Mozilla introduces Jetpack, a new way for users to create add-ons

If you use Mozilla Firefox, as I’m sure most of you do, then you are probably familiar with add-ons, pieces of code that allows Firefox to perform different functions. They are all free to install and Mozilla touts that 1 billion add-ons have been downloaded and installed. In an effort to promote the usage of add-ons, Mozilla released a product from their Mozilla Labs called Jetpack. In short, it is an open source project that allows developers to create any add-ons they wish for all to enjoy.

Interestingly enough, whenever you use an add-on created with Jetpack, it installs within a few seconds, doesn’t require a restart of Firefox, nor does it have to be compatible with any certain Firefox version. As long as Jetpack is installed on Firefox, you can install anything that runs on it. Now, as long as you are familiar with HTML, CSS, and Javascript, you can design your own add-ons using Jetpack. Mozilla’s main goal is to “enhance the browser” and allow “anyone who can build a Web site to participate in making the Web a better place to work, communicate and play.”

They recently made Jetpack version 0.1 available a few days ago. Some core features include:

• Initial Jetpack APIs with support for statusbars, tabs, content-scripts, animations, and more.
• Support for external API libraries (e.g. Twitter)
• jQuery support
• Integrated development environment with Bespin, with immediate installs and a fast development cycle
• Inline debugging with Firebug
• This initial release of the Jetpack API does not include a fully formed security model. It is being released for testing, development, and feedback.

Mozilla has extensive plans on other versions of Jetpack loaded with better features assuming they receive constructive criticism. As I mentioned before, the whole project is open source and completely open for anyone to use. I could see this becoming a big thing, as Firefox and Mozilla are already very popular.

Read [Mozilla Labs]