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Firefox Quantum Extensions Challenge
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Enter the Firefox Quantum Extensions Challenge

13 responses

Firefox users love using extensions to personalize their browsing experience. Now, it’s easier than ever for developers with working knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to create extensions for Firefox using the WebExtensions API. New and improved WebExtensions APIs land with each new Firefox release, giving developers the freedom to create new features and fine-tune their extensions.

You’re invited  to use your skill, savvy, and creativity to create great new extensions for the Firefox Quantum Extensions Challenge. Between March 15 and April 15, 2018, use Firefox Developer Edition to create extensions that make full use of available WebExtensions APIs for one of the prize categories. (Legacy extensions that have been updated to WebExtensions APIs, or Chrome extensions that have been ported to Firefox on or after January 1, 2018, are also eligible for this challenge.)

A panel of judges will select three to four finalists in each category, and the community will be invited to vote for the winners. We’ll announce the winners with the release of Firefox 60 in May 2018. Winners in each category will receive an iPad Pro and promotion of their extensions to Firefox users. Runners-up will receive a $250 USD Amazon gift card.

Ready to get started? Visit the challenge site for more information (including the official rules) and download Firefox Developer Edition.

Winners will be notified by the end of April 2018 and will be announced with the release of Firefox 60 in May 2018.

Good luck!

13 comments on “Enter the Firefox Quantum Extensions Challenge”

  1. Oleksandr wrote on

    > Legacy extensions that have been updated to WebExtensions APIs, or Chrome extensions that have been ported to Firefox on or after January 1, 2018, are also eligible for this challenge.

    Legacy extensions that have been updated to WebExtensions APIs in November-December 2017 (last current version has been updated after January 1, 2018) do not eligible for this challenge?

  2. Bill Gianopoulos wrote on

    At the risk of being banned from more places than Bugzilla, I feel compelled to speak out here. Just having more extensions development so that the number of extensions is comparable to what was there before Firefox Quantum is not really what is required. What was really required was to have a contest to get people to come up with the best extensions to replace the most popular ones that worked before that have now been abandoned because their developers have been turned off on contributing.

    1. Oleksandr wrote on

      You are not right.
      Many extensions were abandoned by the authors many years ago, even before the advent of the WebExtensions era.
      The new WebExtensions API provides almost 99% of all old XUL capabilities.
      Yes, there are no specialized methods, for example full access to the file system, or udp/tcp requests, but these methods were used by a very limited number of extensions.
      My opinion is, if you are a Developer with a capital letter, then you will always find ways and workarounds for the further development of your child.

      1. Charles wrote on

        > 99%
        Please don’t go throwing such numbers taken from the air.

      2. Ben Basson wrote on

        > The new WebExtensions API provides almost 99% of all old XUL capabilities.

        No it doesn’t. Not even close. If I were to try and put a number on it (which would be arbitrary guesswork) it would be less than 50% at best.

      3. Zorin wrote on

        That’s the point what Bill wanted to make. Instead making many new crappy extensions, better make replacement for the abandoned extensions.

        Replacement for UnMHT is really important. As for now, Firefox is the only major browser than can’t open MHT file.

        99%? Where did you get that number from?

      4. David Austin wrote on

        I’m with Bill on this one;

        0% of the extensions I used for Firefox are compatible with quantum. All but two sounds like they *could* be possible in the current API Framework (That drops to one when/if the tab API lands), so getting some of the old extensions that can be ported moved over would be really nice.

        Not a Developer; just a User that’s had to learn way more about Firefox frameworks and policies than they wanted to try and make it do what it’s always done.

  3. erosman wrote on

    There are many add-ons that do not belong to these categories :

    Best Dynamic Theme
    Best Tab Management/Organization
    Best Extension for Games & Entertainment

  4. Ben Basson wrote on

    Respectfully, many of us still can’t port our legacy add-ons because WebExtensions does not provide the level of support required, and from here it looks like Mozilla is moving at a snail’s pace. Most of the enhancement requests aren’t even triaged let alone being worked on. Even if I wanted to contribute, most of the time it wouldn’t be possible due to the lack of direction and/or decision.

  5. Kees wrote on

    Just wondering when Mozilla developers will provide us with the API’s used by the actively developed extensions which no longer works or do not work correctly. An extension like TileTabs is ported but the new user expreience is poor due to Mozilla not providing the correct API’s, the same goes for a numer of other extensions.

    Just a few other examples of plugins no longer working: OverbiteFF and FireFTP, and undoubtedly there are more actively developed addons which are not working because of a lack of a proper API. Is there any indication whether this will be adressed in the coming 3-6 months?

    DO NOT forget that add-ons where what made Firefox appealing to a lot of users and while I do understand that there was an organisational need to get ‘Quantum’ shipped, there is also a need for proper API’s to allow for either proper behaviour of “ported” add-ons (but with a poor user experience due to the lack of a good API) and also allowing for add-ons like FireFTP and Overbite to function correctly…

    In my opinion it should be relatively easy* to do an analysis on the classic XPCOM-based add-ons to see which API should be added first. (* I do not say it doesn’t need some programming, but as XPCOM is based around UUID based contracts it is a good starting point for an analisys). Is there any indication WHEN this will be done?

    1. Ulf3000 wrote on

      It will not happen , you cant provide APIS( i hate the word now) which give you access to xpcom , services and xul .. you can but with an overhead of 40 to 1

  6. kjemmo wrote on

    Would love to enter, but as said in the other comments, the APIs I need is not available.

    Anyone who wants to enter a toolbar add-on will realize that no toolbar API is available. I have lost so much trust in Mozilla and keep loosing more as time flies and WebExtensions do not mature.

  7. Pat Kittle wrote on

    As Zorin stated:

    Replacement for UnMHT is really important. As for now, Firefox is the only major browser than can’t open MHT file.

    It looks like Quantum isn’t going to deal with this, and soon (as I understand it) we’ll be forced to:
    1) download Quantum, or
    2) abandon Firefox.

    I’m probably not the only one who will soon be leaving.