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title = "Firefox tricks: efficient QuantumBar usage"
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description = "Tricks to efficiently use the Firefox address bar. Using scope characters, bookmark keywords, and duckduckgo bangs, without add-ons."
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# TODO: remove to publish
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draft = true
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[taxonomies]
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categories = ["blog"]
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tags = ["firefox"]
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[extra]
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toc = true
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zenn_applause = true
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comments = []
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+++
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The Firefox [QuantumBar][firefox-address-bar] (formerly AwesomeBar, or just
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address bar) is surprisingly capable. There's a lot you can do with it to
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quickly navigate through your browser. It's one of the things which makes
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Firefox so comfy to me.
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I like to be as quick as possible without leaving the keyboard. For this, I use
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_scope characters_, _bookmark keywords_, and _DuckDuckGo bangs_. In this article
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I'll go through these features and hope to show you something new, no add-ons
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required.
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<!-- more -->
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## Restrict characters, scopes
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By default, when you type search terms in the address bar, the suggestion list
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shows various suggestions types, including search results, bookmarks, and open
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tabs. I usually find these to be spot-on already.
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When looking for a specific type of result through, like an open tab, you can
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speed up the process by adding special characters with a whitespace in the
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address bar before (or after) your search terms. Firefox is vague about its
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naming, so I call these scope characters.
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Available scope characters:
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- `%`: limit to open tabs
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- `^`: limit to browser history
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- `*`: limit to bookmarks
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- `+`: limit to tagged bookmarks
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- `#`: limit to pages where search terms are part of title or tag
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- `$`: limit to pages where search terms are part of the address
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- `?`: limit to search suggestions
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Imagine you want to jump to an open Google tab, simply type:
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```
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% google
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```
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/tab-google.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/tab-google.png") }}
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Or you want to find an _MDN_ bookmark on _Progressive web apps_ you added to
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your huge bookmarks collection ages ago. [Proton][proton] even shows a fancy
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hint now:
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```
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* mdn pwa
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```
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-mdn-pwa.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-mdn-pwa.png") }}
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Simple! By the way, use <kbd class="bind"><kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>L</kbd></kbd> or
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<kbd>F6</kbd> to quickly focus the address bar.
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Firefox documentation lists this feature [here][search-chars]. It has changed a
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bit during Firefox's lifetime as you can see [here][search-chars-old].
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## Bookmark keywords, smart triggers
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Almost every browser supports bookmarks. However, Firefox allows you to
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configure a bookmark keyword to make them easily accessible and interactive.
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The keyword acts as a trigger in the address bar. You basically extend the scope
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characters above with your bookmarks to your liking.
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You may add a new bookmark through the bookmark manager (<kbd
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class="bind"><kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>O</kbd></kbd>) or editing an
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existing one, then the _Keyword_ field shows up. This is where you specify your
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keyword term to trigger it with. You may put `%s` in the bookmark URL, which
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will be replaced with what you type after the trigger keyword, making them
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interactive.
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-edit.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-edit.png") }}
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The simplest example would be to quickly jump to your favorite site. Set a
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bookmark with the `d` keyword. Type `d` in your address bar and hit enter to
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instantly jump to your bookmarked webpage. Though this isn't so interesting.
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Here are some better examples I use a lot:
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#### Bookmark: specific search engine
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Quickly search with a specific search engine:
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```
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d what is the answer to life
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wiki bikeshedding
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```
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-search.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-search.png") }}
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<details>
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<summary>Tap to see bookmark config</summary>
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> Keyword: `d`
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> Url: `https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s`
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>
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> Keyword: `wiki`
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> Url: `https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/%s`
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</details>
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#### Bookmark: jump to subreddit
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Quickly jump to your favorite subreddit:
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```
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r/ linuxmasterrace
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```
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-reddit.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-reddit.png") }}
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<details>
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<summary>Tap to see bookmark config</summary>
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> Keyword: `r/`
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> Url: `https://reddit.com/r/%s`
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</details>
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#### Bookmark: translate
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Quickly translate something between English and Dutch:
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```
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ennl bikeshedding
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nlen fietsenstalling
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```
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{{ fit_image(path="blog/2021-09-03_firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-translate.png", url="/blog/firefox-quantumbar-tricks/bookmark-translate.png") }}
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<details>
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<summary>Tap to see bookmark config</summary>
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> Keyword: `ennl`
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> Url: <sub><sup>`https://translate.google.com/#view=home&op=translate&sl=en&tl=nl&text=%s`</sup></sub>
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>
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> Keyword: `nlen`
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> Url: <sub><sup>`https://translate.google.com/#view=home&op=translate&sl=nl&tl=en&text=%s`</sup></sub>
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</details>
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## DuckDuckGo bangs
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For the final trick, we use the default search engine to extend address bar
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functionality.
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[DuckDuckGo][duckduckgo] provides an insane amount of [`!bangs`][bangs]. These
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function similar to bookmark keywords, but are preconfigured. DuckDuckGo has
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more than 13K bangs [available][bangs] for popular sites, most you can come up
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with _just work_. Simply prefix your search terms with the appropriate bang and
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hit <kbd>Enter</kbd>. Super powerful!
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The only caveat is that it requires you to
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[change][firefox-change-search-engine] your default search engine to DuckDuckGo
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to use it easily.
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Here are some example queries:
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- [`!g Amsterdam`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!g+Amsterdam): Search `Amsterdam` via Google, if DuckDuckGo couldn't find it
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- [`!maps Amsterdam`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!maps+Amsterdam): Show `Amsterdam` on Google Maps
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- [`!so Rust string character count`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!so+Rust+string+character+count): Find a solution on StackOverflow
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- [`!rust String`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!rust+String): Search `String` in Rust documentation
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- [`!timer 3m`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!timer+3m): Set a 3-minute timer
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- [`!wa solve x^2+4x+6=0`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!wa+solve+x^2+%2B+4x+%2B+6+%3D+0): Solve equation with WolframAlpha
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- [`!bangs`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!bangs): _there's so many more..._
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Lastly, not clearly listed, DuckDuckGo has an _I'm Feeling Ducky_ feature using
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just the `!` bang. It will redirect you to the first search result instantly:
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- [`! Coldplay magic`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!+Coldplay+magic)
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- [`! jamming cat`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!+jamming+cat)
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- [`! timvisee`](https://ddg.gg/?q=!+timvisee)
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I hope you've learned something new and useful to be just that little bit more
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efficient using the Firefox QuantumBar.
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[firefox-address-bar]: https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/browser/urlbar/index.html#address-bar
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[firefox-change-search-engine]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-your-default-search-settings-firefox
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[search-chars-old]: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Location_Bar_search#Location_Bar_search_.28internal_-_Auto_Complete.29
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[search-chars]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/address-bar-autocomplete-firefox#w_changing-results-on-the-fly
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[proton]: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Proton
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[duckduckgo]: https://duckduckgo.com/
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[bangs]: https://duckduckgo.com/bangs
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