The Latest Trustworthy Version of Mozilla Firefox 123: Open Source Web Browser

An exciting feature in Firefox 123 allows users to directly report dysfunctional websites to Mozilla.

Syncing updates across all Firefox development variants was finalized; Firefox Beta and Development now stand at version 124, while Firefox Nightly has progressed to version 125. Additionally, Firefox for Android has aligned with the desktop version at 123.0.

I personally conducted an in-depth assessment of Firefox 123.0 to thoroughly examine its new features.

Key Highlights

• Users now possess the ability to report troublesome websites to Mozilla using a new tool integrated into Firefox.
• Firefox now offers a translation feature for tooltips and form control texts.
• Browsing within Firefox View is now feasible.
• Note: Older AMD processor machines may experience all-black thumbnails in file dialogs. Mozilla suggests updating the graphics driver to resolve this issue.

Download and Update Firefox 123.0

Most Firefox installations receive automatic updates through the built-in updating mechanism.

Notification: This review precedes the official release. Updates will be available by the publication date.

To promptly begin the update process, users can manually check for updates by going to Firefox Menu > Help > About Firefox, which will trigger the browser to install the update.

Official download links can be found below:

Key Changes in Firefox 123.0

Website Compatibility Reporting Feature

A significant upgrade in Firefox 123.0 involves the addition of a reporting tool for malfunctioning websites, enabling users to notify Mozilla of compatibility issues discovered while browsing.

This tool encourages user involvement within the Firefox community; users can access it by selecting Firefox Menu > Report broken site, choosing a reason, and submitting a report with additional details to assist in resolving compatibility concerns.

Mozilla promotes this tool as a means to enhance bug identification and address existing issues, thereby leading to a smoother browsing experience on Firefox.

Further Improvements and Resolutions

• The translation feature in Firefox now extends to website tooltips and form control text, first introduced in Firefox 117.
• Firefox View now supports a search function, simplifying the tab search process across devices.
• Browser settings for the address bar are now located in the Search section within Firefox’s Settings.

Developer Updates

• The <template> element now includes support for a shadowrootmode attribute to declaratively create a shadow DOM subtree.
• Color space adjustments are now applicable to SVG elements <linearGradient> and <radialGradient>.
• Firefox now integrates the 103 Early Hints HTTP status code for resource preloading.
• The Web Authentication API enhances cross-origin credential creation.
• A new feature, contextualIdentities.move, facilitates the repositioning of items within the contextual identities list.
• The Network Monitor introduces the Save Response As feature, enabling the local storage of response bodies, replacing the former “Save Image” option.

Enterprise Modifications

Firefox 123 introduces three important alterations for enterprise users:

• A bug associated with the background updater on systems with multiple user accounts has been resolved by Mozilla.
• The Preferences policy now allows the configuration of preference types using Type, rectifying an earlier issue with Integer preferences set at values 0 or 1.
• The UserMessaging policy has been updated to handle the promotion of the translation feature through user popups.

Security Update/Fixes

Mozilla has attended to 12 security vulnerabilities in Firefox 123, focusing on enhancing browser security measures.

For a detailed list of security fixes, click here.

Upcoming Releases

Firefox 124 and Firefox ESR 115.9 are slated for release on March 19, 2024.

Final Thoughts

The new website compatibility reporting feature in Firefox 123 demonstrates potential in enhancing browser compatibility and user experience. It’s advisable for users to exercise caution and refrain from submitting generic reports to Mozilla.

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