FIREFOX OS

WEB APIs & WEB ACTIVITIES

BORING STUFF


         Fernando Campo

  HTML5 Developer    

Telefonica Digital   




@ferkhamp
fcampo

firefox os 101


basics

  • The web is the platform
  • HTML5 / CSS3 / Javascript
  • Open Web Apps
  • Hosted VS Packaged
  • manifest.webapp
{
  "name": "My App",
  "description": "My elevator pitch goes here",
  "launch_path": "/",
  "icons": {
    "128": "/img/icon-128.png"
  },
  "developer": {
    "name": "Your name or organization",
    "url": "http://your-homepage-here.org"
  },
  "default_locale": "en"
} 

everybody loves apis

OPEN API GROWTH


Expected around 7000 APIs in 2013

2013:  9888 APIs     7169 Mashups

BROWser apis


do we have enough?

nope! 


new features,

new apis


it's a phone !

Telephony
Messages
Contacts
Battery

it's a smartphone!

Mobile connectivity
WiFi connectivity
Browser
Camera
Device Storage
Alarms
Keyboard
Settings


IT's a smartphone

full of sensors!

Vibration
Screen Orientation
Ambient Light
Proximity
Geolocation
Bluetooth
NFC

reminder: web standards


Mozilla uses standarized APIs when possible

If not, it proposes new APIs for standarization

Most of them will change with time, during the process

Using moz- prefix to avoid future collisions

firefox WEB apis


https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/WebAPI

access granted?

NOPE! 

security by default


firefox web app

Hosted app

  • Internet origin
  • Remote resources
  • Local manifest
  • Access to safe APIs

Packaged app

  • Installed on device
  • Local resources (zip file)
  • Different levels of security




api safety

Web

  • Signed by app store, no authentication
  • Same as hosted, access only safe APIs

Privileged

  • Approved by Mozilla Marketplace
  • Access to sensitive APIs
  • Tight CSP (no inline scripts)

Certified

  • Approved by vendor
  • Access to critical APIs
  • Loosened CSP

permissions

Now that you have clearance...what do you want?
{
  "name": "My App",
  "description": "My elevator pitch goes here",
  "launch_path": "/",
  "icons": {
    "128": "/img/icon-128.png"
  },
  "developer": {
    "name": "Your name or organization",
    "url": "http://your-homepage-here.org"
  },
  "type": "privileged",
  "permissions": {
    "alarms": {},
    "browser":{},
    "power":{},
    "fmradio":{},
    "webapps-manage":{},
    "mobileconnection":{},
    "bluetooth":{},
    "telephony":{},
    "voicemail":{},
    "device-storage:sdcard":{ "access": "readonly" },
    "device-storage:pictures":{ "access": "readwrite" },
    "device-storage:videos":{ "access": "readwrite" },
    "device-storage:music":{ "access": "readcreate" },
    "device-storage:apps":{ "access": "readonly" },
    "settings":{ "access": "readwrite" },
    "storage":{},
    "camera":{},
    "geolocation":{},
    "wifi-manage":{},
    "desktop-notification":{},
    "idle":{},
    "network-events":{},
    "embed-apps":{},
    "background-sensors":{},
    "permissions":{},
    "audio-channel-notification":{},
    "audio-channel-content":{},
    "cellbroadcast":{},
    "keyboard":{}
  }
}
Full list with needed privileges on 
[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Apps/App_permissions]

it's business time


battery

First, get the object

var battery = navigator.mozBattery;

Check the current level

var batteryLevel = battery.level * 100 + "%";

Listen to events

battery.addEventLister("levelchange", setStatus, false); 
battery.addEventLister("chargingchange", setStatus, false);

vibration

navigator.vibrate(1000); //one second 
navigator.vibrate([1000, 200, 500]); //pattern 
navigator.vibrate(0); //stop the vibration 


ambient light

window.addEventListener("devicelight", function(event) {  // event.value contains the detected lux values  // consider 'dim' when below 50, 'bright' above 10000 });

device storage

Available storages: 'music', 'pictures', 'videos', 'apps', 'sdcard'

var sdcard = navigator.getDeviceStorage('sdcard');
var request = sdcard.get("my-file.txt");

request.onsuccess = function () {
  var file = this.result;
  console.log("Found the file: " + file.name);
}

request.onerror = function () {
  console.warn("Unable to get the file: " + this.error);
}

We can also check for free space

var videos = navigator.getDeviceStorage('videos');
var request = videos.usedSpace();
request.onsuccess = function () {
  var size = this.result / 1000000; // Bytes to Mb
  console.log("Your videos are using " + size.toFixed(2) + "Mb");
}

contacts

get the ContactManager object

var contactsAPI = navigator.mozContacts;

create a new contact

var contact = new mozContact();
contact.givenName  = ["John"];
contact.familyName = ["Doe"];
contact.nickName   = ["No kidding"];

save new contact into the database

var request = contactAPI.save(contact);
saving.onsuccess = function() {
    console.log('New contact created');
};

saving.onerror = function(err) {
  console.error(err);
};

telephony

Get the Telephony object

var tel = navigator.Telephony;

Place a call!

var call = tel.dial(“123456789”); 
Listen to events
call.onstatechange = function (event) {
  /* Different values for event.state
   * "dialing", "ringing", "busy", "connecting", "connected",
   * "disconnecting", "disconnected", "incoming"
   */
};

call.onconnected = function () {};

call.ondisconnected = function () {}; 

MEssages

Get the Message object
var messageManager = navigator.mozMobileMessage;

Send SMS or MMS

var sms = messageManager.sendSMS(number,messageContent);var mms = messageManager.sendMMS(mmsParameters);
...and wait for events
sms.onsucces = mms.onsuccess = function(evt) {
	console.log('Thanks for paying');
};
sms.onerror = mms.onerror = function(evt) {
	console.log('Problems ahead');
}; 
NOTE: mozSMS is deprecated and no longer working

too tight?

How can I do privileged actions without access 
to the API I need?
    

interaction

web activities


what?

Web Activities define a way for apps to
delegate actions on other apps.

WAIT, I'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

YES

Intents on Android
WebIntents on Chrome
WebActivities for Mozilla

WHO can USE IT?

WebActivities API is considered a SAFE one
So any app can use it

I NEED...

To receive data from another app, we should 
start a MozActivity, then wait for the response
var activity = new MozActivity({
  // Ask for the "pick" activity
  name: "pick",

  // Provide the data required by the filters of the activity
  data: {
    type: "image/jpeg"
  }
});

activity.onsuccess = function() {
  var picture = this.result;
  console.log("A picture has been retrieved");
};
activity.onerror = function() {
  console.log(this.error);
};

I OFFER...

Any app can handle activities.
Just register on the manifest.
{
  // [...] Other Manifest related stuff

  // Activity registration
  "activities": {
    "pick": { // name of the activity
        "href": "./pick.html", // page opened when handling
        "disposition": "inline", // how is the page presented
        "filters": {
            "type": ["image/*","image/jpeg","image/png"] // data 
        },
        "returnValue": true // expect a value on the response
    }
  }
}

handling

Once our app is registered as a handler,
we need to decide how are we gonna do it.

navigator.mozSetMessageHandler('activity', function(activityRequest) {
  var option = activityRequest.source;

  if (option.name === "pick") {
    // Do something to handle the activity
  }
});

responding

Because giving back is always nice
navigator.mozSetMessageHandler('activity', function(activityRequest) {
    [...]
    // Send back the result
    if (picture) {
      activityRequest.postResult(picture);
    } else {
      activityRequest.postError("Unable to provide a picture");
    }
  }
});

examples

Make a call...

"dial": {    type: "webtelephony/number", // ...with the phone
number: {  regexp:/^[\\d\\s+#*().-]{0,50}$/ }}

Create new...

"new": {    type: "webcontacts/contact" // ...contact    type: "mail" // ...email    type: "websms/sms", // ...sms    number: {        regexp:/^[\\d\\s+#*().-]{0,50}$/
}
}

examples

Open an app...

"open": {
    type: "webcontacts/contact" // ...contacts
    type: [                     // ...gallery
      "image/jpeg",
      "image/png",
      "image/gif",
      "image/bmp"
    ]
    type: [                     // ...music
      "audio/mpeg",
      "audio/ogg",
      "audio/mp4"
    ]
}

Record media...

"record": {
    type: ["photos", "videos"] // ...with the camera
}

COLLISIONS

Camera app
"pick": {
  "filters": {
    "type": ["image/*", "image/jpeg", "image/png"]
  }
}
Gallery app
"pick": {
  "filters": {
    "type": ["image/*", "image/jpeg", "image/png"]
  }
}
Wallpaper app
"pick": {
  "filters": {
    "type": ["image/*", "image/jpeg", "image/png"]
  }
}

USER CHOOSE


THANK YOU

where CREDICT'S DUE

API GROWTH GRAPH
http://blogs.kuppingercole.com/burton/2011/10/28/more-on-the-open-api-revolution/ 

OPEN API NUMBERS
http://www.programmableweb.com/  

BROWSER APIs
http://platform.html5.org/  

FIREFOX OS APIs
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/WebAPI  

WEB ACTIVITIES
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/WebAPI/Web_Activities  

Firefox OS: APIs & Activities

By Fernando Campo

Firefox OS: APIs & Activities

Get the basics about FirefoxOS, access the new APIs and learn to interact between apps through web activities.

  • 7,543