Overview

What is a Firefox Extension?

Firefox is a popular web browser that is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Many users find it superior to Internet Explorer in terms of the features that it provides. Furthermore, it is extensible, meaning that individuals can write small pieces software to incorporate their own features into Firefox. These snippets of software for Firefox are called Firefox extensions, and they have simple, one-click installations available on the various web sites that host them.

That's Great, but Where Can I Find Them and What Do They Do?

You can see the Firefox extensions that I have created by following the My Creations link to the left. I also discuss extensions that I find useful under More Extensions. However, the best places to find new extensions are:

• Mozilla Update - In Firefox, Tools -> Add-ons -> Get Extensions brings you to this web site, so I suppose this is the "official" site for Firefox extensions. There, you can see which extensions are the most frequently downloaded, the most highly rated, or the most recently updated. You can also add your own comments and ratings to extensions listed there.
• Extension Room - This is similar to the Mozilla Update site. It is not as easy to navigate; however, it appears to have more extensions listed on it than Mozilla Update does. Most extensions will be listed on both web sites.

If you are interested in creating your own Firefox extension, then you can use the tips I list at Build Your Own as a starting point.

Are These Things Going to Take Over My Browser?

No. One of the nice things about Firefox's extension system is that Firefox provides an uninstaller for each extension so the author of the extension does not have to. To remove an extension in Firefox (or even just to see a list of the extensions you have installed), go to Tools -> Add-ons, select the extension you wish to remove, and then click the Uninstall button.