A month after the previous 128 release, Mozilla released a new version of its widely used open-source browser, Firefox v129, now available for download.
A standout feature in Firefox 129 is the added support for multiple languages within the same document when using macOS VoiceOver. This update will benefit users interacting with multilingual content, providing a more seamless and inclusive browsing experience.
Firefox’s Reader View also received considerable attention in this update. The new Text and Layout menu offers options for adjusting character spacing, word spacing, and text alignment, allowing users to enjoy a more customizable reading environment.
Furthermore, Reader View has introduced a Theme menu that includes additional Contrast and Gray options, allowing users to adjust the visual presentation of text to suit their preferences.
In addition, the Custom tab within this menu goes a step further by letting users choose their own colors for text, background, and links.
On the localization side, Firefox 129 extends its Address Autofill feature to users in France and Germany, streamlining form filling and enhancing user convenience on supported websites.
It must also be mentioned that the browser now defaults to HTTPS as the protocol of choice in the address bar for non-local sites. This change promotes safer browsing by encrypting data sent between the browser and web servers. Should a site be unavailable over HTTPS, Firefox will revert to HTTP.
For developers, Firefox 129 introduces several tools and API updates. These include support for querying the encryption key system configuration in the mediaCapabilities.decodingInfo() API, and the addition of Float16Array typed arrays.
This new type, along with Math.f16round() and new DataView methods, enhance interactions with GPUs by allowing a trade-off between precision and memory consumption.
Also noteworthy is the addition of the @starting-style at-rule, which applies styles to elements when they are first rendered, and the new transition-behavior CSS property that facilitates transitions on discrete animated properties.
While Firefox has replaced the non-standard textInput event with the standardized beforeinput event, it acknowledges the legacy use in some web applications, advising continued use of beforeinput for new web developments.
Those eager to get it can download the latest version directly from Mozilla’s server. Windows and macOS users can expect an over-the-air update within the next day. Users on rolling release Linux distros should look for the new Firefox 129 as an update in their repos over the next few days.
