Rapid Release Schedules of Firefox, Chrome, and Edge Chromium have contributed to an increase in browser version numbers. in March 2022, these browsers will hit a three-digit version number 100. Mozilla fears that the User-Agent string with a three-digit Firefox version number may break many websites. The company is now ready to run an experiment during the Nightly 92 cycle by overriding the Firefox version in UA String with hundred and see if that creates any compatibility issues with the websites.
Popular web browser’s version numbers have been skyrocketed.
Firefox now running at v91 and Chrome v92 and Edge v92, next year, we’ll see web browsers with 3 digit version numbers.
Chrome is not only the number one web browser in terms of users but it is also the champion in the version number race. Yep! Chrome will reach verison number 100 first before Firefox.
According to Chrome and Firefox official schedule sites
- Chrome 100 enters stable on March 29, 2022.
- Firefox 100 enters Nightly on Match 22, 2022.
So, we’re Just 6 months+ away from seeing the change in the browser about dialog.
10 years back Mozilla had thought about hiding version number in about dialog, to inform dialog displaying Firefox running latest verison.
But, when it comes to assistance, the user/customer needs to reveal the name of the web browser and version number. The organization dropped that plan after criticism.
Firefox version 100
Developers need to check their site code to ensure Firefox 100 should not become Firefox 10 or Firefox 00.
BTW, this is Firefox current User Agent String:
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:90.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/90.0
About: support is where you find the Firefox UA String.
Here is a little bit about User Agent:
User Agent tells websites what type of web browser and operating system you’re using You can change browser User-Agent to trick website to believe you’re using a different browser or OS. Web developers do this to check how their sites look in different web browsers and systems.
READ: Find User Agent Strings of Edge, IE, Chrome, and Firefox Browsers
“Firefox/100.0” User Agent String experiment
Mozilla will run an experiment to figure out the issue.
If they find an unlimited number of sites break, then they possibly freeze the Firefox’s UA String at version 99.0.
You can help Mozilla right now by changing UA String and report to the Mozilla Webcompat team if you found any broken sites. At the same time, you need to check those sites are actually working with the current UA string.
- Visit about: config
- Type this pref in Search field:general.useragent.override
- Select String
- Enter value as Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; rv:100.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/100.0
Most websites worked in testing except Slack
The good news is Mozilla’s Chris Peterson has overridden Firefox UA string with version 100 and surfed the web for four months and found no issues with websites except Slack where its menu buttons didn’t work.
Mozilla notified Slack about the menu buttons not working and they fixed it.
What’s cool about the issue is though, according to Chris, Slack popup menu buttons would stop working for Firefox verison >=100 and <=519 and they work magically for versions >=520.
Google is saying goodbye to User Agent String in Chrome and replacing it with User Agent Client HIts (UA-CH) so you can still able to know Chrome browser major version, platform name and distinguish between mobile and desktop from the UA string.
More on Firefox:
You can now use Firefox to Autofill other Apps on Android
Firefox 91 Supports opening downloads automatically, like Chrome
Firefox 91 is adding Simplified (Page) option for clutter-free Printing