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Asked: 2024-09-25T19:45:20+05:30 In:

How can I clear the cache and cookies of my web browser using the terminal on Ubuntu?

I’ve been diving into using Ubuntu more frequently, and while I love the open-source vibe, I keep running into the same issue—my web browser gets bogged down by a pile of cache and cookies. It’s been a while since I’ve cleaned it up, and I feel like my browser is loading slower and slower every day.

I’ve heard that clearing the cache and cookies can help speed things up, but I’m not too keen on navigating through the GUI settings every time. Isn’t there a way to do this through the terminal? I mean, I do enjoy using the terminal for most tasks because it feels cleaner and more efficient.

So, here’s the thing: I primarily use Firefox, but I sometimes jump to Chromium for certain tasks. I know they both store data in some specific directories under my home folder, but I’m not exactly sure where to find them or which terminal commands I should be running. I’ve tried a few online suggestions, but they haven’t worked for me, and I don’t want to accidentally delete anything important or mess up my browser settings.

For Firefox, I think it’s in something like `~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/`, but what do I actually need to type to clear that? And what about the cookies? Do those live in the same spot?

As for Chromium, I think it’s in `~/.config/chromium/`, but again, I could use some guidance on the exact commands to run. I want to be sure that I’m clearing everything safely without messing anything up. If anyone could share a step-by-step or even just the commands I should be using, that would be super helpful.

Also, if there are any tips to automate this process or maybe create a simple script to run regularly, I’d love to hear about that too. I just want a quick and easy way to keep my browser in tip-top shape, you know? Thanks in advance for any help or advice!

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    2 Answers



    1. Clearing Cache and Cookies in Ubuntu

      Clearing Firefox and Chromium Cache and Cookies via Terminal

      So you’re feeling like your browser is dragging its feet, eh? Clearing out the cache and cookies is definitely a good move! Let’s tackle this in the terminal, ’cause who needs GUIs anyway, right?

      For Firefox:

      You’re on the right track with the cache location! The cache for Firefox is indeed in ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/. To clear it out, you just need to run a simple command:

      rm -rf ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/*

      But wait! Cookies are usually stored in your profile folder, which is in ~/.mozilla/firefox/. You can delete the cookies database by running this:

      rm ~/.mozilla/firefox/*.default-release/cookies.sqlite

      Just make sure to replace *.default-release with your actual profile name if it’s different. You can find your profile name by checking the files in ~/.mozilla/firefox/.

      For Chromium:

      Chromium keeps its stuff in ~/.config/chromium/. To clear the cache, you can run:

      rm -rf ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cache/*

      And for cookies, they’re usually in ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies, so run this command:

      rm ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies

      Automating the Cleanup

      If you want to automate this cleanup process, you can create a simple bash script!

      #!/bin/bash
    # Clean Firefox
    rm -rf ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/*
    rm ~/.mozilla/firefox/*.default-release/cookies.sqlite

    # Clean Chromium
    rm -rf ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cache/*
    rm ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies

      Save it as clean_browsers.sh, give it execute permission with:

      chmod +x clean_browsers.sh

      Then you can run it whenever you feel like your browsers need a spring cleaning! You could also use cron to schedule it if you want it done automatically.

      Hope this helps you keep your browsers running fast!


    2. To clear the cache and cookies for Firefox using the terminal, you can simply remove the appropriate directories. The cache is stored in `~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/`, and to clear it, you can run the following command:

      rm -rf ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/*

      This command will delete all cached files from Firefox. Meanwhile, cookies and other user data are stored in `~/.mozilla/firefox/` in the profile folder. To clear cookies specifically, you can do this:

      rm ~/.mozilla/firefox/*.default-release/cookies.sqlite

      Replace `*.default-release` with your actual profile folder name if it differs. For Chromium, the cache is located in `~/.config/chromium/`, and you can clear the cache with:

      rm -rf ~/.config/chromium/Default/Application\ Cache/*

      Cookies in Chromium are similarly stored in `~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies`. To clear them, use:

      rm ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies

      To automate this process, you can create a simple script. First, open a text editor and create a file named `clear_browser_data.sh`:

      #!/bin/bash
rm -rf ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox/*
rm ~/.mozilla/firefox/*.default-release/cookies.sqlite
rm -rf ~/.config/chromium/Default/Application\ Cache/*
rm ~/.config/chromium/Default/Cookies

      Make the script executable with `chmod +x clear_browser_data.sh`, and you can run it as needed or schedule it using cron for routine cleaning to keep your browsers running smoothly.

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