Mozilla Announces new Firefox API
Future Firefox extensions will be compatible with Chrome.
The Mozilla project continues its overhaul of the web browser with the announcement of a new extension API called WebExtensions. The new API and its surrounding technologies will replace the add-on architecture currently used by Firefox developers. The WebExtensions API offers several advantages, including better performance and multiprocess capabilities through Mozilla’s Electrolysis project, but the biggest reason for the change appears to be compatibility with other browsers. According to the announcement, “Extension code written for Chrome, Opera, or, possibly in the future, Microsoft Edge, will run in Firefox with few changes as a WebExtension.”
The Firefox team also reiterated that it will require “… all extensions to be validated and signed by Mozilla starting in Firefox 41,” which will arrive on September 22. The announcement also says Firefox has decided on an approximate timeline for the deprecation of XPCOM- and XUL-based add-ons.
Electrolysis, which continues to evolve in the background, is perhaps the most revolutionary component of the recent Firefox changes. According to Mozilla, the goal of Electrolysis is to “… render and execute web-related content in a single background ‘content’ process that communicates with the main Firefox process via various ipdl protocols. The two major advantages of this model are security and performance. Security improvements are accomplished through sandboxing; performance improvements are born out of the fact that multiple processes better leverage available client computing power.”
Issue 270/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
OpenMandriva Lx 23.03 Rolling Release is Now Available
OpenMandriva "ROME" is the latest point update for the rolling release Linux distribution and offers the latest updates for a number of important applications and tools.
-
CarbonOS: A New Linux Distro with a Focus on User Experience
CarbonOS is a brand new, built-from-scratch Linux distribution that uses the Gnome desktop and has a special feature that makes it appealing to all types of users.
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.