Zen Browser .deb Builder

A fully automated Bash script that fetches the latest Zen Browser release, downloads the Linux tarball, and packages it into a clean, installable .deb file for Debian and Ubuntu systems.

The resulting package provides:

• A desktop launcher
• Proper installation paths
• A /usr/bin/zen-browser command
• Automatic updates via systemd
• Clean removal through your package manager

No manual version typing. No tarball hunting.

Features

• Automatically detects the latest Zen Browser version
• Downloads the correct linux-x86_64.tar.xz tarball
• Builds a Debian‑compliant .deb package
• Installs a lightweight auto‑update system
• Creates a daily systemd timer for background updates
• Places the final .deb in ~/Downloads
• Clean, color‑coded terminal output with spinner
• Runs in any directory without leaving clutter

Dependencies

Install required tools:

sudo apt install curl dpkg-dev coreutils findutils

Used for:

• curl — fetching release metadata and tarballs
• dpkg-deb — building the .deb package
• find — locating the icon
• Standard utilities (mv, mkdir, chmod, etc.)

Quick Start

Run the builder directly:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MurderFromMars/Zen-Browser-Deb-Builder/main/zen-build.sh | bash

This downloads and executes the script in memory.

What the Script Does

• Fetches the latest Zen Browser release metadata

• Extracts the version number

• Downloads the correct Linux tarball

• Builds a Debian package structure:

  build_zen-browser_<version>_amd64/
  ├── DEBIAN/
  │   └── control
  ├── opt/
  │   └── zen-browser/
  └── usr/
      ├── bin/zen-browser
      └── share/applications/zen-browser.desktop
  

• Fixes ownership metadata using --root-owner-group

• Produces a .deb file

• Moves the final package into:

  ~/Downloads/zen-browser_<version>_amd64.deb
  

Automatic Updates

The generated .deb installs:

• /usr/bin/zen-browser-update
• zen-browser-update.service
• zen-browser-update.timer

Zen Browser will automatically check for updates daily.

Run the updater manually:

sudo zen-browser-update

Your profile, settings, extensions, and keybinds remain untouched.

Output Location

The final .deb is always placed in:

~/Downloads

Install it with:

sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/zen-browser_<version>_amd64.deb

Purpose

Zen Browser ships only as a tarball.
This script converts it into a proper Debian package so you can:

• Install it cleanly
• Update it cleanly
• Remove it cleanly
• Launch it from your application menu
• Run it from the terminal

License

Distributed under the MIT license.