Add-ons using the techniques described in this document are considered a legacy technology in Firefox. Don't use these techniques to develop new add-ons. Use WebExtensions instead. If you maintain an add-on which uses the techniques described here, consider migrating it to use WebExtensions.
Starting from Firefox 53, no new legacy add-ons will be accepted on addons.mozilla.org (AMO) for desktop Firefox and Firefox for Android.
Starting from Firefox 57, WebExtensions will be the only supported extension type. Desktop Firefox and Firefox for Android will not load other extension types.
Even before Firefox 57, changes coming up in the Firefox platform will break many legacy extensions. These changes include multiprocess Firefox (e10s), sandboxing, and multiple content processes. Legacy extensions that are affected by these changes should migrate to WebExtensions if they can. See the "Compatibility Milestones" document for more information.
A wiki page containing resources, migration paths, office hours, and more, is available to help developers transition to the new technologies.
The Home.jsm JavaScript code module offers utility routines dealing with customizing the home page in Fennec. This is the page that's shown on startup and new tabs, as well as when the user enters "editing mode" from the urlbar. To use it, you first need to import the code module into your JavaScript scope:
Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Home.jsm");
panels
The Home.panels API lets you add new panels to the home page. Add items to the main menu in Firefox for Android. See the panels API documentation.
banner
The Home.banner API lets you customize a banner that appears at the bottom of the home page. See the banner API documentation.