Mozilla to unveil Jetpack Reboot add-on system in March

Mozilla shared more information about its upcoming Jetpack Reboot add-on system for Firefox. Jetpack should make it easier to develop add-ons, they will continue to work even as the browser is upgraded, and Mozilla also touts the fact that Jetpack extensions can be installed and updated without requiring a browser restart. The 0.1 version of Jetpack is expected on March 1, 0.2 on March 29, and 0.3 on April 26.

It's not yet clear what will become of XUL add-ons. "If Jetpack becomes just as functional and powerful as the existing system, then we'll talk about whether migrating all extensions to the new platform makes sense. It's far too early to have that discussion in earnest now, and to be clear, no decision has been made about deprecating the existing system," Mozilla said earlier this month in an FAQ about Jetpack.

The arrival time of Jetpack also is unclear. Mozilla had planned to release it in Firefox 3.7 in the first half of 2010, but Firefox leaders are in the process of tearing up their roadmap and taping it back together in what they hope will be a better way.

More info at CNET.