Firefox is a wonderfully flexible browser. A strong community of developers have created a huge range of extensions for Firefox that add many practical and enjoyable features to the experience of using the web.

Here is my list of must-have Firefox extensions.

The links open a new window where you can download the add-on.

Essential Firefox Add-ons

Download Management

• Save Complete – Allows you to save a whole webpage for offline viewing.
• PDF Download – Gives you total control over PDF management.
• Download Manager Tweak – Makes the download process in Firefox more convenient.
• Fast Video Download – Inserts a button in the bottom right corner of Firefox that lets you download video from sites like YouTube and many others.

Tabs and Browsing

• Basics – Adds a new tab button to your toolbar.
• New Tab URL – Opens the URL you designate when you create a new tab.
• CoolIris – Click the new button on your Firefox toolbar and enjoy a totally new and cool way to experience the web!
• Google Preview – adds a cool visual preview in the search results page for the website that it points to.
• Session Manager – Saves and recalls the state of all windows and tabs.
• Feedly – A very clean and fast Google feed reader that looks like a magazine. Definitely worth a look!
• Gmail Notifier – Puts a small icon in the bottom of your browser that gives you quick access to your Gmail.

Security and Optimization

• Secure Login – Makes the process of logging in to your WordPress site and any other website quick and easy. Works like the wand in Opera.
• Autofill Forms – Speeds up the process of filling out forms online. Create a profile once and then click the pen to fill out web forms automatically!
• Flash Block – Prevents all those annoying flash ads from showing up. If you want to allow a particular site (like YouTube) it’s easy too.
• Stealther – Surf the web privately without leaving a trace.

Twitter and Social Networking

• Power Twitter – This adds a lot of new much needed features to the Twitter web experience.
• bit.ly Preview – Allows you to see what is beneath those short links. Also lets you create links if you have an account.
• Twitter Search – Adds real-time Twitter search to your list of search engines in Firefox.

WordPress Specific

• Google Gears – The turbo link at the top right in your WordPress admin needs this extension in order to speed up the administration of your website.
• WordPress Helper – Helps you working with WordPress by providing useful help and tools. Also gives you quick access to your WordPress driven websites.

Webmaster Tools

• Firebug – A great tool that will help you find and edit CSS and get more information on your web pages.
  
• YSlow – This will diagnose your web page loading times and give you a report so you can make your sites load faster.
• ColorZilla – A suite of useful color tools.
• WebDeveloper Toolbar – Many essential tools in one place.

A simple integrated FTP add-on.

Fire FTP – A free secure FTP program that works within Firefox. This last one can be a little geeky.

NOTE: All the links in this article open a new browser window.

Download Applications & Plugins.

Firefox 3 – The most secure and fully featured browser.

Quicktime – An essential internet plugin and player.
Flash – Used everywhere on the net so get the latest.

Download Firefox Add-Ons.

• Google Gears – Allows you to use the Turbo function in WordPress and speeds admin functions.
• Live PageRank – Shows you the page rank for the current URL. This is an SEO tool that shows you how popular a website is. NOTE: PageRank is a meaure of inbound links.
• PDF Download – Gives you control of PDFs on the web.
• Save Complete Webpage – Downloads a whole webpage to your computer correctly.
• Explore more Firefox Add-ons here.

WordPress Admin Details

Find the adminstration links for your WordPress website.

They would have been in an email created when you first installed WordPress or sent to you by your Webmaster. They should look something like this:

Your WordPress Website Account

Public URL: http://yourwebsite.com/
Admin URL: http://yourwebsite.com/wp-admin/
Username: yourname
Password: someobscurestring

Firefox Bookmarks Setup

1. Click the Admin URL shown above, enter your username and password and press Login.
2. Allow Firefox to save the password if you haven’t already. This is only something you should do if this is a private computer. As an added level of security you can also create a master password (Options on Windows or Preferences on a Mac then Security). You will arrive at the WordPress Dashboard.
3. Open the Bookmarks menu by selecting Bookmarks (in the top menu) then Bookmark This Page. Or you can use the key stroke (Command+D for Mac and ALT+D for Windows).
4. Click the top arrow on the right of the Bookmarks window. This will open up the Bookmarks folders.
5. Highlight the Bookmarks Toolbar at the top (by clicking on it once) then create a new folder by clicking on the plus symbol at the bottom left.
6. Name the folder MyWebsite or anything you like.
7. Click Done and this will put the link to our WordPress Dashboard in this new folder that will be accessible from our Firefox toolbar.
8. From the Dashboard, click the Write a New Post button.
9. Bookmark this page to gain quick access as described above.
10. Repeat this with any other pages you want quick access to. For example I like to check out my drafts page often. Manage > Posts > Drafts.
11. In the right hand sidebar find the Shortcuts section. Right-Click on the link that says Press This and select Bookmark This Link. Navigate to the folder we just created and save the Bookmark.
12. Now we should have a folder in our toolbar with our quick links and, with your password saved, your WordPress website is just a click away!

NOTE: Select Bookmarks > Organize Bookmarks to move and rename items to make things display the way you prefer.

Hot Tip: You can right click on any link and select Bookmark This Link.