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  3. Add-ons
  4. Browser extensions
  5. User interface

User interface

Extensions that use WebExtension APIs are provided with several user interface options so that their functionality can be made available to the user. A summary of those options is provided below, with a more detailed introduction to each user interface option in this section.

UI option Description Example
Browser toolbar button A button on the browser toolbar that dispatches an event to the extension when clicked. By default, the button is visible in all tabs. Example of a WebExtension toolbar button
Browser toolbar button with a popup A popup on a button in the browser toolbar that opens when the button is clicked. The popup is defined in an HTML document that handles the user interaction. Example of a WebExtension toolbar button with a popup
Address bar button A button on the browser address bar that dispatches an event to the extension when clicked. By default, the button is hidden in all tabs. Example showing an address bar button (page action)
Address bar button with a popup A popup on a button in the browser address bar that opens when the button is clicked. The popup is defined in an HTML document that handles the user interaction. Example of a popup on the address bar button
Context menu items Menu items, checkboxes, and radio buttons on one or more of the browser's context menus. Also, menus can be structured by adding separators. When menu items are clicked, an event is dispatched to the extension.
Sidebar

An HTML document displayed next to a web page, with the option for unique content per page. The sidebar is opened when the extension is installed, then obeys the user's sidebar visibility selection. User interaction within the sidebar is handled by its HTML document.

Example of a WebExtension's sidebar
Options page A page that enables you to define preferences for your extension that your users can change. The user can access this page in the from the browser's add-ons manager. Example showing the options page content added in the favorite colors example.
Bundled web pages Use web pages included in your extension to provide forms, help, or any other content required, within windows or tabs. Example of a simple bundled page displayed as a detached panel.
Notifications Transient notifications displayed to the user through the underlying operating system's notifications mechanism. Dispatches an event to the extension when the user clicks a notification, or when a notification closes (either automatically or at the user's request). Example notification from a WebExtension
Address bar suggestions Offer custom address bar suggestions when the user enters a keyword. Example showing the result of the firefox_code_search WebExtension's customization of the address bar suggestions.
Developer tools panels A tab with an associated HTML document that displays in the browser's developer tools. New panel tab in the Developer Tools tab bar

The following how-to guides provide step-by-step guidance to creating some of these user interface options:

  • Add a button to the toolbar
  • Implement a settings page
  • Extending the developer tools

Document Tags and Contributors

Tags: 
  • Landing
  • User Interface
  • WebExtensions
 Contributors to this page: andrewtruongmoz, rebloor, wbamberg
 Last updated by: andrewtruongmoz, Jul 6, 2017, 2:47:57 PM
See also
  1. Browser extensions
  2. Getting started
    1. What are extensions?
    2. Your first extension
    3. Your second extension
    4. Anatomy of an extension
    5. Example extensions
  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. User interface
    1. Introduction
    2. Toolbar button
    3. Address bar button
    4. Sidebar
    5. Context menu items
    6. Options page
    7. Bundled web pages
    8. Notifications
    9. Address bar suggestions
    10. Developer tools panels
  5. Concepts
    1. Using the JavaScript APIs
    2. Content scripts
    3. Match patterns
    4. Internationalization
    5. Content Security Policy
    6. Native messaging
  6. Porting
    1. Porting a Google Chrome extension
    2. Porting a legacy Firefox extension
    3. Embedded WebExtensions
    4. Comparison with the Add-on SDK
    5. Comparison with XUL/XPCOM extensions
    6. Chrome incompatibilities
    7. Differences between desktop and Android
  7. Firefox workflow
    1. Temporary Installation in Firefox
    2. Debugging
    3. Developing for Firefox for Android
    4. Getting started with web-ext
    5. web-ext command reference
    6. Extensions and the Add-on ID
    7. Publishing your extension
  8. 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. devtools.inspectedWindow
    11. devtools.network
    12. devtools.panels
    13. downloads
    14. events
    15. extension
    16. extensionTypes
    17. history
    18. i18n
    19. identity
    20. idle
    21. management
    22. notifications
    23. omnibox
    24. pageAction
    25. permissions
    26. privacy
    27. proxy
    28. runtime
    29. sessions
    30. sidebarAction
    31. storage
    32. tabs
    33. topSites
    34. types
    35. webNavigation
    36. webRequest
    37. windows
  9. Manifest keys
    1. applications
    2. author
    3. background
    4. browser_action
    5. chrome_settings_overrides
    6. chrome_url_overrides
    7. commands
    8. content_scripts
    9. content_security_policy
    10. default_locale
    11. description
    12. developer
    13. devtools_page
    14. homepage_url
    15. icons
    16. incognito
    17. manifest_version
    18. name
    19. omnibox
    20. optional_permissions
    21. options_ui
    22. page_action
    23. permissions
    24. protocol_handlers
    25. short_name
    26. sidebar_action
    27. version
    28. web_accessible_resources
  10. Themes
  11. Publishing add-ons
  12. Guides
    1. Signing and distribution overview
    2. Submit an add-on
    3. Creating an appealing listing
    4. Review policies
    5. Developer agreement
    6. Featured add-ons
    7. Contact addons.mozilla.org
  13. Community and support
  14. Channels
    1. Add-ons blog
    2. Add-on forums
    3. Stack Overflow
    4. Development newsgroup
    5. IRC Channel
  15. Legacy add-ons
  16. Legacy technologies
    1. Add-on SDK
    2. Legacy Firefox for Android
    3. Bootstrapped extensions
    4. Overlay extensions