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.

Note: For advice on using these UI components to create a great user experience in your extension, please see the User experience best practices article.

UI option Description Example
Toolbar button (browser action) 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 showing a toolbar button (browser action).
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 the pop-up on a toolbar button
Address bar button (page action) 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 item 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. Example of content menu items added by a WebExtension, from the context-menu-demo example
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 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 from the browser's add-ons manager. Example showing the options page content added in the favorite colors example.
Extension page 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.
Notification 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 of an extension triggered system notification
Address bar suggestion 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 panel A tab with an associated HTML document that displays in the browser's developer tools. Example showing the result of the firefox_code_search WebExtension's customization of the address bar suggestions.

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

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https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/user_interface