Alternatives to legacy add-ons that don’t have direct WebExtension ports

[andrei]

Hi! Since there is this thread summing up WebExtensions alternatives for legacy addons, I think it is a good idea to try to list the non-WebExtension alternatives we have since there are quite a few.
This will really help with supporting users on social media.

FireFTP - Filezilla or any FTP client. A lot of users don’t know unused addons still use resources and a separate app is actually better.

Tamper Data - OWASP ZAP or any pen testing proxy. Edit and resend in DevTools might cover some really small and basic use cases.

Tab Groups - Any tab grouping addon + userChrome.css hack to hide the tab strip

FT DeepDark - Builtin dark theme + userChrome.css and userContent.css hack

Tab MIx PLus - The multi-row feature can be covered with userChrome.css.

Classic Theme Restorer - this repo and this issue

Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar - userChrome.css

Beyond Australis - userChrome.css

BookmarksDropDown - userChrome.css

More useful tweaks here https://github.com/Timvde/UserChrome-Tweaks and here https://vimeo.com/235050016

Please contribute your own ideas

[caitmuenster]

Hey @andrei! Just curious about the use for this list – is this for folks who are running ESR?

[rmcguigan]

I admire the spirit of looking out for the user here, @andrei , however, please take note of the strategies that have been prepared for the release as well:

*https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/712610?last=72430

Some of the add-ons that you are recommending are not compatible with the Firefox 57 version of Firefox. I would not recommend these to the user for their stability and security for their browsers. I would also not recommend downgrading just for an addon and recommend checking out the alternatives recommended already in that support thread.

I am all for customization and power to the user’s choice, however please, please, please let them know they are risking security issues and to keep an eye on any addons that are still being updated on https://arewewebextensionsyet.com/

[freaktechnik]

This list provides alternatives to extensions without Firefox 57 compatibility that involve techniques of modifying the browser other than using a WebExtension. Some of the alternatives involve not doing a task in the browser at all (see FTP clients for example as the first item)

[sylvaing]

Small typo about @rmcguigan last reply, we should read at the end this website : https://arewewebextensionsyet.com/

[jorgev]

May I suggest changing the subject to something like “Alternatives to legacy add-ons that don’t have direct WebExtension ports”? It took me some time to figure out what this was about, like @caitmuenster.

[andrei]

@caitmuenster No. I actually try to encourage people to update to v57. I recommend ESR as a last resort when users say that they will switch to browser X since v57 does not support their favourite addon.

@rmcguigan the items on the left are all legacy extensions. The ones on the right are various hacks to keep the functionalitty of the legacy ones. Some things will never ever have WebExtensions but this does not mean users will loose functionalitty when v57 lands.

When somebody is mad at Firefox on Twitter because Tab Mix Plus stopped working in v57, I ask what feature they wanted from TMP. When the user tells me what he or she used TMP for I start searching for userChrome.css tricks to replicate it. That is why I listed multi row tabs for example next to TMP.

Thank you @jorgev for the proposed edit. I changed the name. Hope it is more clear now.

[caitmuenster]

Ah, got it! Thanks for the update – that makes a lot more sense (especially since you’ve been so active encouraging folks to upgrade to 57 ).

[andrei]

English is not my native tongue

Most if not all legacy addons I mentioned are used more by power users who tend to be webdevs with some CSS skills. These tricks make the power users still feel in control in the Quantum era

[antfeeds]

Hello,

There’s a plugin I found very usefull, sidebars list https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sidebars-list/ (Which won’t be ported to FF57 as far as I know),

It’s functionality has for the most part been integrated into FF with the “show sidebars” button, but there is one aspect of its functionality that “show sidebars” doesn’t have and that I’d like to replicate.

With sidebars list I had a small border (2 or 3 pixels wide) along the left side of the browser window, that I could click to open or close the sidebar.

Doesn’t seem like much, but it was extremely practical, as I didn’t have to precisely go hit the button, I would just point anywhere on the left border, click, and voila.

Basically it’s a 2-4 pixel wide button that acts like the show sidebar button and that spans the whole left side of the browser window

Do you know of a way to make this border/button @andrei ?

Thank you

[freaktechnik]

the userChrome.css link for the multi row tab stuff for TMP links to TMP instead of https://vimeo.com/242120210

[Winterbay]

Just wanted to make a small comment that the benefit of FireFTP was that you didn’t have to install anything since it worked in the browser. Not everyone has the permission to install applications and programs (say on work computers) and in those cases plugin-based solutions are clearly superior.

[freaktechnik]

Some more userChrome.css tweaks:

Australizing Photon
more mods, including ctr stuff

[sapper_33]

I’m looking for the Tab Mix Plus feature of on close of a tab which tab is selected next.

[kingarthas1]

Very nice suggestion to become programing ourself… Maybe Mozilla community will become doctors, engineers, navigators instead programing…

Ill suggest change the browser itself… Instead learning new profession .