[diggan]

True, but by using profiles you don't need any extra extensions, it comes built-in in both Chrome and Firefox, you can simply start it with providing the `--profile <path>` flag. Correct me if I'm wrong, but some IT environments also lock down installing extensions from addons.mozilla.org, so the profiles tip would be applicable to more people.

[znpy]

You can just use --profile <name> -- with only the name of the profile.

Also, you can backup/restore/move profiles independently of each other.

Also, you can have different network settings for different profiles (not sure you can do that with containers).

For example I have a profile whose network connections are such that traffic is forwarded through a socks proxy (implemented via ssh). That's basically an ultra-simple vpn. I can then (via a script) automatically launch the tunnel open firefox with the appropriate profile and then exit firefox and gracefully stopping my tunnel.

[Kaze404]

Firefox Containers are a native feature now.

[diggan]

I remember it used to be a native feature but I'm fairly certain they split it out into a separate addon after a while. Or did they move it back into core?

[the8472]

The basic functionality is in the core. (about:preferences -> search for "container"). But for better UI there is an extension.

[WorldMaker]

Partly because Mozilla is continuing to iterate/experiment on the container UI and leaving that to extensions is a way to keep that laboratory open. They seem worried the UI may be too confusing if it was on by default for a lot of users. (Like the era decades ago when -ProfileManager was on-by-default in some installs.)

Mozilla even has two official extensions, trying to explore the space of ease of use/user expectations. In addition to the main multi-container extension they offer Facebook Container which is an extension designed to be more entry level but for folks worried about privacy. (It does what it says on a tin, creates only one additional container, names it Facebook, and automatically moves all Facebook tabs and pretty much only Facebook tabs into it.)

[syshum]

The problem I have with profiles is it is Browser Wide,

I like to have several Container Tabs open all logged in to different accounts at the same time