this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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What's the best way to sideload extensions? (lemdro.id)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by 2kool4idkwhat@lemdro.id to c/firefox@lemmy.ml
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I've wanted to install an extension from outside addons.mozilla.org, but Firefox didn't let me do it

So I've did a small research and looks like there are 3 ways to sideload extensions, but all of them suck

  1. Using FF Developer Edition

In the Dev Edition you can set xpinstall.signatures.required to false in about:config, but the problem is that the Dev Edition isn't as stable as standard FF

  1. Temporarily load the extension

In about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox you can temporarily sideload extensions, but they will be removed next time you open FF, which is annoying

  1. Modify FF code

Lastly, I found this script which modifies the FF code, but this can break things so I don't want to use it

I'm really annoyed that Mozilla gets to decide which extensions I can install. So... what's the best way to sideload extensions?

Edit: thanks everyone, I'm now using a FF fork (Librewolf) which lets me sideload extensions after disabling xpinstall.signatures.required

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[–] igorlogius@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

not exaclty an answer to you question ... but just fyi you could also just create an AMO account (it's free) and upload your addon for self distribution (to not have them appear on addons.mozilla.org) and then you can download and install them into stable version persistently.

sidenote: i think instead of nightly you can also use the unbranded builds to have a stable version which allows you to use xpinstall.signatures.required. ref. https://wiki.mozilla.org/Add-ons/Extension_Signing#Unbranded_Builds

[–] 2kool4idkwhat@lemdro.id 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Oh thanks, I didn't know about unbranded builds

Also, regular FF stores settings and profiles in ~/.mozilla/firefox, do you know where unbranded builds of FF store them?

Edit: nvm someone else in this thread said to open about:profiles, and the path to profile folder is there

[–] reddithalation@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 years ago

yeah, i got a mozilla dev account and uploaded an extension for a joke, and it was pretty easy and fast.

[–] true_blue@lemmy.comfysnug.space 1 points 2 years ago

I was going to do the unbranded build option but from what I could find, unbranded builds don't get updates.