What's different between two ways to install Firefox extension?

Question

When I submit my extension to store of Mozilla, I have two ways to submit it:

• On this site: the extension will be reviewed by reviewer. When it's done, people can download and install the extension

• On your own: the extension will be compressed in a xpi file. And I can install the extension by this file. The extension still work normally. If I up this file to mediafire or somewhere, people still download it.

What's different between them and if I choose the seconds way, will Mozilla disable my extension?

Answer 1

The On this site way of submitting your addon is the regular way for the submission of the addon where your webextension:

• will be checked by an automatic code validator which will show a number of warnings or errors, depending on what it detects,
• will be reviewed by an AMO reviewer and will be accepted or rejected,
• will be automatically signed,
• will be publicly listed in the Addons Marketplace.
• will be updated automatically whenever you upload a new version and the version will be accepted.

The On your own way of submitting your addon, your extension:

• will be checked by an automatic code validator which will show a number of warnings or errors, depending on what it detects,
• will be automatically signed

The main difference is that if you publish the webextension on your own it will be not publicly available (not listed in the searches) and it can be downloaded only by the users that know the exact addon URL. Also, it will not reviewed by an AMO reviewer.

Check out Signing and distributing your add-on