How I browse the Web with uBlock (Hard Mode)

My regular browsing habits involve utilizing text-based browsers like eww, links, offpunk, and chawan. However, I also use librewolf browser for standard browsing, particularly due to my involvement in its maintenance for guix. For a customized and personalized experience, I recommend configuring user.js and profiles.json settings. To share my web browsing setup with Ublock, Redirector, and Localcdn, I will outline the process below.

Firstly, it's essential to understand that Ublock Origin is a crucial component in my online presence. It serves as a wide-spectrum content blocker, capable of not only blocking ads and trackers but also other content on webpages using filters and rules. This feature is only supported in Firefox and its derivatives. For Chromium browsers, there are options like helium and ungoogled-chromium, which support the MV2 version of Ublock.

Alternatively, you can use Ublock Origin Lite in Chrome, though I would not recommend it. Install Ublock Origin via Guix or the repositories listed on its website.

Once installed, pin the extension to your toolbar and open the Ublock dashboard either by clicking the settings icon or using Ctrl+Shift+A to access settings. In the dashboard, ensure all four options are checked. Next, navigate to the Filter list pane and enable the UBlock Filter under the Annoyance area. In the Temporary Rules tab, paste the provided rules, save, and commit them to be saved permanently.

You can then visit any website you wish, and the Ublock UI popup will display the third-party connections made by that site. This feature grants you significant control over your browsing experience.

Enabling "I am an Advanced User" activates Dynamic Filtering, which is a powerful tool that you should read about thoroughly. Filters and rules are fundamental elements of Ublock Origin, with filters being static and needing to be compiled ahead of time, while rules can be created dynamically. To learn more about filters and their syntax, you can refer to the SyntaxMeaningsThatAreActuallyHumanReadable resource.

The Ublock Logger is an invaluable tool that allows you to see what's actually going on behind a website. To access it, open the extension and select the logger option, or use the Ctrl+Y shortcut. Here, you can view blocked requests, images, and fonts, as well as those that are allowed. This tool is particularly useful for unbreaking sites that you may have previously encountered issues with.

You can filter, search, reload, and open the toolbar using the Ublock icon. Additionally, the Logger provides a DOM Inspector, which aids in creating cosmetic filters and displaying overlays over elements that have been filtered.

With these tools and knowledge, you can now unbreak any sites that you may have previously struggled with. I have rarely needed to unbreak sites, as most of the ones I use function properly with the necessary elements disabled. Additionally, it's worth mentioning two other helpful features: Dynamic URL Filtering, which takes precedence over Dynamic Filtering and Filters, and the Dynamic URL Filtering capability within the Logger, which offers more granular filtering options. I recommend checking the Ublock Origin wiki for further guidance on these advanced features.