Jetpack promises smoother add-ons for Firefox
Published: 21 May 2009 12:38 BST
Mozilla Labs has launched a new project called Jetpack that could drastically change how Firefox users interact with websites and manage third party add-ons.
The Jetpack release, announced on Wednesday, enables developers to create code packages that can be toggled on and off without the user having to restart their browser. This is something that cannot be done with Firefox's current add-on system, but has been possible in third-party tools such as Greasemonkey, which allow users to pick and choose which scripts are active.
Jetpack also lets developers create code that does not become outdated or broken when Firefox gets a major update. This is a problem that has plagued Firefox add-ons for years. It forces developers to make small tweaks or changes to get an extension up and running, even if they have long since stopped working on that particular extension. By contrast, any Firefox add-ons created using Jetpack should still work.
Aza Raskin, head of user experience for Mozilla Labs, demonstrates some uses of Jetpack in an introductory video. One use is as a simple ad-blocking tool, which users can toggle on and off to keep the browser from loading certain page elements from ad providers. In addition, it can be used to create custom code that will do the same thing with other page elements.
Jetpack can also give users more control over what they see on a site, and how they can interact with the site's content. Like Ubiquity, another Mozilla Labs project, it delivers the add-on to users when they visit a site with Jetpack controls. As a result, there is less need for developers to promote their add-ons in a directory in order for users to find them.
Raskin warned that at version 0.1, the Jetpack release is still rough. Mozilla has posted a few code samples and more information about the project on the Jetpack developer site.
Credit: Mozilla's Jetpack to bring next generation add-ons from CNET News
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