Opera improves extensions engine in Opera 12.1
Opera Software introduced extensions in the Opera web browser not so long ago. Before that, Opera users had access to widgets only which were displayed in their own window. This limited Opera in comparison to Firefox, and later on Google Chrome, which both enabled users to install extensions in the browser to directly interact with contents on web pages they visited.
This changed when the extensions engine was introduced in the browser which mimicked how Firefox and Chrome were handling extensions for the most part. While limited in some regards in comparison, Opera Software added the option to create Speed Dial extensions for the browser, something that Chrome or Firefox do not offer. Speed Dial extensions can display dynamic contents such as weather information, stock charts or the latest notification on Facebook on the browser's new tab page.
Two weeks ago Opera Software announced the inclusion of new extension APIs in Opera 12.1 Beta:
- Context Menu API - This API enables extension developers to integrate extensions in the browser's right-click context menu. Developers have options to create sub-menus and define when the extension items will be visible in the context menu. It is for instance possible to display it while right-clicking on an image, the page itself or while text is selected. [documentation]
- Screenshot API - This enables extension developers to create screenshots of the visible part of the screen. [documentation]
- Resource Loader API - Adds the option to load resources from "other parts" of the extension. [documentation]
Extensions like Screenshoter or Goto IMDB 2 are already making use of the new APIs. Please note that you need to use Opera 12.1 to use the new functionality, as previous versions of Opera, including Opera 12.02 stable, do not include the APIs. It is likely that they will be officially released with the release of Opera 12.10. (via Techdows)
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wow .. a via TechDows post again WIn
but still one cannot change addons icons order – and move them on other toolbars -especially on status bar -which is mostly unused
while on default and only place for addons icons there is too small area for so many addons that I’d like to include to Opera
by the way – Opera is pro- “Clean Internet” (worse mutation of ACTA_SOPA_complex) just like Fbibook and Google – Mozilla against (so far ,at least officially…)
Out of big US ISP’s mediacom is most eager in this bad direction .