sudo dnf install lynx

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S lynx

macOS

# Using Homebrew
brew install lynx

Windows

Lynx can be installed on Windows via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) or using Cygwin.

Basic Lynx Commands

Here are the essential keyboard shortcuts you need to know:

Arrow Keys Navigate between links (up/down) and follow links (right) or go back (left)

Enter Follow the currently selected link

q Quit Lynx

g Go to a URL

/ (slash) Search for text on the current page

\ (backslash) View the HTML source

? (question mark) Show help

Backspace or Delete View browsing history

Getting Started

To start browsing with Lynx, simply run:

lynx https://example.com

Or start Lynx and then press ‘g’ to enter a URL:

lynx

Tips for Effective Lynx Usage

1. Use keyboard shortcuts: Lynx is keyboard-driven. Learn the shortcuts for efficiency.
2. Enable cookies if needed: Some sites require cookies. Press ‘o’ for options.
3. Set a homepage: Configure Lynx to start with your preferred page.
4. Use bookmarks: Press ‘a’ to add a bookmark, ‘v’ to view bookmarks.
5. Configure user agent: Some sites block Lynx. You can change the user agent in settings.

What Works Well in Lynx

• News websites and blogs
• Documentation sites
• Wikipedia
• Text-based forums
• Search engines
• Git repository browsers

What Doesn’t Work

Lynx has limitations. It cannot:

• Display images or videos
• Execute JavaScript
• Render CSS
• Handle complex web applications
• Support modern interactive features

But that’s the point. Lynx strips away the noise and gives you pure content.

Conclusion

Lynx isn’t a replacement for modern browsers, but it’s a valuable tool in your arsenal. It’s fast, private, and forces you to think about web accessibility. Give it a try—you might be surprised how much of the web is perfectly usable in text mode.

Happy browsing!