Mozilla Firefox is making a new interface available to users of its open-source Firefox Web browser as an alpha release. Firefox is developed in multiple branches—the mainline release, beta, Aurora (alpha) and Nightly branches. Until Friday, Feb. 7, the new Firefox Australis interface was only available in a Nightly branch for Firefox and has now moved into the alpha phase for what will become Firefox 29. The Firefox 29 Aurora release came in the same week as the mainline Firefox 27 browser debuted, providing users with fixes for 13 security advisories. The new Australis user interface in the Firefox 29 Aurora release has been making the rounds in the Firefox Nightly release channel since at least August 2013. At the time, the expectation was for Australis to debut by the end of 2013. The Australis interface is a uniform overhaul of the core Firefox browser user interface across Windows, Mac and Linux desktops. The tab design is more rounded, and the users have more interface customization options. A primary difference is the User Menu system, which moves to the right of the browser window in the Australis update. Read on to learn more about Firefox Australis.
Although early adopters and the curious are likely to want to try out the new Firefox Australis interface, it's important to remember that it's still alpha software developed by an open community.
The first thing users will notice in the Firefox 29 Aurora release is a more fluid and cleaner interface than prior iterations of Firefox.
New Menu System Puts Options on the Browser Bar
One of the biggest changes in Firefox Australis is the new menu system, which now resides at the far right of the browser interface. The Firefox Australis menu consolidates multiple functions and options in one location.
Add-Ons Extend Firefox Functionality
Firefox has long supported browser add-ons that extend functionality. In the Australis update, add-ons land in the new menu system and are visible on the main browser interface bar.
Firefox Sync Is Reinvented With User Accounts
The Firefox synchronization tool for browser tabs and preferences is also getting a major update with Firefox 29. Users will now be prompted to create a single Firefox account, which is the central point from which multiple Firefox browsers can be synchronized.
