8 ms·

If you're on Fennec you can already use a custom addon collection where you can add anything you want.

by worble 5y ago

brnt 5y ago
I use Fennec but have no idea what a 'custom addon collection' is. I'd like to install one particular addon thats currently not available.
- input_sh 5y ago
  The way supported add-ons work right now is that there's a list (AKA a collection) of supported add-ons maintained by Mozilla that you see on a phone by default. You can create a custom collection on a desktop and then override that Mozilla's collection within mobile Firefox's settings: https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2020/09/29/expanded-extension-support-in-firefox-for-android-nightly/ https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2020/09/29/expanded-extensio... You can install any add-on available on the desktop like that, but your mileage may vary of course.
  - brnt 5y ago
    Thanks. I don't wish to use a Firefox account however. It seems a bit arbitrary to not allow direct installs, but allow them through this workaround.
    - input_sh 5y ago
      They allow direct installs of add-ons that they know were tested properly and work fine on a phone, not those where they can't guarantee that level of stability (while still giving you that as an option if you feel like experimenting). I don't see how that's arbitrary, I see it as a well thought out process, even if I wish more add-ons were added to that collection.
      - dblohm7 5y ago
        (Former Firefox for Android engineer here) I agree that there should be more allowed add-ons. Engineering didn't put in all the effort to implement the add-ons APIs on Mobile only for it to be restricted to such a small set. Unfortunately that's a product decision.
  - blibble 5y ago
    is there a way to do this with the official build of the stable version? I would assume running nightly is less than ideal for regular browsing
    - dblohm7 5y ago
      Unfortunately custom collections are limited to Nightly.
  - dblohm7 5y ago
    > he way supported add-ons work right now is that there's a list (AKA a collection) of supported add-ons maintained by Mozilla that you see on a phone by default. They're not maintained by Mozilla, but they're "recommended" and are reviewed more thoroughly. (I used to work on Firefox for Android)
    - teruakohatu 5y ago
      > (I used to work on Firefox for Android) Can you offer any insignt into why Mozilla makes up jump through all these hoops just to install extentions?
      - iggldiggl 5y ago
        Unfortunately it seems that at some point they've also talked themselves into believing that continuing to run add-ons within the main browser process has suddenly become the height of irresponsibility and absolutely and totally unsafe, so a few add-ons are grudgingly permitted with additional scrutiny given during review, but - they don't want expand that process further, because it's counter to the direction that AMO has been moving (from manual pre-publication review of all public add-ons towards automated checks and only manual post-publication spot checks) - running add-ons in a separate process as on Desktop isn't possible, because on Android secondary processes can get killed at any time, which add-ons aren't set up to handle correctly For some reason I've only seen this explanation buried somewhere inside some Mozilla's Discourse forum (I think, if I remember correctly), but I think not much (if at all) as an explanation in the Github issue tracker and certainly never on the official Add-ons blog. Though I have to admit that even if the above explanation was given a wider airing, for me it already smacks too much of "the safest computer is one you never turn on" and I'd still be unhappy about the add-ons situation and continue complaining.
        dblohm7 5y ago
        > running add-ons in a separate process as on Desktop isn't possible, because on Android secondary processes can get killed at any time, which add-ons aren't set up to handle correctly That's true (though it will probably improve as WebExtensions evolves toward service workers), but engineering wasn't hung up on that.
donio 5y ago
Yep, I use this to get vimium-FF on Fennec. It's a little fiddly to setup but it's just another item on the long list of tweaks to make Android tolerable.

If you're on Fennec you can already use a custom addon collection where you can add anything you want.

by worble 5y ago

If you're on Fennec you can already use a custom addon collection where you can add anything you want.

brnt 5y ago

I use Fennec but have no idea what a 'custom addon collection' is. I'd like to install one particular addon thats currently not available.

input_sh 5y ago
The way supported add-ons work right now is that there's a list (AKA a collection) of supported add-ons maintained by Mozilla that you see on a phone by default. You can create a custom collection on a desktop and then override that Mozilla's collection within mobile Firefox's settings: https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2020/09/29/expanded-extension-support-in-firefox-for-android-nightly/ https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2020/09/29/expanded-extensio... You can install any add-on available on the desktop like that, but your mileage may vary of course.
- brnt 5y ago
  Thanks. I don't wish to use a Firefox account however. It seems a bit arbitrary to not allow direct installs, but allow them through this workaround.
  - input_sh 5y ago
    They allow direct installs of add-ons that they know were tested properly and work fine on a phone, not those where they can't guarantee that level of stability (while still giving you that as an option if you feel like experimenting). I don't see how that's arbitrary, I see it as a well thought out process, even if I wish more add-ons were added to that collection.
    - dblohm7 5y ago
      (Former Firefox for Android engineer here) I agree that there should be more allowed add-ons. Engineering didn't put in all the effort to implement the add-ons APIs on Mobile only for it to be restricted to such a small set. Unfortunately that's a product decision.
- blibble 5y ago
  is there a way to do this with the official build of the stable version? I would assume running nightly is less than ideal for regular browsing
  - dblohm7 5y ago
    Unfortunately custom collections are limited to Nightly.
- dblohm7 5y ago
  > he way supported add-ons work right now is that there's a list (AKA a collection) of supported add-ons maintained by Mozilla that you see on a phone by default. They're not maintained by Mozilla, but they're "recommended" and are reviewed more thoroughly. (I used to work on Firefox for Android)
  - teruakohatu 5y ago
    > (I used to work on Firefox for Android) Can you offer any insignt into why Mozilla makes up jump through all these hoops just to install extentions?
    - iggldiggl 5y ago
      Unfortunately it seems that at some point they've also talked themselves into believing that continuing to run add-ons within the main browser process has suddenly become the height of irresponsibility and absolutely and totally unsafe, so a few add-ons are grudgingly permitted with additional scrutiny given during review, but - they don't want expand that process further, because it's counter to the direction that AMO has been moving (from manual pre-publication review of all public add-ons towards automated checks and only manual post-publication spot checks) - running add-ons in a separate process as on Desktop isn't possible, because on Android secondary processes can get killed at any time, which add-ons aren't set up to handle correctly For some reason I've only seen this explanation buried somewhere inside some Mozilla's Discourse forum (I think, if I remember correctly), but I think not much (if at all) as an explanation in the Github issue tracker and certainly never on the official Add-ons blog. Though I have to admit that even if the above explanation was given a wider airing, for me it already smacks too much of "the safest computer is one you never turn on" and I'd still be unhappy about the add-ons situation and continue complaining.
      - dblohm7 5y ago
        > running add-ons in a separate process as on Desktop isn't possible, because on Android secondary processes can get killed at any time, which add-ons aren't set up to handle correctly That's true (though it will probably improve as WebExtensions evolves toward service workers), but engineering wasn't hung up on that.

donio 5y ago

Yep, I use this to get vimium-FF on Fennec. It's a little fiddly to setup but it's just another item on the long list of tweaks to make Android tolerable.