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Add-ons
  1. MDN
  2. Mozilla
  3. Add-ons
  4. Add-on SDK
  5. High-Level APIs
  6. url

url

In This Article
  1. Globals
    1. Constructors
      1. URL(source, base)
      2. DataURL(uri)
    2. Functions
      1. toFilename(url)
      2. fromFilename(path)
      3. isValidURI(uri)
      4. getTLD(url)
  2. URL
    1. Methods
      1. toString()
      2. toJSON()
    2. Properties
      1. scheme
      2. userPass
      3. host
      4. port
      5. path
      6. hostname
      7. pathname
      8. hash
      9. href
      10. origin
      11. protocol
      12. search
  3. DataURL
    1. Methods
      1. toString()
    2. Properties
      1. mimeType
      2. parameters
      3. base64
      4. data

Add-ons using the techniques described in this document are considered a legacy technology in Firefox. Don't use these techniques to develop new add-ons. Use WebExtensions instead. If you maintain an add-on which uses the techniques described here, consider migrating it to use WebExtensions.

From Firefox 53 onwards, no new legacy add-ons will be accepted on addons.mozilla.org (AMO).

From Firefox 57 onwards, WebExtensions will be the only supported extension type, and Firefox will not load other types.

Even before Firefox 57, changes coming up in the Firefox platform will break many legacy extensions. These changes include multiprocess Firefox (e10s), sandboxing, and multiple content processes. Legacy extensions that are affected by these changes should migrate to WebExtensions if they can. See the "Compatibility Milestones" document for more.

A wiki page containing resources, migration paths, office hours, and more, is available to help developers transition to the new technologies.

Experimental

Construct, validate, and parse URLs.

Globals

Constructors

URL(source, base)

The URL constructor creates an object that represents a URL, verifying that the provided string is a valid URL in the process. Any API in the SDK which has a URL parameter will accept URL objects, not raw strings, unless otherwise noted.

Parameters

source : string
A string to be converted into a URL. If source is not a valid URI, this constructor will throw an exception.

base : string
An optional string used to resolve relative source URLs into absolute ones.

DataURL(uri)

The DataURL constructor creates an object that represents a data: URL, verifying that the provided string is a valid data: URL in the process.

Parameters

uri : string
A string to be parsed as Data URL. If is not a valid URI, this constructor will throw an exception.

Functions

toFilename(url)

Attempts to convert the given URL to a native file path. This function will automatically attempt to resolve non-file protocols, such as the resource: protocol, to their place on the file system. An exception is raised if the URL can't be converted; otherwise, the native file path is returned as a string.

Parameters

url : string
The URL, as a string, to be converted.

Returns

string : The converted native file path as a string.

fromFilename(path)

Converts the given native file path to a file: URL.

Parameters

path : string
The native file path, as a string, to be converted.

Returns

string : The converted URL as a string.

isValidURI(uri)

Checks the validity of a URI. isValidURI("http://mozilla.org") would return true, whereas isValidURI("mozilla.org") would return false.

Parameters

uri : string
The URI, as a string, to be tested.

Returns

boolean : A boolean indicating whether or not the URI is valid.

getTLD(url)

Returns the top-level domain for the given URL: that is, the highest-level domain under which individual domains may be registered. Uses getPublicSuffix() internally.

var urls = require("sdk/url");
console.log(urls.getTLD("http://www.bbc.co.uk/"));          // "co.uk"
console.log(urls.getTLD("https://developer.mozilla.org/")); // "org"
Parameters

url : string
The URL, as a string.

Returns

string : The top-level domain for the URL.

URL

Methods

toString()

Returns a string representation of the URL.

Returns

string : The URL as a string.

toJSON()

Returns a string representation of the URL.

Returns

string : The URL as a string.

Properties

scheme

The name of the protocol in the URL, without the trailing ':'. Compare with protocol. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.scheme);  // https

userPass

The username:password part of the URL, null if not present.

host

The host of the URL, null if not present. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.host);  // developer.mozilla.org

port

The port number of the URL, null if none was specified.

path

The path component of the URL. Contains everything after the host of the URL. Compare with pathname. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.path);  // /en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top

hostname

The domain of the URL, as a string. Mirrors window.location.hostname. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.hostname);  // developer.mozilla.org

pathname

An initial '/' followed by the path of the URL, as a string. Compare with path. Mirrors window.location.pathname. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.pathname);  // /en-US/Add-ons

hash

A '#' followed by the fragment identifier of the URL, as a string. Mirrors window.location.hash. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.hash);  // #top

href

The whole URL as a string. Mirrors window.location.href.

origin

The canonical form of the origin for this URL, as a string. Mirrors window.location.origin.

protocol

The protocol of the URL, including the final ':', as a string. Compare with scheme. Mirrors window.location.protocol. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.protocol);  // https:

search

If any parameters are present, a '?' followed by the parameters of the URL, as a string. Mirrors window.location.search. For example:

var url = require("sdk/url").URL("https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons?example=true&visible=yes#top");
console.log(url.search);  // ?example=true&visible=yes

DataURL

Methods

toString()

Returns a string representation of the Data URL. If base64 is true, the data property is encoded using base-64 encoding.

Returns

string : The URL as a string.

Properties

mimeType

The MIME type of the data. By default is an empty string.

parameters

An hashmap that contains the parameters of the Data URL. By default is an empty object.

base64

Defines the encoding for the value in data property.

data

The string that contains the data in the Data URL. If the uri given to the constructor contains base64 parameter, this string is decoded.

Document Tags and Contributors

Tags: 
  • Add-on SDK
 Contributors to this page: wbamberg, Mirisong, DD0101, evold
 Last updated by: wbamberg, Dec 1, 2016, 10:25:11 AM
See also
  1. WebExtensions
  2. Getting started
    1. What are WebExtensions?
    2. Your first WebExtension
    3. Your second WebExtension
    4. Anatomy of a WebExtension
    5. Example WebExtensions
  3. How to
    1. Intercept HTTP requests
    2. Modify a web page
    3. Add a button to the toolbar
    4. Implement a settings page
  4. Concepts
    1. Using the JavaScript APIs
    2. User interface components
    3. Content scripts
    4. Match patterns
    5. Internationalization
    6. Content Security Policy
    7. Native messaging
  5. Porting
    1. Porting a Google Chrome extension
    2. Porting a legacy Firefox add-on
    3. Embedded WebExtensions
    4. Comparison with the Add-on SDK
    5. Comparison with XUL/XPCOM extensions
    6. Chrome incompatibilities
  6. Firefox workflow
    1. Temporary Installation in Firefox
    2. Debugging
    3. Getting started with web-ext
    4. web-ext command reference
    5. WebExtensions and the Add-on ID
    6. Publishing your WebExtension
  7. JavaScript APIs
    1. Browser support for JavaScript APIs
    2. alarms
    3. bookmarks
    4. browserAction
    5. browsingData
    6. commands
    7. contextMenus
    8. contextualIdentities
    9. cookies
    10. downloads
    11. events
    12. extension
    13. extensionTypes
    14. history
    15. i18n
    16. identity
    17. idle
    18. management
    19. notifications
    20. omnibox
    21. pageAction
    22. runtime
    23. sessions
    24. sidebarAction
    25. storage
    26. tabs
    27. topSites
    28. webNavigation
    29. webRequest
    30. windows
  8. Manifest keys
    1. applications
    2. author
    3. background
    4. browser_action
    5. chrome_url_overrides
    6. commands
    7. content_scripts
    8. content_security_policy
    9. default_locale
    10. description
    11. developer
    12. homepage_url
    13. icons
    14. manifest_version
    15. name
    16. omnibox
    17. options_ui
    18. page_action
    19. permissions
    20. short_name
    21. sidebar_action
    22. version
    23. web_accessible_resources
  9. Add-on SDK
  10. Getting started
    1. Installation
    2. Getting started
    3. Troubleshooting
  11. High-Level APIs
    1. addon-page
    2. base64
    3. clipboard
    4. context-menu
    5. hotkeys
    6. indexed-db
    7. l10n
    8. notifications
    9. page-mod
    10. page-worker
    11. panel
    12. passwords
    13. private-browsing
    14. querystring
    15. request
    16. selection
    17. self
    18. simple-prefs
    19. simple-storage
    20. system
    21. tabs
    22. timers
    23. ui
    24. url
    25. webextension
    26. widget
    27. windows
  12. Low-Level APIs
    1. /loader
    2. chrome
    3. console/plain-text
    4. console/traceback
    5. content/content
    6. content/loader
    7. content/mod
    8. content/symbiont
    9. content/worker
    10. core/heritage
    11. core/namespace
    12. core/promise
    13. dev/panel
    14. event/core
    15. event/target
    16. frame/hidden-frame
    17. frame/utils
    18. fs/path
    19. io/byte-streams
    20. io/file
    21. io/text-streams
    22. lang/functional
    23. lang/type
    24. loader/cuddlefish
    25. loader/sandbox
    26. net/url
    27. net/xhr
    28. places/bookmarks
    29. places/favicon
    30. places/history
    31. platform/xpcom
    32. preferences/event-target
    33. preferences/service
    34. remote/child
    35. remote/parent
    36. stylesheet/style
    37. stylesheet/utils
    38. system/child_process
    39. system/environment
    40. system/events
    41. system/runtime
    42. system/unload
    43. system/xul-app
    44. tabs/utils
    45. test/assert
    46. test/harness
    47. test/httpd
    48. test/runner
    49. test/utils
    50. ui/button/action
    51. ui/button/toggle
    52. ui/frame
    53. ui/id
    54. ui/sidebar
    55. ui/toolbar
    56. util/array
    57. util/collection
    58. util/deprecate
    59. util/list
    60. util/match-pattern
    61. util/object
    62. util/uuid
    63. window/utils
  13. Firefox for Android
  14. Getting started
    1. Walkthrough
    2. Debugging
    3. Code snippets
  15. APIs
    1. Accounts.jsm
    2. BrowserApp
    3. HelperApps.jsm
    4. Home.jsm
    5. HomeProvider.jsm
    6. JavaAddonManager.jsm
    7. NativeWindow
    8. Notifications.jsm
    9. PageActions.jsm
    10. Prompt.jsm
    11. RuntimePermissions.jsm
    12. Snackbars.jsm
    13. Sound.jsm
    14. Tab
  16. Legacy
  17. Restartless extensions
    1. Overview
  18. Overlay extensions
    1. Overview
  19. Themes
  20. Lightweight themes
    1. Overview
  21. Complete themes
    1. Overview
  22. Publishing add-ons
  23. Guides
    1. Signing and distribution overview
    2. Submit an add-on
    3. Review policies
    4. Developer agreement
    5. Featured add-ons
    6. Contact addons.mozilla.org
  24. Community and support
  25. Channels
    1. Add-ons blog
    2. Add-on forums
    3. Stack Overflow
    4. Development newsgroup
    5. IRC Channel