Most installed programs on computers and mobile devices include the ability to install additional functionality, add-ons, or fixes in the form of plug-ins. Thanks to this, the main application can work better and safer. The plug-in itself (add-on, extension) is a module created for a specific program, as well as for programs that allow and support its installation from third-party applications, which, at the request of the user, can be connected.
There are many extensions designed for various applications, browsers or Internet resources. This article will focus on the Mozilla Firefox browser and add-ons that you can connect to it. Let's dwell on how to update plugins.
History
Of course, it is worth noting that it was Mozilla that became the first browser to start using add-on technology. While other manufacturers in this category tried to improve their product with updates to the main application, Firefox developers, along with stability, already included additional features with the help of extensions. Subsequently, the development of plug-ins for "Mozilla" could already be dealt with by anyone who is versed in this matter.
Plugin Installation
So, to install the necessary plug-in for the Firefox browser, the user needs to go to the company's web resource and select the extension he likes. Further, using prompts with the installation of the selected add-on, problems should not arise. In the meantime, both the developers of the main application and the creators of extensions to increase stability, security and add useful features periodically release updates that are recommended to be installed.
How to update plugins in Mozilla
In Mozilla, you can update them both in manual mode and do it automatically. To independently check and install the latest versions of your add-ons, you need to go to the browser menu, click "Add-ons", then go to the "Extensions" menu. At the top, click on the gear and select "Check for Updates." If there are any, then, if desired, they can be installed by pressing the appropriate button.
In the case when the user wants to update the plugins automatically, then you need to go to the above path, but now in the gear menu check the box “Automatically update add-ons”. Now the relevance of the installed plugins will be monitored by the browser, checking for new versions every time it starts.
Problems and Solutions
There is a situation when the developers of Mozilla release an update for their main application, after installing which some plugins are disabled. According to the creators of the browser, this is because these add-ons are no longer consistent with their stable work with the new technology introduced in the new version of the browser. In this case, users need to update the plugins manually, even if “Automatic mode” was selected and for some reason this did not happen.
After making sure that there is no new version, you must remove the plug-in or disable the "Check for add-on compatibility" function. Everyone should do the second option only at their own peril and risk, since as a result the browser security may decrease, which, in turn, may lead to its unstable operation. If the user is sure that the extension will not affect the performance of the main program, then you can install the same plugins by disabling compatibility checking in advance. But the surest way is to do it yourself, by adding a parameter to the browser’s internal settings. To do this, enter about: addons in the address bar. Next, create a boolean parameter extensions.checkCompatibility and put it into false mode.
After the reboot, the compatibility check mode will be disabled, and then it will be possible to update the plugin.