Adding upstream version 115.7.0esr.upstream/115.7.0esr

Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>

28 files changed, 4491 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ea37f6fea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor.js
@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var { Pool } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Pool.js");
+
+/**
+ * Keep track of which actorSpecs have been created. If a replica of a spec
+ * is created, it can be caught, and specs which inherit from other specs will
+ * not overwrite eachother.
+ */
+var actorSpecs = new WeakMap();
+
+exports.actorSpecs = actorSpecs;
+
+/**
+ * An actor in the actor tree.
+ *
+ * @param optional conn
+ *   Either a DevToolsServerConnection or a DevToolsClient.  Must have
+ *   addActorPool, removeActorPool, and poolFor.
+ *   conn can be null if the subclass provides a conn property.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+
+class Actor extends Pool {
+  constructor(conn, spec) {
+    super(conn);
+
+    this.typeName = spec.typeName;
+
+    // Will contain the actor's ID
+    this.actorID = null;
+
+    // Ensure computing requestTypes only one time per class
+    const proto = Object.getPrototypeOf(this);
+    if (!proto.requestTypes) {
+      proto.requestTypes = generateRequestTypes(spec);
+    }
+
+    // Forward events to the connection.
+    if (spec.events) {
+      for (const [name, request] of spec.events.entries()) {
+        this.on(name, (...args) => {
+          this._sendEvent(name, request, ...args);
+        });
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[Actor " + this.typeName + "/" + this.actorID + "]";
+  }
+
+  _sendEvent(name, request, ...args) {
+    if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+      console.error(
+        `Tried to send a '${name}' event on an already destroyed actor` +
+          ` '${this.typeName}'`
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+    let packet;
+    try {
+      packet = request.write(args, this);
+    } catch (ex) {
+      console.error("Error sending event: " + name);
+      throw ex;
+    }
+    packet.from = packet.from || this.actorID;
+    this.conn.send(packet);
+
+    // This can really be a hot path, even computing the marker label can
+    // have some performance impact.
+    // Guard against missing `Services.profiler` because Services is mocked to
+    // an empty object in the worker loader.
+    if (Services.profiler?.IsActive()) {
+      ChromeUtils.addProfilerMarker(
+        "DevTools:RDP Actor",
+        null,
+        `${this.typeName}.${name}`
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  destroy() {
+    super.destroy();
+    this.actorID = null;
+    this._isDestroyed = true;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Override this method in subclasses to serialize the actor.
+   * @param [optional] string hint
+   *   Optional string to customize the form.
+   * @returns A jsonable object.
+   */
+  form(hint) {
+    return { actor: this.actorID };
+  }
+
+  writeError(error, typeName, method) {
+    console.error(
+      `Error while calling actor '${typeName}'s method '${method}'`,
+      error.message || error
+    );
+    // Also log the error object as-is in order to log the server side stack
+    // nicely in the console, while the previous log will log the client side stack only.
+    if (error.stack) {
+      console.error(error);
+    }
+
+    // Do not try to send the error if the actor is destroyed
+    // as the connection is probably also destroyed and may throw.
+    if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this.conn.send({
+      from: this.actorID,
+      // error.error -> errors created using the throwError() helper
+      // error.name -> errors created using `new Error` or Components.exception
+      // typeof(error)=="string" -> a method thrown like this `throw "a string"`
+      error:
+        error.error ||
+        error.name ||
+        (typeof error == "string" ? error : "unknownError"),
+      message: error.message,
+      // error.fileName -> regular Error instances
+      // error.filename -> errors created using Components.exception
+      fileName: error.fileName || error.filename,
+      lineNumber: error.lineNumber,
+      columnNumber: error.columnNumber,
+    });
+  }
+
+  _queueResponse(create) {
+    const pending = this._pendingResponse || Promise.resolve(null);
+    const response = create(pending);
+    this._pendingResponse = response;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Throw an error with the passed message and attach an `error` property to the Error
+   * object so it can be consumed by the writeError function.
+   * @param {String} error: A string (usually a single word serving as an id) that will
+   *                        be assign to error.error.
+   * @param {String} message: The string that will be passed to the Error constructor.
+   * @throws This always throw.
+   */
+  throwError(error, message) {
+    const err = new Error(message);
+    err.error = error;
+    throw err;
+  }
+}
+
+exports.Actor = Actor;
+
+/**
+ * Generate the "requestTypes" object used by DevToolsServerConnection to implement RDP.
+ * When a RDP packet is received for calling an actor method, this lookup for
+ * the method name in this object and call the function holded on this attribute.
+ *
+ * @params {Object} actorSpec
+ *         The procotol-js actor specific coming from devtools/shared/specs/*.js files
+ *         This describes the types for methods and events implemented by all actors.
+ * @return {Object} requestTypes
+ *         An object where attributes are actor method names
+ *         and values are function implementing these methods.
+ *         These methods receive a RDP Packet (JSON-serializable object) and a DevToolsServerConnection.
+ *         We expect them to return a promise that reserves with the response object
+ *         to send back to the client (JSON-serializable object).
+ */
+var generateRequestTypes = function (actorSpec) {
+  // Generate request handlers for each method definition
+  const requestTypes = Object.create(null);
+  actorSpec.methods.forEach(spec => {
+    const handler = function (packet, conn) {
+      try {
+        const startTime = isWorker ? null : Cu.now();
+        let args;
+        try {
+          args = spec.request.read(packet, this);
+        } catch (ex) {
+          console.error("Error reading request: " + packet.type);
+          throw ex;
+        }
+
+        if (!this[spec.name]) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Spec for '${actorSpec.typeName}' specifies a '${spec.name}'` +
+              ` method that isn't implemented by the actor`
+          );
+        }
+        const ret = this[spec.name].apply(this, args);
+
+        const sendReturn = retToSend => {
+          if (spec.oneway) {
+            // No need to send a response.
+            return;
+          }
+          if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+            console.error(
+              `Tried to send a '${spec.name}' method reply on an already destroyed actor` +
+                ` '${this.typeName}'`
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+
+          let response;
+          try {
+            response = spec.response.write(retToSend, this);
+          } catch (ex) {
+            console.error("Error writing response to: " + spec.name);
+            throw ex;
+          }
+          response.from = this.actorID;
+          // If spec.release has been specified, destroy the object.
+          if (spec.release) {
+            try {
+              this.destroy();
+            } catch (e) {
+              this.writeError(e, actorSpec.typeName, spec.name);
+              return;
+            }
+          }
+
+          conn.send(response);
+
+          ChromeUtils.addProfilerMarker(
+            "DevTools:RDP Actor",
+            startTime,
+            `${actorSpec.typeName}:${spec.name}()`
+          );
+        };
+
+        this._queueResponse(p => {
+          return p
+            .then(() => ret)
+            .then(sendReturn)
+            .catch(e => this.writeError(e, actorSpec.typeName, spec.name));
+        });
+      } catch (e) {
+        this._queueResponse(p => {
+          return p.then(() =>
+            this.writeError(e, actorSpec.typeName, spec.name)
+          );
+        });
+      }
+    };
+
+    requestTypes[spec.request.type] = handler;
+  });
+
+  return requestTypes;
+};
+exports.generateRequestTypes = generateRequestTypes;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/generateActorSpec.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/generateActorSpec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9b3b166c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/generateActorSpec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var { Request } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Request.js");
+const { Response } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Response.js");
+var {
+  types,
+  registeredTypes,
+} = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/types.js");
+
+/**
+ * Generates an actor specification from an actor description.
+ */
+var generateActorSpec = function (actorDesc) {
+  const actorSpec = {
+    typeName: actorDesc.typeName,
+    methods: [],
+  };
+
+  // Find additional method specifications
+  if (actorDesc.methods) {
+    for (const name in actorDesc.methods) {
+      const methodSpec = actorDesc.methods[name];
+      const spec = {};
+
+      spec.name = methodSpec.name || name;
+      spec.request = new Request(
+        Object.assign({ type: spec.name }, methodSpec.request || undefined)
+      );
+      spec.response = new Response(methodSpec.response || undefined);
+      spec.release = methodSpec.release;
+      spec.oneway = methodSpec.oneway;
+
+      actorSpec.methods.push(spec);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Find event specifications
+  if (actorDesc.events) {
+    actorSpec.events = new Map();
+    for (const name in actorDesc.events) {
+      const eventRequest = actorDesc.events[name];
+      Object.freeze(eventRequest);
+      actorSpec.events.set(
+        name,
+        new Request(Object.assign({ type: name }, eventRequest))
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!registeredTypes.has(actorSpec.typeName)) {
+    types.addActorType(actorSpec.typeName);
+  }
+  registeredTypes.get(actorSpec.typeName).actorSpec = actorSpec;
+
+  return actorSpec;
+};
+
+exports.generateActorSpec = generateActorSpec;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/moz.build b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/moz.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3e3c46d49b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Actor/moz.build
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# vim: set filetype=python:
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+DevToolsModules(
+    "generateActorSpec.js",
+)
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Front.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32aed37b35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front.js
@@ -0,0 +1,411 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var { settleAll } = require("resource://devtools/shared/DevToolsUtils.js");
+var EventEmitter = require("resource://devtools/shared/event-emitter.js");
+
+var { Pool } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Pool.js");
+var {
+  getStack,
+  callFunctionWithAsyncStack,
+} = require("resource://devtools/shared/platform/stack.js");
+const defer = require("resource://devtools/shared/defer.js");
+
+/**
+ * Base class for client-side actor fronts.
+ *
+ * @param [DevToolsClient|null] conn
+ *   The conn must either be DevToolsClient or null. Must have
+ *   addActorPool, removeActorPool, and poolFor.
+ *   conn can be null if the subclass provides a conn property.
+ * @param [Target|null] target
+ *   If we are instantiating a target-scoped front, this is a reference to the front's
+ *   Target instance, otherwise this is null.
+ * @param [Front|null] parentFront
+ *   The parent front. This is only available if the Front being initialized is a child
+ *   of a parent front.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+class Front extends Pool {
+  constructor(conn = null, targetFront = null, parentFront = null) {
+    super(conn);
+    if (!conn) {
+      throw new Error("Front without conn");
+    }
+    this.actorID = null;
+    // The targetFront attribute represents the debuggable context. Only target-scoped
+    // fronts and their children fronts will have the targetFront attribute set.
+    this.targetFront = targetFront;
+    // The parentFront attribute points to its parent front. Only children of
+    // target-scoped fronts will have the parentFront attribute set.
+    this.parentFront = parentFront;
+    this._requests = [];
+
+    // Front listener functions registered via `watchFronts`
+    this._frontCreationListeners = null;
+    this._frontDestructionListeners = null;
+
+    // List of optional listener for each event, that is processed immediatly on packet
+    // receival, before emitting event via EventEmitter on the Front.
+    // These listeners are register via Front.before function.
+    // Map(Event Name[string] => Event Listener[function])
+    this._beforeListeners = new Map();
+
+    // This flag allows to check if the `initialize` method has resolved.
+    // Used to avoid notifying about initialized fronts in `watchFronts`.
+    this._initializeResolved = false;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the parent front.
+   */
+  getParent() {
+    return this.parentFront && this.parentFront.actorID
+      ? this.parentFront
+      : null;
+  }
+
+  destroy() {
+    // Prevent destroying twice if a `forwardCancelling` event has already been received
+    // and already called `baseFrontClassDestroy`
+    this.baseFrontClassDestroy();
+
+    // Keep `clearEvents` out of baseFrontClassDestroy as we still want TargetMixin to be
+    // able to emit `target-destroyed` after we called baseFrontClassDestroy from DevToolsClient.purgeRequests.
+    this.clearEvents();
+  }
+
+  // This method is also called from `DevToolsClient`, when a connector is destroyed
+  // and we should:
+  // - reject all pending request made to the remote process/target/thread.
+  // - avoid trying to do new request against this remote context.
+  // - unmanage this front, so that DevToolsClient.getFront no longer returns it.
+  //
+  // When a connector is destroyed a `forwardCancelling` RDP event is sent by the server.
+  // This is done in a distinct method from `destroy` in order to do all that immediately,
+  // even if `Front.destroy` is overloaded by an async method.
+  baseFrontClassDestroy() {
+    // Reject all outstanding requests, they won't make sense after
+    // the front is destroyed.
+    while (this._requests.length) {
+      const { deferred, to, type, stack } = this._requests.shift();
+      // Note: many tests are ignoring `Connection closed` promise rejections,
+      // via PromiseTestUtils.allowMatchingRejectionsGlobally.
+      // Do not update the message without updating the tests.
+      const msg =
+        "Connection closed, pending request to " +
+        to +
+        ", type " +
+        type +
+        " failed" +
+        "\n\nRequest stack:\n" +
+        stack.formattedStack;
+      deferred.reject(new Error(msg));
+    }
+
+    if (this.actorID) {
+      super.destroy();
+      this.actorID = null;
+    }
+    this._isDestroyed = true;
+
+    this.targetFront = null;
+    this.parentFront = null;
+    this._frontCreationListeners = null;
+    this._frontDestructionListeners = null;
+    this._beforeListeners = null;
+  }
+
+  async manage(front, form, ctx) {
+    if (!front.actorID) {
+      throw new Error(
+        "Can't manage front without an actor ID.\n" +
+          "Ensure server supports " +
+          front.typeName +
+          "."
+      );
+    }
+
+    if (front.parentFront && front.parentFront !== this) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `${this.actorID} (${this.typeName}) can't manage ${front.actorID}
+        (${front.typeName}) since it has a different parentFront ${
+          front.parentFront
+            ? front.parentFront.actorID + "(" + front.parentFront.typeName + ")"
+            : "<no parentFront>"
+        }`
+      );
+    }
+
+    super.manage(front);
+
+    if (typeof front.initialize == "function") {
+      await front.initialize();
+    }
+    front._initializeResolved = true;
+
+    // Ensure calling form() *before* notifying about this front being just created.
+    // We exprect the front to be fully initialized, especially via its form attributes.
+    // But do that *after* calling manage() so that the front is already registered
+    // in Pools and can be fetched by its ID, in case a child actor, created in form()
+    // tries to get a reference to its parent via the actor ID.
+    if (form) {
+      front.form(form, ctx);
+    }
+
+    // Call listeners registered via `watchFronts` method
+    // (ignore if this front has been destroyed)
+    if (this._frontCreationListeners) {
+      this._frontCreationListeners.emit(front.typeName, front);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async unmanage(front) {
+    super.unmanage(front);
+
+    // Call listeners registered via `watchFronts` method
+    if (this._frontDestructionListeners) {
+      this._frontDestructionListeners.emit(front.typeName, front);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /*
+   * Listen for the creation and/or destruction of fronts matching one of the provided types.
+   *
+   * @param {String} typeName
+   *        Actor type to watch.
+   * @param {Function} onAvailable (optional)
+   *        Callback fired when a front has been just created or was already available.
+   *        The function is called with one arguments, the front.
+   * @param {Function} onDestroy (optional)
+   *        Callback fired in case of front destruction.
+   *        The function is called with the same argument than onAvailable.
+   */
+  watchFronts(typeName, onAvailable, onDestroy) {
+    if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+      // The front was already destroyed, bail out.
+      console.error(
+        `Tried to call watchFronts for the '${typeName}' type on an ` +
+          `already destroyed front '${this.typeName}'.`
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (onAvailable) {
+      // First fire the callback on fronts with the correct type and which have
+      // been initialized. If initialize() is still in progress, the front will
+      // be emitted via _frontCreationListeners shortly after.
+      for (const front of this.poolChildren()) {
+        if (front.typeName == typeName && front._initializeResolved) {
+          onAvailable(front);
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (!this._frontCreationListeners) {
+        this._frontCreationListeners = new EventEmitter();
+      }
+      // Then register the callback for fronts instantiated in the future
+      this._frontCreationListeners.on(typeName, onAvailable);
+    }
+
+    if (onDestroy) {
+      if (!this._frontDestructionListeners) {
+        this._frontDestructionListeners = new EventEmitter();
+      }
+      this._frontDestructionListeners.on(typeName, onDestroy);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Stop listening for the creation and/or destruction of a given type of fronts.
+   * See `watchFronts()` for documentation of the arguments.
+   */
+  unwatchFronts(typeName, onAvailable, onDestroy) {
+    if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+      // The front was already destroyed, bail out.
+      console.error(
+        `Tried to call unwatchFronts for the '${typeName}' type on an ` +
+          `already destroyed front '${this.typeName}'.`
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (onAvailable && this._frontCreationListeners) {
+      this._frontCreationListeners.off(typeName, onAvailable);
+    }
+    if (onDestroy && this._frontDestructionListeners) {
+      this._frontDestructionListeners.off(typeName, onDestroy);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Register an event listener that will be called immediately on packer receival.
+   * The given callback is going to be called before emitting the event via EventEmitter
+   * API on the Front. Event emitting will be delayed if the callback is async.
+   * Only one such listener can be registered per type of event.
+   *
+   * @param String type
+   *   Event emitted by the actor to intercept.
+   * @param Function callback
+   *   Function that will process the event.
+   */
+  before(type, callback) {
+    if (this._beforeListeners.has(type)) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Can't register multiple before listeners for "${type}".`
+      );
+    }
+    this._beforeListeners.set(type, callback);
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[Front for " + this.typeName + "/" + this.actorID + "]";
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Update the actor from its representation.
+   * Subclasses should override this.
+   */
+  form(form) {}
+
+  /**
+   * Send a packet on the connection.
+   */
+  send(packet) {
+    if (packet.to) {
+      this.conn._transport.send(packet);
+    } else {
+      packet.to = this.actorID;
+      // The connection might be closed during the promise resolution
+      if (this.conn && this.conn._transport) {
+        this.conn._transport.send(packet);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Send a two-way request on the connection.
+   */
+  request(packet) {
+    const deferred = defer();
+    // Save packet basics for debugging
+    const { to, type } = packet;
+    this._requests.push({
+      deferred,
+      to: to || this.actorID,
+      type,
+      stack: getStack(),
+    });
+    this.send(packet);
+    return deferred.promise;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Handler for incoming packets from the client's actor.
+   */
+  onPacket(packet) {
+    if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+      // If the Front was already destroyed, all the requests have been purged
+      // and rejected with detailed error messages in baseFrontClassDestroy.
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Pick off event packets
+    const type = packet.type || undefined;
+    if (this._clientSpec.events && this._clientSpec.events.has(type)) {
+      const event = this._clientSpec.events.get(packet.type);
+      let args;
+      try {
+        args = event.request.read(packet, this);
+      } catch (ex) {
+        console.error("Error reading event: " + packet.type);
+        console.exception(ex);
+        throw ex;
+      }
+      // Check for "pre event" callback to be processed before emitting events on fronts
+      // Use event.name instead of packet.type to use specific event name instead of RDP
+      // packet's type.
+      const beforeEvent = this._beforeListeners.get(event.name);
+      if (beforeEvent) {
+        const result = beforeEvent.apply(this, args);
+        // Check to see if the beforeEvent returned a promise -- if so,
+        // wait for their resolution before emitting. Otherwise, emit synchronously.
+        if (result && typeof result.then == "function") {
+          result.then(() => {
+            super.emit(event.name, ...args);
+            ChromeUtils.addProfilerMarker(
+              "DevTools:RDP Front",
+              null,
+              `${this.typeName}.${event.name}`
+            );
+          });
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
+      super.emit(event.name, ...args);
+      ChromeUtils.addProfilerMarker(
+        "DevTools:RDP Front",
+        null,
+        `${this.typeName}.${event.name}`
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Remaining packets must be responses.
+    if (this._requests.length === 0) {
+      const msg =
+        "Unexpected packet " + this.actorID + ", " + JSON.stringify(packet);
+      const err = Error(msg);
+      console.error(err);
+      throw err;
+    }
+
+    const { deferred, stack } = this._requests.shift();
+    callFunctionWithAsyncStack(
+      () => {
+        if (packet.error) {
+          let message;
+          if (packet.error && packet.message) {
+            message =
+              "Protocol error (" + packet.error + "): " + packet.message;
+          } else {
+            message = packet.error;
+          }
+          message += " from: " + this.actorID;
+          if (packet.fileName) {
+            const { fileName, columnNumber, lineNumber } = packet;
+            message += ` (${fileName}:${lineNumber}:${columnNumber})`;
+          }
+          const packetError = new Error(message);
+          deferred.reject(packetError);
+        } else {
+          deferred.resolve(packet);
+        }
+      },
+      stack,
+      "DevTools RDP"
+    );
+  }
+
+  hasRequests() {
+    return !!this._requests.length;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Wait for all current requests from this front to settle.  This is especially useful
+   * for tests and other utility environments that may not have events or mechanisms to
+   * await the completion of requests without this utility.
+   *
+   * @return Promise
+   *         Resolved when all requests have settled.
+   */
+  waitForRequestsToSettle() {
+    return settleAll(this._requests.map(({ deferred }) => deferred.promise));
+  }
+}
+
+exports.Front = Front;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/FrontClassWithSpec.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/FrontClassWithSpec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55091be3e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/FrontClassWithSpec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var { Front } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Front.js");
+
+/**
+ * Generates request methods as described by the given actor specification on
+ * the given front prototype. Returns the front prototype.
+ */
+var generateRequestMethods = function (actorSpec, frontProto) {
+  if (frontProto._actorSpec) {
+    throw new Error("frontProto called twice on the same front prototype!");
+  }
+
+  frontProto.typeName = actorSpec.typeName;
+
+  // Generate request methods.
+  const methods = actorSpec.methods;
+  methods.forEach(spec => {
+    const name = spec.name;
+
+    frontProto[name] = function (...args) {
+      // If the front is destroyed, the request will not be able to complete.
+      if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Can not send request '${name}' because front '${this.typeName}' is already destroyed.`
+        );
+      }
+
+      const startTime = Cu.now();
+      let packet;
+      try {
+        packet = spec.request.write(args, this);
+      } catch (ex) {
+        console.error("Error writing request: " + name);
+        throw ex;
+      }
+      if (spec.oneway) {
+        // Fire-and-forget oneway packets.
+        this.send(packet);
+        return undefined;
+      }
+
+      return this.request(packet).then(response => {
+        let ret;
+        if (!this.conn) {
+          throw new Error("Missing conn on " + this);
+        }
+        if (this.isDestroyed()) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Can not interpret '${name}' response because front '${this.typeName}' is already destroyed.`
+          );
+        }
+        try {
+          ret = spec.response.read(response, this);
+        } catch (ex) {
+          console.error("Error reading response to: " + name + "\n" + ex);
+          throw ex;
+        }
+        ChromeUtils.addProfilerMarker(
+          "RDP Front",
+          startTime,
+          `${this.typeName}:${name}()`
+        );
+        return ret;
+      });
+    };
+
+    // Release methods should call the destroy function on return.
+    if (spec.release) {
+      const fn = frontProto[name];
+      frontProto[name] = function (...args) {
+        return fn.apply(this, args).then(result => {
+          this.destroy();
+          return result;
+        });
+      };
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Process event specifications
+  frontProto._clientSpec = {};
+
+  const actorEvents = actorSpec.events;
+  if (actorEvents) {
+    frontProto._clientSpec.events = new Map();
+
+    for (const [name, request] of actorEvents) {
+      frontProto._clientSpec.events.set(request.type, {
+        name,
+        request,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  frontProto._actorSpec = actorSpec;
+
+  return frontProto;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Create a front class for the given actor specification and front prototype.
+ *
+ * @param object actorSpec
+ *    The actor specification you're creating a front for.
+ * @param object proto
+ *    The object prototype.  Must have a 'typeName' property,
+ *    should have method definitions, can have event definitions.
+ */
+var FrontClassWithSpec = function (actorSpec) {
+  class OneFront extends Front {}
+  generateRequestMethods(actorSpec, OneFront.prototype);
+  return OneFront;
+};
+exports.FrontClassWithSpec = FrontClassWithSpec;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/moz.build b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/moz.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75b36c5eab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Front/moz.build
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# vim: set filetype=python:
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+DevToolsModules(
+    "FrontClassWithSpec.js",
+)
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Pool.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Pool.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5cb4c3eb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Pool.js
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var EventEmitter = require("resource://devtools/shared/event-emitter.js");
+
+/**
+ * Actor and Front implementations
+ */
+
+/**
+ * A protocol object that can manage the lifetime of other protocol
+ * objects. Pools are used on both sides of the connection to help coordinate lifetimes.
+ *
+ * @param {DevToolsServerConnection|DevToolsClient} [conn]
+ *   Either a DevToolsServerConnection or a DevToolsClient. Must have
+ *   addActorPool, removeActorPool, and poolFor.
+ *   conn can be null if the subclass provides a conn property.
+ * @param {String} [label]
+ *   An optional label for the Pool.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+class Pool extends EventEmitter {
+  constructor(conn, label) {
+    super();
+
+    if (conn) {
+      this.conn = conn;
+    }
+    this.label = label;
+
+    // Will be individually flipped to true by Actor/Front classes.
+    // Will also only be exposed via Actor/Front::isDestroyed().
+    this._isDestroyed = false;
+  }
+
+  __poolMap = null;
+  parentPool = null;
+
+  /**
+   * Return the parent pool for this client.
+   */
+  getParent() {
+    return this.parentPool;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A pool is at the top of its pool hierarchy if it has:
+   * - no parent
+   * - or it is its own parent
+   */
+  isTopPool() {
+    const parent = this.getParent();
+    return !parent || parent === this;
+  }
+
+  poolFor(actorID) {
+    return this.conn.poolFor(actorID);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Override this if you want actors returned by this actor
+   * to belong to a different actor by default.
+   */
+  marshallPool() {
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Pool is the base class for all actors, even leaf nodes.
+   * If the child map is actually referenced, go ahead and create
+   * the stuff needed by the pool.
+   */
+  get _poolMap() {
+    if (this.__poolMap) {
+      return this.__poolMap;
+    }
+    this.__poolMap = new Map();
+    this.conn.addActorPool(this);
+    return this.__poolMap;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Add an actor as a child of this pool.
+   */
+  manage(actor) {
+    if (!actor.actorID) {
+      actor.actorID = this.conn.allocID(actor.typeName);
+    } else {
+      // If the actor is already registered in a pool, remove it without destroying it.
+      // This happens for example when an addon is reloaded. To see this behavior, take a
+      // look at devtools/server/tests/xpcshell/test_addon_reload.js
+
+      const parent = actor.getParent();
+      if (parent && parent !== this) {
+        parent.unmanage(actor);
+      }
+    }
+
+    this._poolMap.set(actor.actorID, actor);
+    actor.parentPool = this;
+  }
+
+  unmanageChildren(FrontType) {
+    for (const front of this.poolChildren()) {
+      if (!FrontType || front instanceof FrontType) {
+        this.unmanage(front);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Remove an actor as a child of this pool.
+   */
+  unmanage(actor) {
+    if (this.__poolMap) {
+      this.__poolMap.delete(actor.actorID);
+    }
+    actor.parentPool = null;
+  }
+
+  // true if the given actor ID exists in the pool.
+  has(actorID) {
+    return this.__poolMap && this._poolMap.has(actorID);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Search for an actor in this pool, given an actorID
+   * @param {String} actorID
+   * @returns {Actor/null} Returns null if the actor wasn't found
+   */
+  getActorByID(actorID) {
+    if (this.__poolMap) {
+      return this._poolMap.get(actorID);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  // Generator that yields each non-self child of the pool.
+  *poolChildren() {
+    if (!this.__poolMap) {
+      return;
+    }
+    for (const actor of this.__poolMap.values()) {
+      // Self-owned actors are ok, but don't need visiting twice.
+      if (actor === this) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      yield actor;
+    }
+  }
+
+  isDestroyed() {
+    // Note: _isDestroyed is only flipped from Actor and Front subclasses for
+    // now, so this method should not be called on pure Pool instances.
+    // See Bug 1717811.
+    return this._isDestroyed;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Pools can override this method in order to opt-out of a destroy sequence.
+   *
+   * For instance, Fronts are destroyed during the toolbox destroy. However when
+   * the toolbox is destroyed, the document holding the toolbox is also
+   * destroyed. So it should not be necessary to cleanup Fronts during toolbox
+   * destroy.
+   *
+   * For the time being, Fronts (or Pools in general) which want to opt-out of
+   * toolbox destroy can override this method and check the value of
+   * `this.conn.isToolboxDestroy`.
+   */
+  skipDestroy() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Destroy this item, removing it from a parent if it has one,
+   * and destroying all children if necessary.
+   */
+  destroy() {
+    const parent = this.getParent();
+    if (parent) {
+      parent.unmanage(this);
+    }
+    if (!this.__poolMap) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // Immediately clear the poolmap so that we bail out early if the code is reentrant.
+    const poolMap = this.__poolMap;
+    this.__poolMap = null;
+
+    for (const actor of poolMap.values()) {
+      // Self-owned actors are ok, but don't need destroying twice.
+      if (actor === this) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      // Some pool-managed values don't extend Pool and won't have skipDestroy
+      // defined. For instance, the root actor and the lazy actors.
+      if (typeof actor.skipDestroy === "function" && actor.skipDestroy()) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      const destroy = actor.destroy;
+      if (destroy) {
+        // Disconnect destroy while we're destroying in case of (misbehaving)
+        // circular ownership.
+        actor.destroy = null;
+        destroy.call(actor);
+        actor.destroy = destroy;
+      }
+    }
+    this.conn.removeActorPool(this);
+    this.conn = null;
+  }
+}
+
+exports.Pool = Pool;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Request.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Request.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..20befd938a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Request.js
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+const { extend } = require("resource://devtools/shared/extend.js");
+var {
+  findPlaceholders,
+  getPath,
+} = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/utils.js");
+var { types } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/types.js");
+
+/**
+ * Manages a request template.
+ *
+ * @param object template
+ *    The request template.
+ * @construcor
+ */
+var Request = function (template = {}) {
+  this.type = template.type;
+  this.template = template;
+  this.args = findPlaceholders(template, Arg);
+};
+
+Request.prototype = {
+  /**
+   * Write a request.
+   *
+   * @param array fnArgs
+   *    The function arguments to place in the request.
+   * @param object ctx
+   *    The object making the request.
+   * @returns a request packet.
+   */
+  write(fnArgs, ctx) {
+    const ret = {};
+    for (const key in this.template) {
+      const value = this.template[key];
+      if (value instanceof Arg) {
+        ret[key] = value.write(
+          value.index in fnArgs ? fnArgs[value.index] : undefined,
+          ctx,
+          key
+        );
+      } else if (key == "type") {
+        ret[key] = value;
+      } else {
+        throw new Error(
+          "Request can only an object with `Arg` or `Option` properties"
+        );
+      }
+    }
+    return ret;
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Read a request.
+   *
+   * @param object packet
+   *    The request packet.
+   * @param object ctx
+   *    The object making the request.
+   * @returns an arguments array
+   */
+  read(packet, ctx) {
+    const fnArgs = [];
+    for (const templateArg of this.args) {
+      const arg = templateArg.placeholder;
+      const path = templateArg.path;
+      const name = path[path.length - 1];
+      arg.read(getPath(packet, path), ctx, fnArgs, name);
+    }
+    return fnArgs;
+  },
+};
+
+exports.Request = Request;
+
+/**
+ * Request/Response templates and generation
+ *
+ * Request packets are specified as json templates with
+ * Arg and Option placeholders where arguments should be
+ * placed.
+ *
+ * Reponse packets are also specified as json templates,
+ * with a RetVal placeholder where the return value should be
+ * placed.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Placeholder for simple arguments.
+ *
+ * @param number index
+ *    The argument index to place at this position.
+ * @param type type
+ *    The argument should be marshalled as this type.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+var Arg = function (index, type) {
+  this.index = index;
+  // Prevent force loading all Arg types by accessing it only when needed
+  loader.lazyGetter(this, "type", function () {
+    return types.getType(type);
+  });
+};
+
+Arg.prototype = {
+  write(arg, ctx) {
+    return this.type.write(arg, ctx);
+  },
+
+  read(v, ctx, outArgs) {
+    outArgs[this.index] = this.type.read(v, ctx);
+  },
+};
+
+// Outside of protocol.js, Arg is called as factory method, without the new keyword.
+exports.Arg = function (index, type) {
+  return new Arg(index, type);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Placeholder for an options argument value that should be hoisted
+ * into the packet.
+ *
+ * If provided in a method specification:
+ *
+ *   { optionArg: Option(1)}
+ *
+ * Then arguments[1].optionArg will be placed in the packet in this
+ * value's place.
+ *
+ * @param number index
+ *    The argument index of the options value.
+ * @param type type
+ *    The argument should be marshalled as this type.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+var Option = function (index, type) {
+  Arg.call(this, index, type);
+};
+
+Option.prototype = extend(Arg.prototype, {
+  write(arg, ctx, name) {
+    // Ignore if arg is undefined or null; allow other falsy values
+    if (arg == undefined || arg[name] == undefined) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const v = arg[name];
+    return this.type.write(v, ctx);
+  },
+  read(v, ctx, outArgs, name) {
+    if (outArgs[this.index] === undefined) {
+      outArgs[this.index] = {};
+    }
+    if (v === undefined) {
+      return;
+    }
+    outArgs[this.index][name] = this.type.read(v, ctx);
+  },
+});
+
+// Outside of protocol.js, Option is called as factory method, without the new keyword.
+exports.Option = function (index, type) {
+  return new Option(index, type);
+};
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/Response.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/Response.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b456fe6149
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/Response.js
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var {
+  findPlaceholders,
+  getPath,
+} = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/utils.js");
+var { types } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/types.js");
+
+/**
+ * Manages a response template.
+ *
+ * @param object template
+ *    The response template.
+ * @construcor
+ */
+var Response = function (template = {}) {
+  this.template = template;
+  if (this.template instanceof RetVal && this.template.isArrayType()) {
+    throw Error("Arrays should be wrapped in objects");
+  }
+
+  const placeholders = findPlaceholders(template, RetVal);
+  if (placeholders.length > 1) {
+    throw Error("More than one RetVal specified in response");
+  }
+  const placeholder = placeholders.shift();
+  if (placeholder) {
+    this.retVal = placeholder.placeholder;
+    this.path = placeholder.path;
+  }
+};
+
+Response.prototype = {
+  /**
+   * Write a response for the given return value.
+   *
+   * @param val ret
+   *    The return value.
+   * @param object ctx
+   *    The object writing the response.
+   */
+  write(ret, ctx) {
+    // Consider that `template` is either directly a `RetVal`,
+    // or a dictionary with may be one `RetVal`.
+    if (this.template instanceof RetVal) {
+      return this.template.write(ret, ctx);
+    }
+    const result = {};
+    for (const key in this.template) {
+      const value = this.template[key];
+      if (value instanceof RetVal) {
+        result[key] = value.write(ret, ctx);
+      } else {
+        throw new Error(
+          "Response can only be a `RetVal` instance or an object " +
+            "with one property being a `RetVal` instance."
+        );
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Read a return value from the given response.
+   *
+   * @param object packet
+   *    The response packet.
+   * @param object ctx
+   *    The object reading the response.
+   */
+  read(packet, ctx) {
+    if (!this.retVal) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const v = getPath(packet, this.path);
+    return this.retVal.read(v, ctx);
+  },
+};
+
+exports.Response = Response;
+
+/**
+ * Placeholder for return values in a response template.
+ *
+ * @param type type
+ *    The return value should be marshalled as this type.
+ */
+var RetVal = function (type) {
+  this._type = type;
+  // Prevent force loading all RetVal types by accessing it only when needed
+  loader.lazyGetter(this, "type", function () {
+    return types.getType(type);
+  });
+};
+
+RetVal.prototype = {
+  write(v, ctx) {
+    return this.type.write(v, ctx);
+  },
+
+  read(v, ctx) {
+    return this.type.read(v, ctx);
+  },
+
+  isArrayType() {
+    // `_type` should always be a string, but a few incorrect RetVal calls
+    // pass `0`. See Bug 1677703.
+    return typeof this._type === "string" && this._type.startsWith("array:");
+  },
+};
+
+// Outside of protocol.js, RetVal is called as factory method, without the new keyword.
+exports.RetVal = function (type) {
+  return new RetVal(type);
+};
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/lazy-pool.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/lazy-pool.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0829fef1e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/lazy-pool.js
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+const { extend } = require("devtools/shared/extend");
+const { Pool } = require("devtools/shared/protocol");
+
+/**
+ * A Special Pool for RootActor and WindowGlobalTargetActor, which allows lazy loaded
+ * actors to be added to the pool.
+ *
+ * Like the Pool, this is a protocol object that can manage the lifetime of other protocol
+ * objects. Pools are used on both sides of the connection to help coordinate lifetimes.
+ *
+ * @param conn
+ *   Is a DevToolsServerConnection.  Must have
+ *   addActorPool, removeActorPool, and poolFor.
+ * @constructor
+ */
+function LazyPool(conn) {
+  this.conn = conn;
+}
+
+LazyPool.prototype = extend(Pool.prototype, {
+  // The actor for a given actor id stored in this pool
+  getActorByID(actorID) {
+    if (this.__poolMap) {
+      const entry = this._poolMap.get(actorID);
+      if (entry instanceof LazyActor) {
+        return entry.createActor();
+      }
+      return entry;
+    }
+    return null;
+  },
+});
+
+exports.LazyPool = LazyPool;
+
+/**
+ * Populate |parent._extraActors| as specified by |registeredActors|, reusing whatever
+ * actors are already there. Add all actors in the final extra actors table to
+ * |pool|. _extraActors is treated as a cache for lazy actors
+ *
+ * The target actor uses this to instantiate actors that other
+ * parts of the browser have specified with ActorRegistry.addTargetScopedActor
+ *
+ * @param factories
+ *     An object whose own property names are the names of properties to add to
+ *     some reply packet (say, a target actor grip or the "listTabs" response
+ *     form), and whose own property values are actor constructor functions, as
+ *     documented for addTargetScopedActor
+ *
+ * @param parent
+ *     The parent TargetActor with which the new actors
+ *     will be associated. It should support whatever API the |factories|
+ *     constructor functions might be interested in, as it is passed to them.
+ *     For the sake of CommonCreateExtraActors itself, it should have at least
+ *     the following properties:
+ *
+ *     - _extraActors
+ *        An object whose own property names are factory table (and packet)
+ *        property names, and whose values are no-argument actor constructors,
+ *        of the sort that one can add to a Pool.
+ *
+ *     - conn
+ *        The DevToolsServerConnection in which the new actors will participate.
+ *
+ *     - actorID
+ *        The actor's name, for use as the new actors' parentID.
+ * @param pool
+ *     An object which implements the protocol.js Pool interface, and has the
+ *     following properties
+ *
+ *     - manage
+ *       a function which adds a given actor to an actor pool
+ */
+function createExtraActors(registeredActors, pool, parent) {
+  // Walk over global actors added by extensions.
+  const nameMap = {};
+  for (const name in registeredActors) {
+    let actor = parent._extraActors[name];
+    if (!actor) {
+      // Register another factory, but this time specific to this connection.
+      // It creates a fake actor that looks like an regular actor in the pool,
+      // but without actually instantiating the actor.
+      // It will only be instantiated on the first request made to the actor.
+      actor = new LazyActor(registeredActors[name], parent, pool);
+      parent._extraActors[name] = actor;
+    }
+
+    // If the actor already exists in the pool, it may have been instantiated,
+    // so make sure not to overwrite it by a non-instantiated version.
+    if (!pool.has(actor.actorID)) {
+      pool.manage(actor);
+    }
+    nameMap[name] = actor.actorID;
+  }
+  return nameMap;
+}
+
+exports.createExtraActors = createExtraActors;
+
+/**
+ * Creates an "actor-like" object which responds in the same way as an ordinary actor
+ * but has fewer capabilities (ie, does not manage lifetimes or have it's own pool).
+ *
+ *
+ * @param factories
+ *     An object whose own property names are the names of properties to add to
+ *     some reply packet (say, a target actor grip or the "listTabs" response
+ *     form), and whose own property values are actor constructor functions, as
+ *     documented for addTargetScopedActor
+ *
+ * @param parent
+ *     The parent TargetActor with which the new actors
+ *     will be associated. It should support whatever API the |factories|
+ *     constructor functions might be interested in, as it is passed to them.
+ *     For the sake of CommonCreateExtraActors itself, it should have at least
+ *     the following properties:
+ *
+ *     - _extraActors
+ *        An object whose own property names are factory table (and packet)
+ *        property names, and whose values are no-argument actor constructors,
+ *        of the sort that one can add to a Pool.
+ *
+ *     - conn
+ *        The DevToolsServerConnection in which the new actors will participate.
+ *
+ *     - actorID
+ *        The actor's name, for use as the new actors' parentID.
+ * @param pool
+ *     An object which implements the protocol.js Pool interface, and has the
+ *     following properties
+ *
+ *     - manage
+ *       a function which adds a given actor to an actor pool
+ */
+
+function LazyActor(factory, parent, pool) {
+  this._options = factory.options;
+  this._parentActor = parent;
+  this._name = factory.name;
+  this._pool = pool;
+
+  // needed for taking a place in a pool
+  this.typeName = factory.name;
+}
+
+LazyActor.prototype = {
+  loadModule(id) {
+    const options = this._options;
+    try {
+      return require(id);
+      // Fetch the actor constructor
+    } catch (e) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Unable to load actor module '${options.id}'\n${e.message}\n${e.stack}\n`
+      );
+    }
+  },
+
+  getConstructor() {
+    const options = this._options;
+    if (options.constructorFun) {
+      // Actor definition registered by testing helpers
+      return options.constructorFun;
+    }
+    // Lazy actor definition, where options contains all the information
+    // required to load the actor lazily.
+    // Exposes `name` attribute in order to allow removeXXXActor to match
+    // the actor by its actor constructor name.
+    this.name = options.constructorName;
+    const module = this.loadModule(options.id);
+    const constructor = module[options.constructorName];
+    if (!constructor) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Unable to find actor constructor named '${this.name}'. (Is it exported?)`
+      );
+    }
+    return constructor;
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Return the parent pool for this lazy actor.
+   */
+  getParent() {
+    return this.conn && this.conn.poolFor(this.actorID);
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * This will only happen if the actor is destroyed before it is created
+   * We do not want to use the Pool destruction method, because this actor
+   * has no pool. However, it might have a parent that should unmange this
+   * actor
+   */
+  destroy() {
+    const parent = this.getParent();
+    if (parent) {
+      parent.unmanage(this);
+    }
+  },
+
+  createActor() {
+    // Fetch the actor constructor
+    const Constructor = this.getConstructor();
+    // Instantiate a new actor instance
+    const conn = this._parentActor.conn;
+    // this should be taken care of once all actors are moved to protocol.js
+    const instance = new Constructor(conn, this._parentActor);
+    instance.conn = conn;
+
+    // We want the newly-constructed actor to completely replace the factory
+    // actor. Reusing the existing actor ID will make sure Pool.manage
+    // replaces the old actor with the new actor.
+    instance.actorID = this.actorID;
+
+    this._pool.manage(instance);
+
+    return instance;
+  },
+};
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/moz.build b/devtools/shared/protocol/moz.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..87bf999c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/moz.build
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# vim: set filetype=python:
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+DIRS += [
+    "Actor",
+    "Front",
+]
+
+DevToolsModules(
+    "Actor.js",
+    "Front.js",
+    "lazy-pool.js",
+    "Pool.js",
+    "Request.js",
+    "Response.js",
+    "types.js",
+    "utils.js",
+)
+
+XPCSHELL_TESTS_MANIFESTS += ["tests/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini"]
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/.eslintrc.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/.eslintrc.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8611c174f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/.eslintrc.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+"use strict";
+
+module.exports = {
+  // Extend from the common devtools xpcshell eslintrc config.
+  extends: "../../../../.eslintrc.xpcshell.js",
+};
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/head.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/head.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd055ddb42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/head.js
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+const { require } = ChromeUtils.importESModule(
+  "resource://devtools/shared/loader/Loader.sys.mjs"
+);
+const {
+  DevToolsServer,
+} = require("resource://devtools/server/devtools-server.js");
+const {
+  DevToolsClient,
+} = require("resource://devtools/client/devtools-client.js");
+
+function dumpn(msg) {
+  dump("DBG-TEST: " + msg + "\n");
+}
+
+function connectPipeTracing() {
+  return new TracingTransport(DevToolsServer.connectPipe());
+}
+
+/**
+ * Mock the `Transport` class in order to intercept all the packet
+ * getting in and out and then being able to assert them and dump them.
+ */
+function TracingTransport(childTransport) {
+  this.hooks = null;
+  this.child = childTransport;
+  this.child.hooks = this;
+
+  this.expectations = [];
+  this.packets = [];
+  this.checkIndex = 0;
+}
+
+TracingTransport.prototype = {
+  // Remove actor names
+  normalize(packet) {
+    return JSON.parse(
+      JSON.stringify(packet, (key, value) => {
+        if (key === "to" || key === "from" || key === "actor") {
+          return "<actorid>";
+        }
+        return value;
+      })
+    );
+  },
+  send(packet) {
+    this.packets.push({
+      type: "sent",
+      packet: this.normalize(packet),
+    });
+    return this.child.send(packet);
+  },
+  close() {
+    return this.child.close();
+  },
+  ready() {
+    return this.child.ready();
+  },
+  onPacket(packet) {
+    this.packets.push({
+      type: "received",
+      packet: this.normalize(packet),
+    });
+    this.hooks.onPacket(packet);
+  },
+  onTransportClosed() {
+    if (this.hooks.onTransportClosed) {
+      this.hooks.onTransportClosed();
+    }
+  },
+
+  expectSend(expected) {
+    const packet = this.packets[this.checkIndex++];
+    Assert.equal(packet.type, "sent");
+    deepEqual(packet.packet, this.normalize(expected));
+  },
+
+  expectReceive(expected) {
+    const packet = this.packets[this.checkIndex++];
+    Assert.equal(packet.type, "received");
+    deepEqual(packet.packet, this.normalize(expected));
+  },
+
+  // Write your tests, call dumpLog at the end, inspect the output,
+  // then sprinkle the calls through the right places in your test.
+  dumpLog() {
+    for (const entry of this.packets) {
+      if (entry.type === "sent") {
+        dumpn("trace.expectSend(" + entry.packet + ");");
+      } else {
+        dumpn("trace.expectReceive(" + entry.packet + ");");
+      }
+    }
+  },
+};
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_abort.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_abort.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce237e1c00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_abort.js
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Outstanding requests should be rejected when the connection aborts
+ * unexpectedly.
+ */
+
+var protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+var { RetVal } = protocol;
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  methods: {
+    simpleReturn: {
+      response: { value: RetVal() },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    this.sequence = 0;
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  simpleReturn() {
+    return this.sequence++;
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+add_task(async function () {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => new RootActor(conn);
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  await client.connect();
+
+  const rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+  const onSimpleReturn = rootFront.simpleReturn();
+  trace.close();
+
+  try {
+    await onSimpleReturn;
+    ok(false, "Connection was aborted, request shouldn't resolve");
+  } catch (e) {
+    const error = e.toString();
+    ok(true, "Connection was aborted, request rejected correctly");
+    ok(error.includes("Request stack:"), "Error includes request stack");
+    ok(error.includes("test_protocol_abort.js"), "Stack includes this test");
+  }
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_async.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_async.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd7196710b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_async.js
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Make sure we get replies in the same order that we sent their
+ * requests even when earlier requests take several event ticks to
+ * complete.
+ */
+
+const { waitForTick } = require("resource://devtools/shared/DevToolsUtils.js");
+const protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+const { Arg, RetVal } = protocol;
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  methods: {
+    simpleReturn: {
+      response: { value: RetVal() },
+    },
+    promiseReturn: {
+      request: { toWait: Arg(0, "number") },
+      response: { value: RetVal("number") },
+    },
+    simpleThrow: {
+      response: { value: RetVal("number") },
+    },
+    promiseThrow: {
+      request: { toWait: Arg(0, "number") },
+      response: { value: RetVal("number") },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    this.sequence = 0;
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  simpleReturn() {
+    return this.sequence++;
+  }
+
+  // Guarantee that this resolves after simpleReturn returns.
+  async promiseReturn(toWait) {
+    const sequence = this.sequence++;
+
+    // Wait until the number of requests specified by toWait have
+    // happened, to test queuing.
+    while (this.sequence - sequence < toWait) {
+      await waitForTick();
+    }
+
+    return sequence;
+  }
+
+  simpleThrow() {
+    throw new Error(this.sequence++);
+  }
+
+  // Guarantee that this resolves after simpleReturn returns.
+  promiseThrow(toWait) {
+    return this.promiseReturn(toWait).then(Promise.reject);
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+add_task(async function () {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => new RootActor(conn);
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  await client.connect();
+
+  const rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+  const calls = [];
+  let sequence = 0;
+
+  // Execute a call that won't finish processing until 2
+  // more calls have happened
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.promiseReturn(2).then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 0);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  // Put a few requests into the backlog
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.simpleReturn().then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 1);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.simpleReturn().then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 2);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.simpleThrow().then(
+      () => {
+        Assert.ok(false, "simpleThrow shouldn't succeed!");
+      },
+      error => {
+        // Check right return order
+        Assert.equal(sequence++, 3);
+      }
+    )
+  );
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.promiseThrow(2).then(
+      () => {
+        Assert.ok(false, "promiseThrow shouldn't succeed!");
+      },
+      error => {
+        // Check right return order
+        Assert.equal(sequence++, 4);
+        Assert.ok(true, "simple throw should throw");
+      }
+    )
+  );
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.simpleReturn().then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 5);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  // Break up the backlog with a long request that waits
+  // for another simpleReturn before completing
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.promiseReturn(1).then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 6);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  calls.push(
+    rootFront.simpleReturn().then(ret => {
+      // Check right return order
+      Assert.equal(sequence, 7);
+      // Check request handling order
+      Assert.equal(ret, sequence++);
+    })
+  );
+
+  await Promise.all(calls);
+  await client.close();
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_children.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_children.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..728e58c6b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_children.js
@@ -0,0 +1,700 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+/* eslint-disable max-nested-callbacks */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Test simple requests using the protocol helpers.
+ */
+const protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+const { types, Arg, RetVal } = protocol;
+
+// Predeclaring the actor type so that it can be used in the
+// implementation of the child actor.
+types.addActorType("childActor");
+types.addActorType("otherChildActor");
+types.addPolymorphicType("polytype", ["childActor", "otherChildActor"]);
+
+const childSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "childActor",
+
+  events: {
+    event1: {
+      a: Arg(0),
+      b: Arg(1),
+      c: Arg(2),
+    },
+    event2: {
+      a: Arg(0),
+      b: Arg(1),
+      c: Arg(2),
+    },
+    "named-event": {
+      type: "namedEvent",
+      a: Arg(0),
+      b: Arg(1),
+      c: Arg(2),
+    },
+    "object-event": {
+      type: "objectEvent",
+      detail: Arg(0, "childActor#actorid"),
+    },
+    "array-object-event": {
+      type: "arrayObjectEvent",
+      detail: Arg(0, "array:childActor#actorid"),
+    },
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    echo: {
+      request: { str: Arg(0) },
+      response: { str: RetVal("string") },
+    },
+    getDetail1: {
+      response: {
+        child: RetVal("childActor#actorid"),
+      },
+    },
+    getDetail2: {
+      response: {
+        child: RetVal("childActor#actorid"),
+      },
+    },
+    getIDDetail: {
+      response: {
+        idDetail: RetVal("childActor#actorid"),
+      },
+    },
+    getIntArray: {
+      request: { inputArray: Arg(0, "array:number") },
+      response: {
+        intArray: RetVal("array:number"),
+      },
+    },
+    getSibling: {
+      request: { id: Arg(0) },
+      response: { sibling: RetVal("childActor") },
+    },
+    emitEvents: {
+      response: { value: RetVal("string") },
+    },
+    release: {
+      release: true,
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class ChildActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn, id) {
+    super(conn, childSpec);
+    this.childID = id;
+  }
+
+  // Actors returned by this actor should be owned by the root actor.
+  marshallPool() {
+    return this.getParent();
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[ChildActor " + this.childID + "]";
+  }
+
+  destroy() {
+    super.destroy();
+    this.destroyed = true;
+  }
+
+  form() {
+    return {
+      actor: this.actorID,
+      childID: this.childID,
+    };
+  }
+
+  echo(str) {
+    return str;
+  }
+
+  getDetail1() {
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  getDetail2() {
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  getIDDetail() {
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  getIntArray(inputArray) {
+    // Test that protocol.js converts an iterator to an array.
+    const f = function* () {
+      for (const i of inputArray) {
+        yield 2 * i;
+      }
+    };
+    return f();
+  }
+
+  getSibling(id) {
+    return this.getParent().getChild(id);
+  }
+
+  emitEvents() {
+    this.emit("event1", 1, 2, 3);
+    this.emit("event2", 4, 5, 6);
+    this.emit("named-event", 1, 2, 3);
+    this.emit("object-event", this);
+    this.emit("array-object-event", [this]);
+    return "correct response";
+  }
+
+  release() {}
+}
+
+class ChildFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(childSpec) {
+  constructor(client, targetFront, parentFront) {
+    super(client, targetFront, parentFront);
+    this._parentFront = parentFront;
+
+    this.before("event1", this.onEvent1.bind(this));
+    this.before("event2", this.onEvent2a.bind(this));
+    this.on("event2", this.onEvent2b.bind(this));
+  }
+
+  destroy() {
+    this.destroyed = true;
+    // Call parent's destroy, which may be re-entrant and recall this function
+    this._parentFront.destroy();
+    super.destroy();
+  }
+
+  marshallPool() {
+    return this.getParent();
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[child front " + this.childID + "]";
+  }
+
+  form(form) {
+    this.childID = form.childID;
+  }
+
+  onEvent1(a, b, c) {
+    this.event1arg3 = c;
+  }
+
+  onEvent2a(a, b, c) {
+    return Promise.resolve().then(() => {
+      this.event2arg3 = c;
+    });
+  }
+
+  onEvent2b(a, b, c) {
+    this.event2arg2 = b;
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(ChildFront);
+
+const otherChildSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "otherChildActor",
+  methods: {
+    getOtherChild: {
+      request: {},
+      response: { sibling: RetVal("otherChildActor") },
+    },
+  },
+  events: {},
+});
+
+class OtherChildActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, otherChildSpec);
+  }
+
+  getOtherChild() {
+    return new OtherChildActor(this.conn);
+  }
+}
+
+class OtherChildFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(otherChildSpec) {}
+protocol.registerFront(OtherChildFront);
+
+types.addDictType("manyChildrenDict", {
+  child5: "childActor",
+  more: "array:childActor",
+});
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  methods: {
+    getChild: {
+      request: { str: Arg(0) },
+      response: { actor: RetVal("childActor") },
+    },
+    getOtherChild: {
+      request: {},
+      response: { sibling: RetVal("otherChildActor") },
+    },
+    getChildren: {
+      request: { ids: Arg(0, "array:string") },
+      response: { children: RetVal("array:childActor") },
+    },
+    getChildren2: {
+      request: { ids: Arg(0, "array:childActor") },
+      response: { children: RetVal("array:childActor") },
+    },
+    getManyChildren: {
+      response: RetVal("manyChildrenDict"),
+    },
+    getPolymorphism: {
+      request: { id: Arg(0, "number") },
+      response: { child: RetVal("polytype") },
+    },
+    requestPolymorphism: {
+      request: {
+        id: Arg(0, "number"),
+        actor: Arg(1, "polytype"),
+      },
+      response: { child: RetVal("polytype") },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+let rootActor = null;
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    rootActor = this;
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    this._children = {};
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[root actor]";
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  getChild(id) {
+    if (id in this._children) {
+      return this._children[id];
+    }
+    const child = new ChildActor(this.conn, id);
+    this._children[id] = child;
+    return child;
+  }
+
+  // Other child actor won't all be own by the root actor
+  // and can have their own children
+  getOtherChild() {
+    return new OtherChildActor(this.conn);
+  }
+
+  getChildren(ids) {
+    return ids.map(id => this.getChild(id));
+  }
+
+  getChildren2(ids) {
+    const f = function* () {
+      for (const c of ids) {
+        yield c;
+      }
+    };
+    return f();
+  }
+
+  getManyChildren() {
+    return {
+      // note that this isn't in the specialization array.
+      foo: "bar",
+      child5: this.getChild("child5"),
+      more: [this.getChild("child6"), this.getChild("child7")],
+    };
+  }
+
+  getPolymorphism(id) {
+    if (id == 0) {
+      return new ChildActor(this.conn, id);
+    } else if (id == 1) {
+      return new OtherChildActor(this.conn);
+    }
+    throw new Error("Unexpected id");
+  }
+
+  requestPolymorphism(id, actor) {
+    if (id == 0 && actor instanceof ChildActor) {
+      return actor;
+    } else if (id == 1 && actor instanceof OtherChildActor) {
+      return actor;
+    }
+    throw new Error("Unexpected id or actor");
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client, targetFront, parentFront) {
+    super(client, targetFront, parentFront);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+
+  toString() {
+    return "[root front]";
+  }
+}
+
+let rootFront, childFront;
+function expectRootChildren(size) {
+  Assert.equal(rootActor._poolMap.size, size);
+  Assert.equal(rootFront._poolMap.size, size + 1);
+  if (childFront) {
+    Assert.equal(childFront._poolMap.size, 0);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+function childrenOfType(pool, type) {
+  const children = [...rootFront.poolChildren()];
+  return children.filter(child => child instanceof type);
+}
+
+add_task(async function () {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => {
+    return new RootActor(conn);
+  };
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  const [applicationType] = await client.connect();
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    from: "<actorid>",
+    applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+    traits: [],
+  });
+  Assert.equal(applicationType, "xpcshell-tests");
+
+  rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+  await testSimpleChildren(trace);
+  await testDetail(trace);
+  await testSibling(trace);
+  await testEvents(trace);
+  await testManyChildren(trace);
+  await testGenerator(trace);
+  await testPolymorphism(trace);
+  await testUnmanageChildren(trace);
+  // Execute that assertion very last as it destroy the root front and actor
+  await testDestroy(trace);
+
+  await client.close();
+});
+
+async function testSimpleChildren(trace) {
+  childFront = await rootFront.getChild("child1");
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getChild", str: "child1", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ actor: "<actorid>", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+  Assert.ok(childFront instanceof ChildFront);
+  Assert.equal(childFront.childID, "child1");
+  expectRootChildren(1);
+
+  // Request the child again, make sure the same is returned.
+  let ret = await rootFront.getChild("child1");
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getChild", str: "child1", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ actor: "<actorid>", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+  expectRootChildren(1);
+  Assert.ok(ret === childFront);
+
+  ret = await childFront.echo("hello");
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "echo", str: "hello", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ str: "hello", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+  Assert.equal(ret, "hello");
+}
+
+async function testDetail(trace) {
+  let ret = await childFront.getDetail1();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getDetail1", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ child: childFront.actorID, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.ok(ret === childFront);
+
+  ret = await childFront.getDetail2();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getDetail2", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ child: childFront.actorID, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.ok(ret === childFront);
+
+  ret = await childFront.getIDDetail();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getIDDetail", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    idDetail: childFront.actorID,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  Assert.ok(ret === childFront);
+}
+
+async function testSibling(trace) {
+  await childFront.getSibling("siblingID");
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "getSibling",
+    id: "siblingID",
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    sibling: { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "siblingID" },
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+
+  expectRootChildren(2);
+}
+
+async function testEvents(trace) {
+  const ret = await rootFront.getChildren(["child1", "child2"]);
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "getChildren",
+    ids: ["child1", "child2"],
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    children: [
+      { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "child1" },
+      { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "child2" },
+    ],
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+
+  expectRootChildren(3);
+  Assert.ok(ret[0] === childFront);
+  Assert.ok(ret[1] !== childFront);
+  Assert.ok(ret[1] instanceof ChildFront);
+
+  // On both children, listen to events.  We're only
+  // going to trigger events on the first child, so an event
+  // triggered on the second should cause immediate failures.
+
+  const set = new Set([
+    "event1",
+    "event2",
+    "named-event",
+    "object-event",
+    "array-object-event",
+  ]);
+
+  childFront.on("event1", (a, b, c) => {
+    Assert.equal(a, 1);
+    Assert.equal(b, 2);
+    Assert.equal(c, 3);
+    // Verify that the pre-event handler was called.
+    Assert.equal(childFront.event1arg3, 3);
+    set.delete("event1");
+  });
+  childFront.on("event2", (a, b, c) => {
+    Assert.equal(a, 4);
+    Assert.equal(b, 5);
+    Assert.equal(c, 6);
+    // Verify that the async pre-event handler was called,
+    // setting the property before this handler was called.
+    Assert.equal(childFront.event2arg3, 6);
+    // And check that the sync preEvent with the same name is also
+    // executed
+    Assert.equal(childFront.event2arg2, 5);
+    set.delete("event2");
+  });
+  childFront.on("named-event", (a, b, c) => {
+    Assert.equal(a, 1);
+    Assert.equal(b, 2);
+    Assert.equal(c, 3);
+    set.delete("named-event");
+  });
+  childFront.on("object-event", obj => {
+    Assert.ok(obj === childFront);
+    set.delete("object-event");
+  });
+  childFront.on("array-object-event", array => {
+    Assert.ok(array[0] === childFront);
+    set.delete("array-object-event");
+  });
+
+  const fail = function () {
+    do_throw("Unexpected event");
+  };
+  ret[1].on("event1", fail);
+  ret[1].on("event2", fail);
+  ret[1].on("named-event", fail);
+  ret[1].on("object-event", fail);
+  ret[1].on("array-object-event", fail);
+
+  await childFront.emitEvents();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "emitEvents", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "event1",
+    a: 1,
+    b: 2,
+    c: 3,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "event2",
+    a: 4,
+    b: 5,
+    c: 6,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "namedEvent",
+    a: 1,
+    b: 2,
+    c: 3,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "objectEvent",
+    detail: childFront.actorID,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "arrayObjectEvent",
+    detail: [childFront.actorID],
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: "correct response", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+  Assert.equal(set.size, 0);
+}
+
+async function testManyChildren(trace) {
+  const ret = await rootFront.getManyChildren();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "getManyChildren", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    foo: "bar",
+    child5: { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "child5" },
+    more: [
+      { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "child6" },
+      { actor: "<actorid>", childID: "child7" },
+    ],
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+
+  // Check all the crazy stuff we did in getManyChildren
+  Assert.equal(ret.foo, "bar");
+  Assert.equal(ret.child5.childID, "child5");
+  Assert.equal(ret.more[0].childID, "child6");
+  Assert.equal(ret.more[1].childID, "child7");
+}
+
+async function testGenerator(trace) {
+  // Test accepting a generator.
+  const f = function* () {
+    for (const i of [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]) {
+      yield i;
+    }
+  };
+  let ret = await childFront.getIntArray(f());
+  Assert.equal(ret.length, 5);
+  const expected = [2, 4, 6, 8, 10];
+  for (let i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
+    Assert.equal(ret[i], expected[i]);
+  }
+
+  const ids = await rootFront.getChildren(["child1", "child2"]);
+  const f2 = function* () {
+    for (const id of ids) {
+      yield id;
+    }
+  };
+  ret = await rootFront.getChildren2(f2());
+  Assert.equal(ret.length, 2);
+  Assert.ok(ret[0] === childFront);
+  Assert.ok(ret[1] !== childFront);
+  Assert.ok(ret[1] instanceof ChildFront);
+}
+
+async function testPolymorphism(trace) {
+  // Check polymorphic types returned by an actor
+  const firstChild = await rootFront.getPolymorphism(0);
+  Assert.ok(firstChild instanceof ChildFront);
+
+  // Check polymorphic types passed to a front
+  const sameFirstChild = await rootFront.requestPolymorphism(0, firstChild);
+  Assert.ok(sameFirstChild instanceof ChildFront);
+  Assert.equal(sameFirstChild, firstChild);
+
+  // Same with the second possible type
+  const secondChild = await rootFront.getPolymorphism(1);
+  Assert.ok(secondChild instanceof OtherChildFront);
+
+  const sameSecondChild = await rootFront.requestPolymorphism(1, secondChild);
+  Assert.ok(sameSecondChild instanceof OtherChildFront);
+  Assert.equal(sameSecondChild, secondChild);
+
+  // Check that any other type is rejected
+  Assert.throws(() => {
+    rootFront.requestPolymorphism(0, null);
+  }, /Was expecting one of these actors 'childActor,otherChildActor' but instead got an empty value/);
+  Assert.throws(() => {
+    rootFront.requestPolymorphism(0, 42);
+  }, /Was expecting one of these actors 'childActor,otherChildActor' but instead got value: '42'/);
+  Assert.throws(() => {
+    rootFront.requestPolymorphism(0, rootFront);
+  }, /Was expecting one of these actors 'childActor,otherChildActor' but instead got an actor of type: 'root'/);
+}
+
+async function testUnmanageChildren(trace) {
+  // There is already one front of type OtherChildFront
+  Assert.equal(childrenOfType(rootFront, OtherChildFront).length, 1);
+
+  // Create another front of type OtherChildFront
+  const front = await rootFront.getPolymorphism(1);
+  Assert.ok(front instanceof OtherChildFront);
+  Assert.equal(childrenOfType(rootFront, OtherChildFront).length, 2);
+
+  // Remove all fronts of type OtherChildFront
+  rootFront.unmanageChildren(OtherChildFront);
+  Assert.ok(
+    !front.isDestroyed(),
+    "Unmanaged front is not considered as destroyed"
+  );
+  Assert.equal(childrenOfType(rootFront, OtherChildFront).length, 0);
+}
+
+async function testDestroy(trace) {
+  const front = await rootFront.getOtherChild();
+  const otherChildFront = await front.getOtherChild();
+  Assert.equal(
+    otherChildFront.getParent(),
+    front,
+    "the child is a children of first front"
+  );
+
+  front.destroy();
+  Assert.ok(front.isDestroyed(), "sibling is correctly reported as destroyed");
+  Assert.ok(!front.getParent(), "sibling has no more parent declared");
+  Assert.ok(otherChildFront.isDestroyed(), "the child is also destroyed");
+  Assert.ok(
+    !otherChildFront.getParent(),
+    "the child also has no more parent declared"
+  );
+  Assert.ok(
+    !otherChildFront.parentPool,
+    "the child also has its parentPool attribute nullified"
+  );
+
+  // Verify that re-entrant Front.destroy doesn't throw, nor loop
+  // Execute that very last as it will destroy the root actor and front
+  const sibling = await childFront.getSibling("siblingID");
+  sibling.destroy();
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_index.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef566d6b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+const { lazyLoadFront } = require("resource://devtools/shared/specs/index.js");
+const Types =
+  require("resource://devtools/shared/specs/index.js").__TypesForTests;
+const { getType } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js").types;
+
+function run_test() {
+  test_index_is_alphabetically_sorted();
+  test_specs();
+  test_fronts();
+}
+
+// Check alphabetic order of specs defined in devtools/shared/specs/index.js,
+// in order to ease its maintenance and readability.
+function test_index_is_alphabetically_sorted() {
+  let lastSpec = "";
+  for (const type of Types) {
+    const spec = type.spec;
+    if (lastSpec && spec < lastSpec) {
+      ok(false, `Spec definition for "${spec}" should be before "${lastSpec}"`);
+    }
+    lastSpec = spec;
+  }
+  ok(true, "Specs index is alphabetically sorted");
+}
+
+function test_specs() {
+  for (const type of Types) {
+    for (const typeName of type.types) {
+      ok(!!getType(typeName), `${typeName} spec is defined`);
+    }
+  }
+  ok(true, "Specs are all accessible");
+}
+
+function test_fronts() {
+  for (const item of Types) {
+    if (!item.front) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    for (const typeName of item.types) {
+      lazyLoadFront(typeName);
+      const type = getType(typeName);
+      ok(!!type, `Front for ${typeName} has a spec`);
+      ok(type.frontClass, `${typeName} has a front correctly defined`);
+    }
+  }
+  ok(true, "Front are all accessible");
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_invalid_response.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_invalid_response.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b530f0a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_invalid_response.js
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+const protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+const { RetVal } = protocol;
+
+// Test invalid response specs throw when generating the Actor specification.
+
+// Test top level array response
+add_task(async function () {
+  Assert.throws(() => {
+    protocol.generateActorSpec({
+      typeName: "invalidArrayResponse",
+      methods: {
+        invalidMethod: {
+          response: RetVal("array:string"),
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  }, /Arrays should be wrapped in objects/);
+
+  protocol.generateActorSpec({
+    typeName: "validArrayResponse",
+    methods: {
+      validMethod: {
+        response: {
+          someArray: RetVal("array:string"),
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  });
+  ok(true, "Arrays wrapped in object are valid response packets");
+});
+
+// Test response with several placeholders
+add_task(async function () {
+  Assert.throws(() => {
+    protocol.generateActorSpec({
+      typeName: "tooManyPlaceholdersResponse",
+      methods: {
+        invalidMethod: {
+          response: {
+            prop1: RetVal("json"),
+            prop2: RetVal("json"),
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  }, /More than one RetVal specified in response/);
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_lifecycle.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_lifecycle.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd887ba88a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_lifecycle.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+const { Actor } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Actor.js");
+const { Front } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Front.js");
+
+add_task(async function () {
+  // Front constructor expect to be provided a client object
+  const client = {};
+  const front = new Front(client);
+  ok(
+    !front.isDestroyed(),
+    "Blank front with no actor ID is not considered as destroyed"
+  );
+  front.destroy();
+  ok(front.isDestroyed(), "Front is destroyed");
+
+  const actor = new Actor(null, { typeName: "actor", methods: [] });
+  ok(
+    !actor.isDestroyed(),
+    "Blank actor with no actor ID is not considered as destroyed"
+  );
+  actor.destroy();
+  ok(actor.isDestroyed(), "Actor is destroyed");
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_longstring.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_longstring.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cda1708520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_longstring.js
@@ -0,0 +1,310 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+/* eslint-disable max-nested-callbacks */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Test simple requests using the protocol helpers.
+ */
+var protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+var { RetVal, Arg } = protocol;
+var EventEmitter = require("resource://devtools/shared/event-emitter.js");
+var {
+  LongStringActor,
+} = require("resource://devtools/server/actors/string.js");
+
+// The test implicitly relies on this.
+require("resource://devtools/client/fronts/string.js");
+
+DevToolsServer.LONG_STRING_LENGTH =
+  DevToolsServer.LONG_STRING_INITIAL_LENGTH =
+  DevToolsServer.LONG_STRING_READ_LENGTH =
+    5;
+
+var SHORT_STR = "abc";
+var LONG_STR = "abcdefghijklmnop";
+
+var rootActor = null;
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  events: {
+    "string-event": {
+      str: Arg(0, "longstring"),
+    },
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    shortString: {
+      response: { value: RetVal("longstring") },
+    },
+    longString: {
+      response: { value: RetVal("longstring") },
+    },
+    emitShortString: {
+      oneway: true,
+    },
+    emitLongString: {
+      oneway: true,
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    rootActor = this;
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  shortString() {
+    return new LongStringActor(this.conn, SHORT_STR);
+  }
+
+  longString() {
+    return new LongStringActor(this.conn, LONG_STR);
+  }
+
+  emitShortString() {
+    EventEmitter.emit(
+      this,
+      "string-event",
+      new LongStringActor(this.conn, SHORT_STR)
+    );
+  }
+
+  emitLongString() {
+    EventEmitter.emit(
+      this,
+      "string-event",
+      new LongStringActor(this.conn, LONG_STR)
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+function run_test() {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => {
+    return new RootActor(conn);
+  };
+
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  let rootFront;
+
+  let strfront = null;
+
+  const expectRootChildren = function (size) {
+    Assert.equal(rootActor.__poolMap.size, size + 1);
+    Assert.equal(rootFront.__poolMap.size, size + 1);
+  };
+
+  client.connect().then(([applicationType, traits]) => {
+    rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+    // Root actor has no children yet.
+    expectRootChildren(0);
+
+    trace.expectReceive({
+      from: "<actorid>",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    });
+    Assert.equal(applicationType, "xpcshell-tests");
+    rootFront
+      .shortString()
+      .then(ret => {
+        trace.expectSend({ type: "shortString", to: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectReceive({ value: "abc", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+        // Should only own the one reference (itself) at this point.
+        expectRootChildren(0);
+        strfront = ret;
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return strfront.string();
+      })
+      .then(ret => {
+        Assert.equal(ret, SHORT_STR);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return rootFront.longString();
+      })
+      .then(ret => {
+        trace.expectSend({ type: "longString", to: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectReceive({
+          value: {
+            type: "longString",
+            actor: "<actorid>",
+            length: 16,
+            initial: "abcde",
+          },
+          from: "<actorid>",
+        });
+
+        strfront = ret;
+        // Should own a reference to itself and an extra string now.
+        expectRootChildren(1);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return strfront.string();
+      })
+      .then(ret => {
+        trace.expectSend({
+          type: "substring",
+          start: 5,
+          end: 10,
+          to: "<actorid>",
+        });
+        trace.expectReceive({ substring: "fghij", from: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectSend({
+          type: "substring",
+          start: 10,
+          end: 15,
+          to: "<actorid>",
+        });
+        trace.expectReceive({ substring: "klmno", from: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectSend({
+          type: "substring",
+          start: 15,
+          end: 20,
+          to: "<actorid>",
+        });
+        trace.expectReceive({ substring: "p", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+        Assert.equal(ret, LONG_STR);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return strfront.release();
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        trace.expectSend({ type: "release", to: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectReceive({ from: "<actorid>" });
+
+        // That reference should be removed now.
+        expectRootChildren(0);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
+          rootFront.once("string-event", str => {
+            trace.expectSend({ type: "emitShortString", to: "<actorid>" });
+            trace.expectReceive({
+              type: "string-event",
+              str: "abc",
+              from: "<actorid>",
+            });
+
+            Assert.ok(!!str);
+            strfront = str;
+            // Shouldn't generate any new references
+            expectRootChildren(0);
+            // will generate no packets.
+            strfront.string().then(value => {
+              resolve(value);
+            });
+          });
+          rootFront.emitShortString();
+        });
+      })
+      .then(value => {
+        Assert.equal(value, SHORT_STR);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        // Will generate no packets
+        return strfront.release();
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
+          rootFront.once("string-event", str => {
+            trace.expectSend({ type: "emitLongString", to: "<actorid>" });
+            trace.expectReceive({
+              type: "string-event",
+              str: {
+                type: "longString",
+                actor: "<actorid>",
+                length: 16,
+                initial: "abcde",
+              },
+              from: "<actorid>",
+            });
+
+            Assert.ok(!!str);
+            // Should generate one new reference
+            expectRootChildren(1);
+            strfront = str;
+            strfront.string().then(value => {
+              trace.expectSend({
+                type: "substring",
+                start: 5,
+                end: 10,
+                to: "<actorid>",
+              });
+              trace.expectReceive({ substring: "fghij", from: "<actorid>" });
+              trace.expectSend({
+                type: "substring",
+                start: 10,
+                end: 15,
+                to: "<actorid>",
+              });
+              trace.expectReceive({ substring: "klmno", from: "<actorid>" });
+              trace.expectSend({
+                type: "substring",
+                start: 15,
+                end: 20,
+                to: "<actorid>",
+              });
+              trace.expectReceive({ substring: "p", from: "<actorid>" });
+
+              resolve(value);
+            });
+          });
+          rootFront.emitLongString();
+        });
+      })
+      .then(value => {
+        Assert.equal(value, LONG_STR);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return strfront.release();
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        trace.expectSend({ type: "release", to: "<actorid>" });
+        trace.expectReceive({ from: "<actorid>" });
+        expectRootChildren(0);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        client.close().then(() => {
+          do_test_finished();
+        });
+      })
+      .catch(err => {
+        do_report_unexpected_exception(err, "Failure executing test");
+      });
+  });
+  do_test_pending();
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_simple.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_simple.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..523d147f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_simple.js
@@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Test simple requests using the protocol helpers.
+ */
+
+var protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+var { Arg, Option, RetVal } = protocol;
+var EventEmitter = require("resource://devtools/shared/event-emitter.js");
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  events: {
+    oneway: { a: Arg(0) },
+    falsyOptions: {
+      zero: Option(0),
+      farce: Option(0),
+    },
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    simpleReturn: {
+      response: { value: RetVal() },
+    },
+    promiseReturn: {
+      response: { value: RetVal("number") },
+    },
+    simpleArgs: {
+      request: {
+        firstArg: Arg(0),
+        secondArg: Arg(1),
+      },
+      response: RetVal(),
+    },
+    optionArgs: {
+      request: {
+        option1: Option(0),
+        option2: Option(0),
+      },
+      response: RetVal(),
+    },
+    optionalArgs: {
+      request: {
+        a: Arg(0),
+        b: Arg(1, "nullable:number"),
+      },
+      response: {
+        value: RetVal("number"),
+      },
+    },
+    arrayArgs: {
+      request: {
+        a: Arg(0, "array:number"),
+      },
+      response: {
+        arrayReturn: RetVal("array:number"),
+      },
+    },
+    nestedArrayArgs: {
+      request: { a: Arg(0, "array:array:number") },
+      response: { value: RetVal("array:array:number") },
+    },
+    renamedEcho: {
+      request: {
+        type: "echo",
+        a: Arg(0),
+      },
+      response: {
+        value: RetVal("string"),
+      },
+    },
+    testOneWay: {
+      request: { a: Arg(0) },
+      oneway: true,
+    },
+    emitFalsyOptions: {
+      oneway: true,
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  simpleReturn() {
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  promiseReturn() {
+    return Promise.resolve(1);
+  }
+
+  simpleArgs(a, b) {
+    return { firstResponse: a + 1, secondResponse: b + 1 };
+  }
+
+  optionArgs(options) {
+    return { option1: options.option1, option2: options.option2 };
+  }
+
+  optionalArgs(a, b = 200) {
+    return b;
+  }
+
+  arrayArgs(a) {
+    return a;
+  }
+
+  nestedArrayArgs(a) {
+    return a;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Test that the 'type' part of the request packet works
+   * correctly when the type isn't the same as the method name
+   */
+  renamedEcho(a) {
+    if (this.conn.currentPacket.type != "echo") {
+      return "goodbye";
+    }
+    return a;
+  }
+
+  testOneWay(a) {
+    // Emit to show that we got this message, because there won't be a response.
+    EventEmitter.emit(this, "oneway", a);
+  }
+
+  emitFalsyOptions() {
+    EventEmitter.emit(this, "falsyOptions", { zero: 0, farce: false });
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+add_task(async function () {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => {
+    return new RootActor(conn);
+  };
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  protocol.types.getType("array:array:array:number");
+  protocol.types.getType("array:array:array:number");
+
+  Assert.throws(
+    () => protocol.types.getType("unknown"),
+    /Unknown type:/,
+    "Should throw for unknown type"
+  );
+  Assert.throws(
+    () => protocol.types.getType("array:unknown"),
+    /Unknown type:/,
+    "Should throw for unknown type"
+  );
+  Assert.throws(
+    () => protocol.types.getType("unknown:number"),
+    /Unknown collection type:/,
+    "Should throw for unknown collection type"
+  );
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+
+  const [applicationType] = await client.connect();
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    from: "<actorid>",
+    applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+    traits: [],
+  });
+  Assert.equal(applicationType, "xpcshell-tests");
+
+  const rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+  let ret = await rootFront.simpleReturn();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "simpleReturn", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: 1, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret, 1);
+
+  ret = await rootFront.promiseReturn();
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "promiseReturn", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: 1, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret, 1);
+
+  Assert.throws(
+    () => rootFront.simpleArgs(5),
+    /undefined passed where a value is required/,
+    "Should throw if simpleArgs is missing an argument."
+  );
+
+  ret = await rootFront.simpleArgs(5, 10);
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "simpleArgs",
+    firstArg: 5,
+    secondArg: 10,
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    firstResponse: 6,
+    secondResponse: 11,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  Assert.equal(ret.firstResponse, 6);
+  Assert.equal(ret.secondResponse, 11);
+
+  ret = await rootFront.optionArgs({
+    option1: 5,
+    option2: 10,
+  });
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "optionArgs",
+    option1: 5,
+    option2: 10,
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({ option1: 5, option2: 10, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret.option1, 5);
+  Assert.equal(ret.option2, 10);
+
+  ret = await rootFront.optionArgs({});
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "optionArgs", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.ok(typeof ret.option1 === "undefined");
+  Assert.ok(typeof ret.option2 === "undefined");
+
+  // Explicitly call an optional argument...
+  ret = await rootFront.optionalArgs(5, 10);
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "optionalArgs",
+    a: 5,
+    b: 10,
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: 10, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret, 10);
+
+  // Now don't pass the optional argument, expect the default.
+  ret = await rootFront.optionalArgs(5);
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "optionalArgs", a: 5, to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: 200, from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret, 200);
+
+  ret = await rootFront.arrayArgs([0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]);
+  trace.expectSend({
+    type: "arrayArgs",
+    a: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
+    to: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    arrayReturn: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  Assert.equal(ret[0], 0);
+  Assert.equal(ret[5], 5);
+
+  ret = await rootFront.arrayArgs([[5]]);
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "arrayArgs", a: [[5]], to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ arrayReturn: [[5]], from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(ret[0][0], 5);
+
+  const str = await rootFront.renamedEcho("hello");
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "echo", a: "hello", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({ value: "hello", from: "<actorid>" });
+  Assert.equal(str, "hello");
+
+  const onOneWay = rootFront.once("oneway");
+  Assert.ok(typeof rootFront.testOneWay("hello") === "undefined");
+  const response = await onOneWay;
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "testOneWay", a: "hello", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "oneway",
+    a: "hello",
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+  Assert.equal(response, "hello");
+
+  const onFalsyOptions = rootFront.once("falsyOptions");
+  rootFront.emitFalsyOptions();
+  const res = await onFalsyOptions;
+  trace.expectSend({ type: "emitFalsyOptions", to: "<actorid>" });
+  trace.expectReceive({
+    type: "falsyOptions",
+    farce: false,
+    zero: 0,
+    from: "<actorid>",
+  });
+
+  Assert.ok(res.zero === 0);
+  Assert.ok(res.farce === false);
+
+  await client.close();
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_stack.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_stack.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..faf8402ea6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_stack.js
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Client request stacks should span the entire process from before making the
+ * request to handling the reply from the server.  The server frames are not
+ * included, nor can they be in most cases, since the server can be a remote
+ * device.
+ */
+
+var protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+var { RetVal } = protocol;
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  methods: {
+    simpleReturn: {
+      response: { value: RetVal() },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    this.sequence = 0;
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  simpleReturn() {
+    return this.sequence++;
+  }
+}
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+function run_test() {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => new RootActor(conn);
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  let rootFront;
+
+  client.connect().then(function onConnect() {
+    rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+    rootFront
+      .simpleReturn()
+      .then(
+        () => {
+          let stack = Components.stack;
+          while (stack) {
+            info(stack.name);
+            if (stack.name.includes("onConnect")) {
+              // Reached back to outer function before request
+              ok(true, "Complete stack");
+              return;
+            }
+            stack = stack.asyncCaller || stack.caller;
+          }
+          ok(false, "Incomplete stack");
+        },
+        () => {
+          ok(false, "Request failed unexpectedly");
+        }
+      )
+      .then(() => {
+        client.close().then(() => {
+          do_test_finished();
+        });
+      });
+  });
+
+  do_test_pending();
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_types.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_types.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a62c5e073
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_types.js
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const { types } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+
+function run_test() {
+  types.addActorType("myActor1");
+  types.addActorType("myActor2");
+  types.addActorType("myActor3");
+
+  types.addPolymorphicType("ptype1", ["myActor1", "myActor2"]);
+  const ptype1 = types.getType("ptype1");
+  Assert.equal(ptype1.name, "ptype1");
+  Assert.equal(ptype1.category, "polymorphic");
+
+  types.addPolymorphicType("ptype2", ["myActor1", "myActor2", "myActor3"]);
+  const ptype2 = types.getType("ptype2");
+  Assert.equal(ptype2.name, "ptype2");
+  Assert.equal(ptype2.category, "polymorphic");
+
+  // Polymorphic types only accept actor types
+  try {
+    types.addPolymorphicType("ptype", ["myActor1", "myActor4"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "getType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(ex.toString(), "Error: Unknown type: myActor4");
+  }
+  try {
+    types.addPolymorphicType("ptype", ["myActor1", "string"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "getType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(
+      ex.toString(),
+      "Error: In polymorphic type 'myActor1,string', the type 'string' isn't an actor"
+    );
+  }
+  try {
+    types.addPolymorphicType("ptype", ["myActor1", "boolean"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "getType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(
+      ex.toString(),
+      "Error: In polymorphic type 'myActor1,boolean', the type 'boolean' isn't an actor"
+    );
+  }
+
+  // Polymorphic types are not compatible with array or nullables
+  try {
+    types.addPolymorphicType("ptype", ["array:myActor1", "myActor2"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "addType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(
+      ex.toString(),
+      "Error: In polymorphic type 'array:myActor1,myActor2', the type 'array:myActor1' isn't an actor"
+    );
+  }
+  try {
+    types.addPolymorphicType("ptype", ["nullable:myActor1", "myActor2"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "addType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(
+      ex.toString(),
+      "Error: In polymorphic type 'nullable:myActor1,myActor2', the type 'nullable:myActor1' isn't an actor"
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_unregister.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_unregister.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..060a1743b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_unregister.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const { types } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+
+function run_test() {
+  types.addType("test", {
+    read: v => "successful read: " + v,
+    write: v => "successful write: " + v,
+  });
+
+  // Verify the type registered correctly.
+
+  const type = types.getType("test");
+  const arrayType = types.getType("array:test");
+  Assert.equal(type.read("foo"), "successful read: foo");
+  Assert.equal(arrayType.read(["foo"])[0], "successful read: foo");
+
+  types.removeType("test");
+
+  Assert.equal(type.name, "DEFUNCT:test");
+  try {
+    types.getType("test");
+    Assert.ok(false, "getType should fail");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(ex.toString(), "Error: Unknown type: test");
+  }
+
+  try {
+    type.read("foo");
+    Assert.ok(false, "type.read should have thrown an exception.");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(ex.toString(), "Error: Using defunct type: test");
+  }
+
+  try {
+    arrayType.read(["foo"]);
+    Assert.ok(false, "array:test.read should have thrown an exception.");
+  } catch (ex) {
+    Assert.equal(ex.toString(), "Error: Using defunct type: test");
+  }
+}
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_watchFronts.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_watchFronts.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16f98f176b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/test_protocol_watchFronts.js
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+/* Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+   http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Test Front.watchFronts method.
+ */
+
+const protocol = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol.js");
+const { RetVal } = protocol;
+
+const childSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "childActor",
+
+  methods: {
+    release: {
+      release: true,
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class ChildActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn, id) {
+    super(conn, childSpec);
+    this.childID = id;
+  }
+
+  release() {}
+
+  form() {
+    return {
+      actor: this.actorID,
+      childID: this.childID,
+      foo: "bar",
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+const rootSpec = protocol.generateActorSpec({
+  typeName: "root",
+
+  methods: {
+    createChild: {
+      request: {},
+      response: { actor: RetVal("childActor") },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+class RootActor extends protocol.Actor {
+  constructor(conn) {
+    super(conn, rootSpec);
+
+    this.actorID = "root";
+
+    // Root actor owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+
+    this.sequence = 0;
+  }
+
+  sayHello() {
+    return {
+      from: "root",
+      applicationType: "xpcshell-tests",
+      traits: [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  createChild() {
+    return new ChildActor(this.conn, this.sequence++);
+  }
+}
+
+class ChildFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(childSpec) {
+  form(form) {
+    this.childID = form.childID;
+    this.foo = form.foo;
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(ChildFront);
+
+class RootFront extends protocol.FrontClassWithSpec(rootSpec) {
+  constructor(client) {
+    super(client);
+    this.actorID = "root";
+    // Root owns itself.
+    this.manage(this);
+  }
+}
+protocol.registerFront(RootFront);
+
+add_task(async function run_test() {
+  DevToolsServer.createRootActor = conn => new RootActor(conn);
+  DevToolsServer.init();
+
+  const trace = connectPipeTracing();
+  const client = new DevToolsClient(trace);
+  await client.connect();
+
+  const rootFront = client.mainRoot;
+
+  const fronts = [];
+  const listener = front => {
+    equal(
+      front.foo,
+      "bar",
+      "Front's form is set before watchFronts listeners are called"
+    );
+    fronts.push(front);
+  };
+  rootFront.watchFronts("childActor", listener);
+
+  const firstChild = await rootFront.createChild();
+  ok(
+    firstChild instanceof ChildFront,
+    "createChild returns a ChildFront instance"
+  );
+  equal(firstChild.childID, 0, "First child has ID=0");
+
+  equal(
+    fronts.length,
+    1,
+    "watchFronts fires the callback, even if the front is created in the future"
+  );
+  equal(
+    fronts[0],
+    firstChild,
+    "watchFronts fires the callback with the right front instance"
+  );
+
+  const watchFrontsAfter = await new Promise(resolve => {
+    rootFront.watchFronts("childActor", resolve);
+  });
+  equal(
+    watchFrontsAfter,
+    firstChild,
+    "watchFronts fires the callback, even if the front is already created, " +
+      " with the same front instance"
+  );
+
+  equal(
+    fronts.length,
+    1,
+    "There is still only one front reported from the first listener"
+  );
+
+  const secondChild = await rootFront.createChild();
+
+  equal(
+    fronts.length,
+    2,
+    "After a second call to createChild, two fronts are reported"
+  );
+  equal(fronts[1], secondChild, "And the new front is the right instance");
+
+  // Test unregistering a front listener
+  rootFront.unwatchFronts("childActor", listener);
+
+  const thirdChild = await rootFront.createChild();
+  equal(
+    fronts.length,
+    2,
+    "After calling unwatchFronts, the listener is no longer called"
+  );
+
+  // Test front destruction
+  const destroyed = [];
+  rootFront.watchFronts("childActor", null, front => {
+    destroyed.push(front);
+  });
+  await thirdChild.release();
+  equal(
+    destroyed.length,
+    1,
+    "After the destruction of the front, one destruction is reported"
+  );
+  equal(destroyed[0], thirdChild, "And the destroyed front is the right one");
+
+  trace.close();
+  await client.close();
+});
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9af8c5de49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/tests/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[DEFAULT]
+tags = devtools
+head = head.js
+firefox-appdir = browser
+skip-if = toolkit == 'android'
+support-files =
+
+[test_protocol_abort.js]
+[test_protocol_async.js]
+[test_protocol_children.js]
+[test_protocol_index.js]
+[test_protocol_invalid_response.js]
+[test_protocol_lifecycle.js]
+[test_protocol_longstring.js]
+[test_protocol_simple.js]
+[test_protocol_stack.js]
+[test_protocol_types.js]
+[test_protocol_unregister.js]
+[test_protocol_watchFronts.js]
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/types.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/types.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..41764fbd79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/types.js
@@ -0,0 +1,587 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var { Actor } = require("resource://devtools/shared/protocol/Actor.js");
+var {
+  lazyLoadSpec,
+  lazyLoadFront,
+} = require("resource://devtools/shared/specs/index.js");
+
+/**
+ * Types: named marshallers/demarshallers.
+ *
+ * Types provide a 'write' function that takes a js representation and
+ * returns a protocol representation, and a "read" function that
+ * takes a protocol representation and returns a js representation.
+ *
+ * The read and write methods are also passed a context object that
+ * represent the actor or front requesting the translation.
+ *
+ * Types are referred to with a typestring.  Basic types are
+ * registered by name using addType, and more complex types can
+ * be generated by adding detail to the type name.
+ */
+
+var types = Object.create(null);
+exports.types = types;
+
+var registeredTypes = (types.registeredTypes = new Map());
+
+exports.registeredTypes = registeredTypes;
+
+/**
+ * Return the type object associated with a given typestring.
+ * If passed a type object, it will be returned unchanged.
+ *
+ * Types can be registered with addType, or can be created on
+ * the fly with typestrings.  Examples:
+ *
+ *   boolean
+ *   threadActor
+ *   threadActor#detail
+ *   array:threadActor
+ *   array:array:threadActor#detail
+ *
+ * @param [typestring|type] type
+ *    Either a typestring naming a type or a type object.
+ *
+ * @returns a type object.
+ */
+types.getType = function (type) {
+  if (!type) {
+    return types.Primitive;
+  }
+
+  if (typeof type !== "string") {
+    return type;
+  }
+
+  // If already registered, we're done here.
+  let reg = registeredTypes.get(type);
+  if (reg) {
+    return reg;
+  }
+
+  // Try to lazy load the spec, if not already loaded.
+  if (lazyLoadSpec(type)) {
+    // If a spec module was lazy loaded, it will synchronously call
+    // generateActorSpec, and set the type in `registeredTypes`.
+    reg = registeredTypes.get(type);
+    if (reg) {
+      return reg;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // New type, see if it's a collection type:
+  const sep = type.indexOf(":");
+  if (sep >= 0) {
+    const collection = type.substring(0, sep);
+    const subtype = types.getType(type.substring(sep + 1));
+
+    if (collection === "array") {
+      return types.addArrayType(subtype);
+    } else if (collection === "nullable") {
+      return types.addNullableType(subtype);
+    }
+
+    throw Error("Unknown collection type: " + collection);
+  }
+
+  // Not a collection, might be actor detail
+  const pieces = type.split("#", 2);
+  if (pieces.length > 1) {
+    if (pieces[1] != "actorid") {
+      throw new Error(
+        "Unsupported detail, only support 'actorid', got: " + pieces[1]
+      );
+    }
+    return types.addActorDetail(type, pieces[0], pieces[1]);
+  }
+
+  throw Error("Unknown type: " + type);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Don't allow undefined when writing primitive types to packets.  If
+ * you want to allow undefined, use a nullable type.
+ */
+function identityWrite(v) {
+  if (v === undefined) {
+    throw Error("undefined passed where a value is required");
+  }
+  // This has to handle iterator->array conversion because arrays of
+  // primitive types pass through here.
+  if (v && typeof v.next === "function") {
+    return [...v];
+  }
+  return v;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Add a type to the type system.
+ *
+ * When registering a type, you can provide `read` and `write` methods.
+ *
+ * The `read` method will be passed a JS object value from the JSON
+ * packet and must return a native representation.  The `write` method will
+ * be passed a native representation and should provide a JSONable value.
+ *
+ * These methods will both be passed a context.  The context is the object
+ * performing or servicing the request - on the server side it will be
+ * an Actor, on the client side it will be a Front.
+ *
+ * @param typestring name
+ *    Name to register
+ * @param object typeObject
+ *    An object whose properties will be stored in the type, including
+ *    the `read` and `write` methods.
+ * @param object options
+ *    Can specify `thawed` to prevent the type from being frozen.
+ *
+ * @returns a type object that can be used in protocol definitions.
+ */
+types.addType = function (name, typeObject = {}, options = {}) {
+  if (registeredTypes.has(name)) {
+    throw Error("Type '" + name + "' already exists.");
+  }
+
+  const type = Object.assign(
+    {
+      toString() {
+        return "[protocol type:" + name + "]";
+      },
+      name,
+      primitive: !(typeObject.read || typeObject.write),
+      read: identityWrite,
+      write: identityWrite,
+    },
+    typeObject
+  );
+
+  registeredTypes.set(name, type);
+
+  return type;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Remove a type previously registered with the system.
+ * Primarily useful for types registered by addons.
+ */
+types.removeType = function (name) {
+  // This type may still be referenced by other types, make sure
+  // those references don't work.
+  const type = registeredTypes.get(name);
+
+  type.name = "DEFUNCT:" + name;
+  type.category = "defunct";
+  type.primitive = false;
+  type.read = type.write = function () {
+    throw new Error("Using defunct type: " + name);
+  };
+
+  registeredTypes.delete(name);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Add an array type to the type system.
+ *
+ * getType() will call this function if provided an "array:<type>"
+ * typestring.
+ *
+ * @param type subtype
+ *    The subtype to be held by the array.
+ */
+types.addArrayType = function (subtype) {
+  subtype = types.getType(subtype);
+
+  const name = "array:" + subtype.name;
+
+  // Arrays of primitive types are primitive types themselves.
+  if (subtype.primitive) {
+    return types.addType(name);
+  }
+  return types.addType(name, {
+    category: "array",
+    read: (v, ctx) => {
+      if (v && typeof v.next === "function") {
+        v = [...v];
+      }
+      return v.map(i => subtype.read(i, ctx));
+    },
+    write: (v, ctx) => {
+      if (v && typeof v.next === "function") {
+        v = [...v];
+      }
+      return v.map(i => subtype.write(i, ctx));
+    },
+  });
+};
+
+/**
+ * Add a dict type to the type system.  This allows you to serialize
+ * a JS object that contains non-primitive subtypes.
+ *
+ * Properties of the value that aren't included in the specializations
+ * will be serialized as primitive values.
+ *
+ * @param object specializations
+ *    A dict of property names => type
+ */
+types.addDictType = function (name, specializations) {
+  const specTypes = {};
+  for (const prop in specializations) {
+    try {
+      specTypes[prop] = types.getType(specializations[prop]);
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Types may not be defined yet. Sometimes, we define the type *after* using it, but
+      // also, we have cyclic definitions on types. So lazily load them when they are not
+      // immediately available.
+      loader.lazyGetter(specTypes, prop, () => {
+        return types.getType(specializations[prop]);
+      });
+    }
+  }
+  return types.addType(name, {
+    category: "dict",
+    specializations,
+    read: (v, ctx) => {
+      const ret = {};
+      for (const prop in v) {
+        if (prop in specTypes) {
+          ret[prop] = specTypes[prop].read(v[prop], ctx);
+        } else {
+          ret[prop] = v[prop];
+        }
+      }
+      return ret;
+    },
+
+    write: (v, ctx) => {
+      const ret = {};
+      for (const prop in v) {
+        if (prop in specTypes) {
+          ret[prop] = specTypes[prop].write(v[prop], ctx);
+        } else {
+          ret[prop] = v[prop];
+        }
+      }
+      return ret;
+    },
+  });
+};
+
+/**
+ * Register an actor type with the type system.
+ *
+ * Types are marshalled differently when communicating server->client
+ * than they are when communicating client->server.  The server needs
+ * to provide useful information to the client, so uses the actor's
+ * `form` method to get a json representation of the actor.  When
+ * making a request from the client we only need the actor ID string.
+ *
+ * This function can be called before the associated actor has been
+ * constructed, but the read and write methods won't work until
+ * the associated addActorImpl or addActorFront methods have been
+ * called during actor/front construction.
+ *
+ * @param string name
+ *    The typestring to register.
+ */
+types.addActorType = function (name) {
+  // We call addActorType from:
+  //   FrontClassWithSpec when registering front synchronously,
+  //   generateActorSpec when defining specs,
+  //   specs modules to register actor type early to use them in other types
+  if (registeredTypes.has(name)) {
+    return registeredTypes.get(name);
+  }
+  const type = types.addType(name, {
+    _actor: true,
+    category: "actor",
+    read: (v, ctx, detail) => {
+      // If we're reading a request on the server side, just
+      // find the actor registered with this actorID.
+      if (ctx instanceof Actor) {
+        return ctx.conn.getActor(v);
+      }
+
+      // Reading a response on the client side, check for an
+      // existing front on the connection, and create the front
+      // if it isn't found.
+      const actorID = typeof v === "string" ? v : v.actor;
+      // `ctx.conn` is a DevToolsClient
+      let front = ctx.conn.getFrontByID(actorID);
+
+      // When the type `${name}#actorid` is used, `v` is a string refering to the
+      // actor ID. We cannot read form information in this case and the actorID was
+      // already set when creating the front, so no need to do anything.
+      let form = null;
+      if (detail != "actorid") {
+        form = identityWrite(v);
+      }
+
+      if (!front) {
+        // If front isn't instantiated yet, create one.
+        // Try lazy loading front if not already loaded.
+        // The front module will synchronously call `FrontClassWithSpec` and
+        // augment `type` with the `frontClass` attribute.
+        if (!type.frontClass) {
+          lazyLoadFront(name);
+        }
+
+        const parentFront = ctx.marshallPool();
+        const targetFront = parentFront.isTargetFront
+          ? parentFront
+          : parentFront.targetFront;
+
+        // Use intermediate Class variable to please eslint requiring
+        // a capital letter for all constructors.
+        const Class = type.frontClass;
+        front = new Class(ctx.conn, targetFront, parentFront);
+        front.actorID = actorID;
+
+        parentFront.manage(front, form, ctx);
+      } else if (form) {
+        front.form(form, ctx);
+      }
+
+      return front;
+    },
+    write: (v, ctx, detail) => {
+      // If returning a response from the server side, make sure
+      // the actor is added to a parent object and return its form.
+      if (v instanceof Actor) {
+        if (v.isDestroyed()) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Attempted to write a response containing a destroyed actor`
+          );
+        }
+        if (!v.actorID) {
+          ctx.marshallPool().manage(v);
+        }
+        if (detail == "actorid") {
+          return v.actorID;
+        }
+        return identityWrite(v.form(detail));
+      }
+
+      // Writing a request from the client side, just send the actor id.
+      return v.actorID;
+    },
+  });
+  return type;
+};
+
+types.addPolymorphicType = function (name, subtypes) {
+  // Assert that all subtypes are actors, as the marshalling implementation depends on that.
+  for (const subTypeName of subtypes) {
+    const subtype = types.getType(subTypeName);
+    if (subtype.category != "actor") {
+      throw new Error(
+        `In polymorphic type '${subtypes.join(
+          ","
+        )}', the type '${subTypeName}' isn't an actor`
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  return types.addType(name, {
+    category: "polymorphic",
+    read: (value, ctx) => {
+      // `value` is either a string which is an Actor ID or a form object
+      // where `actor` is an actor ID
+      const actorID = typeof value === "string" ? value : value.actor;
+      if (!actorID) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Was expecting one of these actors '${subtypes}' but instead got value: '${value}'`
+        );
+      }
+
+      // Extract the typeName out of the actor ID, which should be composed like this
+      // ${DevToolsServerConnectionPrefix}.${typeName}${Number}
+      const typeName = actorID.match(/\.([a-zA-Z]+)\d+$/)[1];
+      if (!subtypes.includes(typeName)) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Was expecting one of these actors '${subtypes}' but instead got an actor of type: '${typeName}'`
+        );
+      }
+
+      const subtype = types.getType(typeName);
+      return subtype.read(value, ctx);
+    },
+    write: (value, ctx) => {
+      if (!value) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Was expecting one of these actors '${subtypes}' but instead got an empty value.`
+        );
+      }
+      // value is either an `Actor` or a `Front` and both classes exposes a `typeName`
+      const typeName = value.typeName;
+      if (!typeName) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Was expecting one of these actors '${subtypes}' but instead got value: '${value}'. Did you pass a form instead of an Actor?`
+        );
+      }
+
+      if (!subtypes.includes(typeName)) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Was expecting one of these actors '${subtypes}' but instead got an actor of type: '${typeName}'`
+        );
+      }
+
+      const subtype = types.getType(typeName);
+      return subtype.write(value, ctx);
+    },
+  });
+};
+types.addNullableType = function (subtype) {
+  subtype = types.getType(subtype);
+  return types.addType("nullable:" + subtype.name, {
+    category: "nullable",
+    read: (value, ctx) => {
+      if (value == null) {
+        return value;
+      }
+      return subtype.read(value, ctx);
+    },
+    write: (value, ctx) => {
+      if (value == null) {
+        return value;
+      }
+      return subtype.write(value, ctx);
+    },
+  });
+};
+
+/**
+ * Register an actor detail type.  This is just like an actor type, but
+ * will pass a detail hint to the actor's form method during serialization/
+ * deserialization.
+ *
+ * This is called by getType() when passed an 'actorType#detail' string.
+ *
+ * @param string name
+ *   The typestring to register this type as.
+ * @param type actorType
+ *   The actor type you'll be detailing.
+ * @param string detail
+ *   The detail to pass.
+ */
+types.addActorDetail = function (name, actorType, detail) {
+  actorType = types.getType(actorType);
+  if (!actorType._actor) {
+    throw Error(
+      `Details only apply to actor types, tried to add detail '${detail}' ` +
+        `to ${actorType.name}`
+    );
+  }
+  return types.addType(name, {
+    _actor: true,
+    category: "detail",
+    read: (v, ctx) => actorType.read(v, ctx, detail),
+    write: (v, ctx) => actorType.write(v, ctx, detail),
+  });
+};
+
+// Add a few named primitive types.
+types.Primitive = types.addType("primitive");
+types.String = types.addType("string");
+types.Number = types.addType("number");
+types.Boolean = types.addType("boolean");
+types.JSON = types.addType("json");
+
+exports.registerFront = function (cls) {
+  const { typeName } = cls.prototype;
+  if (!registeredTypes.has(typeName)) {
+    types.addActorType(typeName);
+  }
+  registeredTypes.get(typeName).frontClass = cls;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Instantiate a front of the given type.
+ *
+ * @param DevToolsClient client
+ *    The DevToolsClient instance to use.
+ * @param string typeName
+ *    The type name of the front to instantiate. This is defined in its specifiation.
+ * @returns Front
+ *    The created front.
+ */
+function createFront(client, typeName, target = null) {
+  const type = types.getType(typeName);
+  if (!type) {
+    throw new Error(`No spec for front type '${typeName}'.`);
+  } else if (!type.frontClass) {
+    lazyLoadFront(typeName);
+  }
+
+  // Use intermediate Class variable to please eslint requiring
+  // a capital letter for all constructors.
+  const Class = type.frontClass;
+  return new Class(client, target, target);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Instantiate a global (preference, device) or target-scoped (webconsole, inspector)
+ * front of the given type by picking its actor ID out of either the target or root
+ * front's form.
+ *
+ * @param DevToolsClient client
+ *    The DevToolsClient instance to use.
+ * @param string typeName
+ *    The type name of the front to instantiate. This is defined in its specifiation.
+ * @param json form
+ *    If we want to instantiate a global actor's front, this is the root front's form,
+ *    otherwise we are instantiating a target-scoped front from the target front's form.
+ * @param [Target|null] target
+ *    If we are instantiating a target-scoped front, this is a reference to the front's
+ *    Target instance, otherwise this is null.
+ */
+async function getFront(client, typeName, form, target = null) {
+  const front = createFront(client, typeName, target);
+  const { formAttributeName } = front;
+  if (!formAttributeName) {
+    throw new Error(`Can't find the form attribute name for ${typeName}`);
+  }
+  // Retrieve the actor ID from root or target actor's form
+  front.actorID = form[formAttributeName];
+  if (!front.actorID) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Can't find the actor ID for ${typeName} from root or target` +
+        ` actor's form.`
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (!target) {
+    await front.manage(front);
+  } else {
+    await target.manage(front);
+  }
+
+  return front;
+}
+exports.getFront = getFront;
+
+/**
+ * Create a RootFront.
+ *
+ * @param DevToolsClient client
+ *    The DevToolsClient instance to use.
+ * @param Object packet
+ * @returns RootFront
+ */
+function createRootFront(client, packet) {
+  const rootFront = createFront(client, "root");
+  rootFront.form(packet);
+
+  // Root Front is a special case, managing itself as it doesn't have any parent.
+  // It will register itself to DevToolsClient as a Pool via Front._poolMap.
+  rootFront.manage(rootFront);
+
+  return rootFront;
+}
+exports.createRootFront = createRootFront;
diff --git a/devtools/shared/protocol/utils.js b/devtools/shared/protocol/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3433c2f446
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/shared/protocol/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+/**
+ * Find Placeholders in the template and save them along with their
+ * paths.
+ */
+function findPlaceholders(template, constructor, path = [], placeholders = []) {
+  if (!template || typeof template != "object") {
+    return placeholders;
+  }
+
+  if (template instanceof constructor) {
+    placeholders.push({ placeholder: template, path: [...path] });
+    return placeholders;
+  }
+
+  for (const name in template) {
+    path.push(name);
+    findPlaceholders(template[name], constructor, path, placeholders);
+    path.pop();
+  }
+
+  return placeholders;
+}
+
+exports.findPlaceholders = findPlaceholders;
+
+/**
+ * Get the value at a given path, or undefined if not found.
+ */
+function getPath(obj, path) {
+  for (const name of path) {
+    if (!(name in obj)) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    obj = obj[name];
+  }
+  return obj;
+}
+exports.getPath = getPath;