XULRunner FAQ

From MDC

This page is intended to answer frequently asked questions and correct common misconceptions about XULRunner.

Is XULRunner a browser?

No. You can use XULRunner to make a browser (mybrowser example or Firefox), but there is no such thing as "the XULRunner browser".

Is XULRunner a development tool?

Not particularly; XULRunner is a Internet technology runtime. XULRunner can be used to make development tools (the AJAX Toolkit Framework, for example). In the future there will be a XULRunner Developer Kit which will contain various development tools.

How does XULRunner compare to other runtimes like Java or .NET (or Python or ...)?

The goal of XULRunner is to facilitate development and deployment of Internet applications. It is not meant to be a full-featured runtime; this allows XULRunner to maintain a smaller footprint and simpler deployment strategy than generic full-featured runtimes.

If I use XULRunner do I have to write my application in XUL?

No! You can write your application in any language supported by the Mozilla web platform, including HTML, XHTML, SVG, or XUL.

So why is it called XULRunner, instead of HTMLRunner or something?

The name isn't finalized. Suggested alternate names can be proposed to lead developer Benjamin Smedberg.

When will Firefox be based on XULRunner?

See the XULRunner roadmap. This is scheduled for Firefox 3 (XULRunner 1.9), towards the middle of 2008.