Browser Plugin Testing With Selenium - selenium

Question

I am writing a webapp that has a browser plugin component for both firefox and chrome. My current testing system uses a series of Selenium tests created through Selenium IDE.
Is it possible to also have selenium install, activate, and delete browser plugins for firefox and chrome (possibly other browsers as well)?
I think the biggest concern is that installing/enabling the browser plugin requires a browser restart, and I'm not sure if that would through selenium off.
The acquisition of the plugin is easily handled by visiting an internal site-link to a php-script that detects your browser.

Answer 1

The answer is Yes, Selenium 2 supports (remote) installation of browser extensions.
The Chrome and Firefox WebDriver support the installation of extensions, remotely. Here's sample code for Chrome and Firefox:
Chrome
File file = new File("extension.crx"); // zip files are also accepted
ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
options.addExtensions(file);
// Option 1: Locally.
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
// Option 2: Remotely
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.chrome();
capabilities.setCapability(ChromeOptions.CAPABILITY, options);
WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new URL("http://localhost:4444/wd/hub"), capabilities);
Firefox
File file = new File("extension.xpi");
FirefoxProfile firefoxProfile = new FirefoxProfile();
firefoxProfile.addExtension(file);
// Option 1: Locally
WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver(firefoxProfile);
// Option 2: Remotely
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.firefox();
capabilities.setCapability(FirefoxDriver.PROFILE, firefoxProfile);
WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new URL("http://localhost:4444/wd/hub"), capabilities);
I have also implemented automated installation of Opera and Safari extensions, and they have been merged upstream:
OperaDriver: https://github.com/operasoftware/operadriver/pull/93
SafariDriver: https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/pull/87
Opera
This API is similar to the FirefoxDriver.
File file = new File("extension.oex"); // Must end with ".oex"
OperaProfile operaProfile = new OperaProfile();
operaProfile.addExtension(file);
// Option 1: Locally
WebDriver driver = new OperaDriver(operaProfile);
// Option 2: Remotely
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.opera();
capabilities.setCapability("opera.profile", operaProfile);
WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new URL("http://localhost:4444/wd/hub"), capabilities);
Safari
This API is similar to the ChromeDriver.
File file = new File("extension.safariextz");
SafariOptions options = new SafariOptions();
options.addExtensions(file);
// Option 1: Locally.
WebDriver driver = new SafariDriver(options);
// Option 2: Remotely
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.safari();
capabilities.setCapability(SafariOptions.CAPABILITY, options);
WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new URL("http://localhost:4444/wd/hub"), capabilities);
Internet Explorer
Good luck.

Answer 2

Short answer: no
Installing a browser extension is outside of the scope of handling in Selenium.
In Chrome, it displays a modal window that is not "clickable" with Selenium when you want to add a plugin or app. Chrome does not require restarting.
Firefox has the same kind of behaviour to prompt for extension permissions.
You can try something that resides outside of the browser to do what you want. Sikuli might do the trick.