Extension (Mozilla)
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Extensions are installable enhancements to the Mozilla Foundation's projects (and compatible variants such as Portable Firefox), and add features to the application or allow existing features to be modified. Mozilla developers intend Firefox to be a fairly minimal browser in order to reduce software bloat and bugs, while retaining a high degree of extensibility, so that individual users can add the features that they prefer. They are installed via XPInstall modules.
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[edit] Extension technologies
- XPI — Cross-Platform Installer module
- JavaScript – The primary language of Mozilla browsers
- XUL (XML User Interface Language) – Used to define the UI (User Interface) and interaction with user.
- DOM (Document Object Model) – Used to change XUL in real-time or to edit HTML that is currently loaded
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- XPCOM/XPConnect
[edit] Primary function of extensions
Firefox extensions are generally used to add functions to the browser. Examples of functions which an extension might add include RSS readers, bookmark organizers, toolbars (for example, the Wikipedia editor toolbar), website-specific client programs, FTP, e-mail, mouse gestures, proxy server switching, or debugging tools. Many Firefox extensions implement features formerly part of the Mozilla Suite, such as the ChatZilla IRC client and a calendar.
[edit] Modifying how the user views web pages
Many extensions can change the content of a webpage, not on the webpage itself, but as it is displayed in an individual user's browser. For example, Adblock extensions can prevent the browser from loading images which are advertisements. Another popular extension, CustomizeGoogle, modifies how Google pages are displayed, for example by providing links to competing search engines. Also, the Greasemonkey extension allows the user to install scripts which modify the look of specific pages or the Web in general. If a user doesn't find the script he is looking for, he can use the Platypus extension to generate his own script, which might delete content from, move content around within, or add content to a page.
[edit] Other uses
Firefox extensions also exist for frivolous, humorous or satirical purposes. Some allude to historical features of the Firefox browser, for example restoring the "delicious delicacies" placeholder text removed in Firefox 0.9, or generating random browser names to parody the changes from Phoenix to Firebird to Firefox in 2003–2004.
[edit] Updating extensions
Firefox periodically checks for updates to installed extensions, although they can be manually checked in the extension window. If the extension's install.rdf manifest contains a custom update.rdf RDF file, this will be used to check for updates. Otherwise, Firefox will look for updates at addons.mozilla.org.
[edit] Plugins
Mozilla Firefox and related software uses Add-on as an inclusive term for a category of augmentation modules that are subdivided into plugins, extensions, themes, and search engines.[1]
Plugins are similar to extensions; both modify or add features. The common plugins are Acrobat Reader, Flash Player, Java, Quicktime, RealPlayer, Shockwave, Windows Media Player [2]; there are about one thousand extensions.
Firefox includes a tool for managing extensions, allowing them to be listed, selectively enabled/disabled, or uninstalled. But once a plugin is installed, there is no built-in management interface for disabling or uninstalling, other than the content management tool for enabling/disabling Java (and JavaScript).
[edit] See also
- Mozilla Add-ons
- Theme (computing)
- List of Firefox extensions
- List of Thunderbird extensions
