Mozilla Releases Jetpack SDK 0.7, Plans for 1.0 Beta

The Mozilla Labs team has released the latest update to the Jetpack SDK add-on platform. Jetpack SDK 0.7 brings a number of new APIs as well as bug fixes and enhancements.

"The release includes three new APIs: The panel API creates floating modal popups that appear on top of web content and browser chrome and persist until dismissed by users or programs," Mozilla said in the official announcement.

"The clipboard API allows callers to interact with the system clipboard, setting and retrieving its contents. The notifications API allows you to display transient toaster- or Growl-style messages to the user," the announcement continued.

"It also includes a number of other enhancements and bug fixes, including: Firefox is now the default application for cfx. The directories contained in XPI files created by cfx xpi now have correct permission attributes," it added.

The Jetpack SDK has been around for a few months, but progress has been swift and a number of needed APIs have been implemented. With each monthly iteration, the 1.0 release is getting closer.

In fact, the team is already starting to think about the Jetpack SDK 1.0 beta and the stable release after that.

Mozilla's Myk Melez has put together a list of criteria that the beta will have to meet. First and foremost, a set of stable APIs is needed. The developer says that there should be no plans for any major changes in the APIs between the beta and the stable release.

Another criteria is compatibility with E10S (Electrolysis). This doesn't mean necessarily that the SDK works with the multi-process technology, just that the APIs are compatible.

The project should also be getting a rename before the beta release. The developers have been pondering a new name for a few months now, one that would make it clearer what the SDK is for and that name should be introduced before the beta.

Mozilla Jetpack SDK 0.7 is available for download here.