Matt Brubeck

02 Sep 2010

Changes for add-ons in Fennec 2.0 alpha 1

Update (October 2010): We’ve changed the version number of the next mobile Firefox release from 2.0 to 4.0. The alpha release was numbered 2.0a1, but the first beta release will be numbered 4.0b1.

Last week we released a new alpha version of Firefox for Android and Maemo (a.k.a. Fennec). This release brings some major changes and new features for add-on authors. Our Fennec add-on documentation now has the details you need to start updating your Fennec add-ons or creating new ones.

What’s new for add-ons?

One very big change in Fennec 2.0 is Electrolysis, the project to move content and chrome into separate processes. Any add-on code that interacts with web content through the DOM must now be in a separate script that runs in the content process. For details, see the Electrolysis guide for add-on authors.

Fennec 2.0a1 also features new APIs for extending the context menu and site menu. See the User Interface Guide for links to documentation and example code.

The upcoming beta releases will include even more changes. Add-ons that use Fennec’s panning and zooming features will probably need significant changes for the new graphics code in Fennec 2.0b1. We will also include APIs for for add-ons to customize sharing and other new features. If you are working on an add-on that is affected by these changes, please let us know.

Get started

To start updating or creating your Fennec add-on, download Firefox for Android and Nokia N900 or get the emulator for Mac/Windows/Linux. When you’re ready, update your addons.mozilla.org listing and set the maxVersion to 2.0a1. Or you can start getting ready for beta by setting your maxVersion to 2.0b1pre and keeping up-to-date with our pre-beta nightly builds.