You aren't required to list or distribute your add-on through addons.mozilla.org (AMO); you can distribute it yourself. However, before distributing your add-on yourself, here are some things you should consider:
AMO is a very popular distribution platform with millions of monthly visitors and installations. It's integrated into the Firefox Add-ons Manager, allowing for easy installation of add-ons published on AMO.
When an add-on is listed on AMO, Firefox automatically updates installed copies when a new version is listed on AMO. Firefox updates self-distributed add-ons like this:
update_url
in its manifest, Firefox installs any updates with a higher version number available on that URL.update_url
, Firefox checks AMO for a listed update. If a listed update with a higher version number is available, Firefox distributes that version to users who have installed the self-distributed file.Otherwise, you need to distribute updates for your users to install.
For more information on how to submit an add-on for distribution on AMO or self-distribution, see Submitting an add-on.
Self-distribution optionsWhen you choose to distribute an add-on yourself, users can install them using these methods:
Web download in Firefox for desktopâmake your extension available on a suitable web-accessible server. When a user downloads the signed add-on file, Firefox installs it. The web-accessible server must serve the signed add-on xpi file with Content-Type: application/x-xpinstall
in the HTTP response headers.
This method doesn't work in Firefox for Android. In this case, the add-on is downloaded, and the user needs to follow the instructions for installing add-on from file.
Installing add-on from fileâenables a user to install an add-on using an .xpi
file saved on their computer or Android device.
Add-ons in an enterprise environmentâthis page discusses the use of signed compared to unsigned extensions, installation options, the Firefox settings affecting installation, and including add-ons with a custom Firefox install package.
When distributing an addâon from your website, you have two options for making the signed addâon file available for download:
Recommended approach: from a link on a webpage, like this:
<div id="example-option-1" class="install-ok">
<a href="https://example.com/path/to/extension.xpi">
Install my add-on
</a>
</div>
Using JavaScript, like this:
<div id="example-option-2" class="install-ok">
<button>
Install my add-on
</button>
<script>
document.querySelector("#example-option-2 > button").onclick = () => {
window.location = "https://example.com/path/to/extension.xpi";
};
</script>
</div>
If you take this approach, make sure that the browser detects your JavaScript code as handling user input. For example, it is called from inside a DOM click event.
If the download link or triggering JavaScript is not on the top-level frame of the website, none of the frames between the top-level page and the frame containing the download or JavaScript can be third-party or cross-origin frames.
You may find references to using the InstallTrigger
API to trigger a download from JavaScript. This API is not supported and it will be removed (see Bug 1776426). Its use is, therefore, not recommended.
Using either method, Firefox installs the signed add-on file when the user downloads it.
See submitting an add-on for details on how to download your signed add-on file.
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