Mozilla added the WebExtensions API to Firefox a number of years in the past, permitting browser extensions made for Chrome to work on Firefox with minimal (if any) work. Firefox 109 is now rolling out, with a number of adjustments to extension assist.
Google began rolling out a brand new platform for extensions in Chrome on the finish of 2020, generally known as Manifest V3. It’s a big change to how browser extensions perform, with the objective of constructing them safer and fewer resource-intensive. Some APIs have been eliminated and changed with less-powerful options, which affected content material blockers like uBlock Origin — sparking some public outage from customers and extension builders alike. Final month, Google delayed the timeline for eradicating older Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Internet Retailer.
Firefox 109 is now out there, and the principle new characteristic on desktop platforms is preliminary assist for Manifest V3 extensions. Meaning extensions created for newer variations of Chrome and Microsoft Edge ought to nonetheless work in Firefox, however Mozilla isn’t eradicating some options, and can proceed supporting older extensions for the foreseeable future.
Mozilla stated in a weblog publish, “we agreed to introduce Manifest V3 assist for add-ons, sustaining a excessive degree of compatibility to assist cross-browser growth. Nonetheless, there are some essential areas — like safety and privateness — the place our rules name for a special plan of action. In a number of focused areas we determined to depart from Chrome’s implementation and incorporate our personal distinctively Mozilla components. Thus Firefox’s model of Manifest V3 will present cross-browser extension interoperability, together with uniquely improved privateness and safety safeguards, and enhanced compatibility for cellular extensions.”
Moreover Manifest V3, Firefox 109 on desktop provides keyboard navigation assist for HTML date and time enter fields, the elimination of Colorways, and a number of other safety fixes. On Mac, urgent Management/Comand and scrolling a touchpad or mouse wheel now scrolls the web page as a substitute of zooming, to match the conduct of different net browsers on macOS.
Firefox 109 for Android isn’t fairly as thrilling, however there are a number of useful adjustments. Swiping will not activate the deal with bar in full-screen video mode, there’s now an undo button for eradicating a pinned website, and search engines like google and yahoo now replace correctly after a language change. There are additionally a number of bug fixes, like a problem that was affecting video calls utilizing the H.264 video codec.
Firefox 109 is slowly rolling out to Home windows, macOS, Linux, and Android — in the event you don’t have it but, you need to get it quickly. You’ll be able to obtain Firefox from Mozilla’s official website, the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Microsoft Store.
Supply: Desktop changelog, Android changelog, Mozilla blog
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