Mozilla To Make Add-Ons Use WebExtensions API, Compatible With Chrome

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Mozilla To Make Add-Ons Use WebExtensions API, Compatible With Chrome

Mozilla announced this morning they'll be making some major changes to Firefox Add-Ons, which includes a new extension API that will be largely compatible with the Chrome and Opera web-browsers...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Firefox-Add-Ons-Chrome

[GraysonPeddie]

Does that mean I can add Google+ Notifier from Chrome and into Firefox? I would hope that Google would make a Google+ extension for Firefox. I'm a happy user of Firefox and I have migrated from Google Chrome for a much better integration with GNOME Shell 3.16.

[SvenK]

Does that mean I can add Google+ Notifier from Chrome and into Firefox? I would hope that Google would make a Google+ extension for Firefox. I'm a happy user of Firefox and I have migrated from Google Chrome for a much better integration with GNOME Shell 3.16.

I think it means that a Developer can easily port their Chrome Add-on for Firefox. (Like for MS Edge)

[MoonMoon]

This means that Mozilla gives up Firefox's great expandability just for being Chrome compatible. Sad news!

[bug77]

They must be loosing momentum fast. Because one of the last reasons to use Firefox over Chrome is the richer add-on library.
And it saddens me because my primary browsers are still Seamonkey (no new release since March or so ) and Firefox.

[Michael_S]

This means that Mozilla gives up Firefox's great expandability just for being Chrome compatible. Sad news!

Chrome just keeps eating Firefox marketshare, I think they have to fight every way they can to keep it.

[SvenK]

I think the Webextension Api is primarily a preparation for the new Servo engine, since there is a discussion to replace XUL by web technologies.

[extraymond]

This means that Mozilla gives up Firefox's great expandability just for being Chrome compatible. Sad news!

Not sure how you interpreting that as giving up, I feel it's good for making addons cross-browser compatible.
It sure will require the good old addons on AMO to be rewritten or reworked. But you can sill have "native" addons if that's what you're pursuing.

[Sdar]

Not sure how you interpreting that as giving up, I feel it's good for making addons cross-browser compatible.
It sure will require the good old addons on AMO to be rewritten or reworked. But you can sill have "native" addons if that's what you're pursuing.

Look into the details:

Deprecation of XUL, XPCOM, and the permissive add-on model

XPCOM and XUL are two of the most fundamental technologies to Firefox. The ability to write much of the browser in JavaScript has been a huge advantage for Mozilla. It also makes Firefox far more customizable than other browsers. However, the add-on model that arose naturally from these technologies is extremely permissive. Add-ons have complete access to Firefox?s internal implementation. This lack of modularity leads to many problems.
A permissive add-on model means that we have limited flexibility in changing the foundations of Firefox. The add-on breakage caused by Electrolysis is an important example of this problem. Technologies like CPOWs help us to work around add-on problems; however, CPOWs have been a huge investment in effort and they are still slow and somewhat unreliable.
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So probably extensions like tree style tabs are going to disappear in the future.

[EmbraceUnity]

So probably extensions like tree style tabs are going to disappear in the future.

Not if they switch to browser.html which is in the works