endless automata

If you aren’t using Firefox add-ons, then you aren’t really using Firefox. I’ve heard this many times before - and I agree that it’s true. Add-ons are a definitive part of the Firefox experience. When Firefox first introduced the idea of add-ons, there were only a few available - but these days, the site lists no less than 400 add-ons targeted at web developers alone. With so many choices, a number of lists have sprung up - things like: The Best 50 Firefox add-ons for Web-developers!. 50? Really? Some of the add-ons listed do the same or similar things. Many of them are not high quality. Combine this with the fact that I’ve practically recited my add-on configuration to two people in the past two days and I realized I might want to post something. So, here’s my list of the 3 (or maybe 5) must have plug-ins for serious web developers.

• Web Developer - this add-on does almost everything you need - trust me. What it can’t do, you can often configure through the use of tools (RSS validation, WAVE validation, etc…). If you only install one add-on, install this one.
• Firebug - this add-on basically does the rest. It’s a powerful javascript/DOM debugger/profiler. It also allows other add-ons to co-opt its capabilities which allows for great little helper add-ons likes YSlow. This is especially useful for debugging AJAX heavy sites.
• HttpFox - Speaking of AJAX - sometimes it’s useful to be able to watch a detailed analysis of the HTTP (or HTTPS!) requests your browser is making. That’s where HttpFox comes in. It’s a HTTP analyzer and it saves me from having to load up (or install) WireShark. The only thing HttpFox is missing is a way to add/change/remove HTTP headers - if you need something like this, you may consider pairing it with Tamper Data, or perhaps just using Tamper Data by itself.

That’s basically it. When it comes to development (not design) these tools should do the job. I should mention that Firebug has a decent network activity analyzer built in, so in a pinch, you can really get by with just Firebug and the Web Developer plug-in. If you have any other suggestions, let me know.