Building Firefox 1.5 From Source

• Submitted by: Doug Hunley
• Update by:
• Date Submitted: 19 Jan 2005
• Document Version: 1.0

So you'd like to build Firefox 1.5 from source so that it's even leaner and meaner? Let me show you the way young padawan...

1. Download the source: http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/1.5/source/
2. Unpack the sucker.
3. cd into the mozilla directory.
4. Create .mozconfig file (salt to taste, but this example should be a good start).
5. Fix a small issue on some hosts:

   $ sed -i "s/    enum/& xptinfo_enum_1/" xpcom/reflect/xptinfo/public/xptinfo.h
       

6. Build the beast:

   $ make -f client.mk build
       

7. Install the beast:

   # make -f client.mk install
   # install -v -m755 -d /usr/lib/firefox-1.5/chrome/icons/default
   # ln -v -n -f -s ../../../icons/default.xpm \
   > /usr/lib/firefox-1.5/chrome/icons/default
   # install -v -m755 -d /usr/include/firefox-1.5/nss
   # cp -v -Lf ../firefox-build/dist/{private,public}/nss/*.h \
   > /usr/include/firefox-1.5/nss
   # chown -v -R root:root \
   > /usr/lib/firefox-1.5/extensions/inspector@mozilla.org/*
       

8. Now, run firefox as root once to let it build an additional directory or three.