Category:Plugins: Difference between revisions

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m (added Plugin Basics reference from developer.mozilla.org.)
(linked to wikipedia's article, reworded first paragraph to generalize, with web browser as an example. Replaced multimedia "file" with "content". Contrasted with helper application.)
 
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: ''This category is about [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI Netscape-style plugins], most commonly used in {{Firefox}} and {{Mozilla Suite}}''
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugin Plugins] add new functionality to an application, such as viewing special graphical formats or playing multimedia content in a web browser. A plugin works within the browser, as opposed to a [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Gecko_Plugin_API_Reference/Plug-in_Basics#Plug-ins_and_Helper_Applications helper application] that is started from the browser but runs as a separate application.  Plugins also differ from [[Installing extensions|extensions]], which modify or add to existing functionality.  Common uses of plugins on the web include displaying video in the browser, games, and music playback. Widely used plugins include [[Java]], [[Flash]], [[Quicktime]], and [[Adobe Reader]]. 


A plugin is a (frequently optional) software component that is used to extend the functionality of a software application. Plugins are used by all sophisticated Web browsers to display content which they do not natively understand, such as [[Macromedia Flash | Flash movies]] and [[Java|Java applets]]. Firefox and the Mozilla Suite support many plugins, thus enabling the user to experience the wide range of media currently available on the Web, including sound, video and games.
A plugin in the context of Mozilla-based applications is a binary component that, when registered with a browser, can display content that the browser itself can't display natively. The plugin API used in Firefox and many other browsers, including Opera and Safari, is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI NPAPI].


A major source of information about plugins in Firefox and the Mozilla Suite is [http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/ PluginDoc].  Additional plugin documentation can be found at the [http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Plugins Mozilla Developer Center], including a comprehensive [http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Gecko_Plugin_API_Reference:Plug-in_Basics Plug-in Basics reference article].  
A good source of information about plugins for end users is [http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/ PluginDoc].  Additional documentation can be found at the [http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Plugins Mozilla Developer Center], including a comprehensive [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Gecko_Plugin_API_Reference NPAPI reference].
    
    
'''See also''':  [[:Category:Page display]]
'''See also''':  [[:Category:Websites]]


[[Category:Firefox]] [[Category:Mozilla Suite]]
[[Category:Firefox]] [[Category:Mozilla Suite]]

Latest revision as of 13:23, 25 June 2009

Plugins add new functionality to an application, such as viewing special graphical formats or playing multimedia content in a web browser. A plugin works within the browser, as opposed to a helper application that is started from the browser but runs as a separate application. Plugins also differ from extensions, which modify or add to existing functionality. Common uses of plugins on the web include displaying video in the browser, games, and music playback. Widely used plugins include Java, Flash, Quicktime, and Adobe Reader.

A plugin in the context of Mozilla-based applications is a binary component that, when registered with a browser, can display content that the browser itself can't display natively. The plugin API used in Firefox and many other browsers, including Opera and Safari, is NPAPI.

A good source of information about plugins for end users is PluginDoc. Additional documentation can be found at the Mozilla Developer Center, including a comprehensive NPAPI reference.

See also: Category:Websites