11/27/2008 Getting Started with Extensions Development in Mozilla Fennec Marcio Galli mobile fennec Mobile XUL MDC

Get started with Extension Development in Fennec

• by Marcio Galli

This technote came out as I started learning how to write an extension for Fennec. I will cover here an extension case, and also the advice on good environment to build your extension, the key differences between Fennec extension development and Firefox extension development, and some other related aspects for someone willing to mutate Fennec. Feel free to send input about this article since I can review.

Setup the Basic Environment

The current target platform to run Fennec is to have a Nokia N810 ( OS2008 / Maemo ) device. However if you don't have you can get an environment up and running with your existing Linux, Mac OSX, or Windows.

• http://www.mozilla.org/projects/fennec/1.0a1/releasenotes/#start Grab a Linux, Mac or Windows XULRUnner-based version

Basics about Fennec in terms of infrastructure

Fennec has:

• Chrome-based ( as in XUL Chrome ) User Interface Layer

• Works on top of XULRunner

• XULRunner infra for Nokia ( N810 for now ) optimizations and some low level APIs / XPCOM components for things like GPS etc

This articles focuses in the XUL/Chrome part of it.

Other reading

There is some work going related to porting XULRunner for Windows Mobile, which would allow developers to put their apps working with XULRunner, or run Fennec, or other things. https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Build/WinMobile6_XULRunner_BrainDump_20080630 Check the discussion from Mozilla Mobile wiki.

References

• http://www.mozilla.org/projects/fennec/1.0a1/releasenotes/ Fenned 1.0a1 release notes

• https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile Mobilla Mozila project wiki page