Search plugins
This content covers features introduced in Firefox 2 Firefox 2 supports the OpenSearch description format for search plugins. Plugins that use the OpenSearch description syntax are compatible with IE 7 and Firefox. Because of this, they are the recommended format for use on the web.
OpenSearch plugins
XULRunner applications , extensions , and themes all share a common directory structure, and in some cases the same bundle can be used as a standalone XULRunner application as well as an installable application extension. Basic structure of a bundle A bundle may include any of the following files: Of course, an extension need not (and normally won't) have all of these directories. Themes are limited for security reasons, and can normally only provide a chrome.manifest which registers the theme and a JAR file.
Bundle
Firefox 2 uses a simplified form of the OpenSearch format for storing search plugins. A MozSearch search plugin is an XML file that describes the search engine, its URL, and the parameters that need to be passed to that URL. Warning: MozSearch is non-standard and is intended for internal use within Mozilla projects only. It should only be used if your intention is to distribute the search plugin packaged in a Firefox extension , or if you are creating plugins meant to be shipped by default in a Firefox build. For creating search plugins for installation from the web, see Creating OpenSearch plugins for Firefox The plugin file
MozSearch plugins
Introduction An Install Manifest is the file an Add-on Manager-enabled XUL application (e.g. Firefox or Thunderbird) uses to determine information about an add-on as it is being installed. It contains metadata identifying the add-on, providing information about who created it, where more information can be found about it, which versions of what applications it is compatible with, how it should be updated, and so on.