Creating Firefox Extensions

by Andy Edmonds for BarCampAtlanta2007

introViz

Caveat: My Skills are a Bit Rusty

•From 2001

Why bother?

Why Bother (redux)

•Browser security restrictions get in the way!

•File access

•Cross Browser

•Great user access point for your software

•Case in point: Stumbleupon

•The browser is really important, and it’s not moving fast enough

Resources - Distribution

http://developer.mozilla.org/

Resources - Mozdev

How Firefox Works

•Common skills in HTML development apply to Firefox UI Creation.

•XUL is a declarative UI language (much like its copycat XAML)

XUL For the Browser Toolbar

More XUL

Simple Example Post to Del.icio.us

•Using XUL Booster for Eclipse

Key Concepts

•Manage Memory Per Window: Implement a Service

•Overlay the UI to Add More Stuff

•Watch a Process: Hook into Progress Listeners

Some Ideas for Extensions

•The Next Great RSS Reader

•Your Product Goes Here

Dual pane browser for wide screens.

Thanks & Happy Hacking

•Andy Edmonds, surmind.com

•http://freeiq.com/andyed