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+.. -*- Mode: rst; fill-column: 80; -*-
+
+============================
+Interacting with Web content
+============================
+
+Interacting with Web content and WebExtensions
+==============================================
+
+GeckoView allows embedder applications to register and run
+`WebExtensions <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions>`_
+in a GeckoView instance. Extensions are the preferred way to interact
+with Web content.
+
+.. contents:: :local:
+
+Running extensions in GeckoView
+-------------------------------
+
+Extensions bundled with applications can be provided in a folder in the
+``/assets`` section of the APK. Like ordinary extensions, every
+extension bundled with GeckoView requires a
+`manifest.json <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json>`_
+file.
+
+To locate files bundled with the APK, GeckoView provides a shorthand
+``resource://android/`` that points to the root of the APK.
+
+E.g. ``resource://android/assets/messaging/`` will point to the
+``/assets/messaging/`` folder present in the APK.
+
+Note: Every installed extension will need an
+`id <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/browser_specific_settings>`_
+and
+`version <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/version>`_
+specified in the ``manifest.json`` file.
+
+To install a bundled extension in GeckoView, simply call
+`WebExtensionController.installBuiltIn <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtensionController.html#installBuiltIn(java.lang.String)>`_.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ runtime.getWebExtensionController()
+ .installBuiltIn("resource://android/assets/messaging/")
+
+Note that the lifetime of the extension is not tied with the lifetime of
+the
+`GeckoRuntime <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/GeckoRuntime.html>`_
+instance. The extension persists even when your app is restarted.
+Installing at every start up is fine, but it could be slow. To avoid
+installing multiple times you can use ``WebExtensionRuntime.ensureBuiltIn``,
+which will only install if the extension is not installed yet.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ runtime.getWebExtensionController()
+ .ensureBuiltIn("resource://android/assets/messaging/", "messaging@example.com")
+ .accept(
+ extension -> Log.i("MessageDelegate", "Extension installed: " + extension),
+ e -> Log.e("MessageDelegate", "Error registering WebExtension", e)
+ );
+
+Communicating with Web Content
+------------------------------
+
+GeckoView allows bidirectional communication with Web pages through
+extensions.
+
+When using GeckoView, `native
+messaging <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Native_messaging#Exchanging_messages>`_
+can be used for communicating to and from the browser.
+
+- `runtime.sendNativeMessage <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/sendNativeMessage>`_
+ for one-off messages.
+- `runtime.connectNative <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/connectNative>`_
+ for connection-based messaging.
+
+Note: these APIs are only available when the ``geckoViewAddons``
+`permission <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/permissions>`_
+is present in the ``manifest.json`` file of the extension.
+
+One-off messages
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The easiest way to send messages from a `content
+script <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Content_scripts>`_
+or a `background
+script <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Anatomy_of_a_WebExtension#Background_scripts>`_
+is using
+`runtime.sendNativeMessage <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/sendNativeMessage>`_.
+
+Note: Ordinarily, native extensions would use a `native
+manifest <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Native_messaging#App_manifest>`_
+to define what native app identifier to use. For GeckoView this is *not*
+needed, the ``nativeApp`` parameter in ``setMessageDelegate`` will be
+use to determine what native app string is used.
+
+Messaging Example
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+To receive messages from the background script, call
+`setMessageDelegate <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.html#setMessageDelegate(org.mozilla.geckoview.WebExtension.MessageDelegate,java.lang.String)>`_
+on the
+`WebExtension <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.html>`_
+object.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ extension.setMessageDelegate(messageDelegate, "browser");
+
+`SessionController.setMessageDelegate <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.SessionController.html#setMessageDelegate(org.mozilla.geckoview.WebExtension,org.mozilla.geckoview.WebExtension.MessageDelegate,java.lang.String)>`_
+allows the app to receive messages from content scripts.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ session.getWebExtensionController()
+ .setMessageDelegate(extension, messageDelegate, "browser");
+
+Note: the ``"browser"`` parameter in the code above determines what
+native app id the extension can use to send native messages.
+
+Note: extension can only send messages from content scripts if
+explicitly authorized by the app by adding
+``nativeMessagingFromContent`` in the manifest.json file, e.g.
+
+.. code::
+
+ "permissions": [
+ "nativeMessaging",
+ "nativeMessagingFromContent",
+ "geckoViewAddons"
+ ]
+
+Example
+~~~~~~~
+
+Let’s set up an activity that registers an extension located in the
+``/assets/messaging/`` folder of the APK. This activity will set up a
+`MessageDelegate <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.MessageDelegate.html>`_
+that will be used to communicate with Web Content.
+
+You can find the full example here:
+`MessagingExample <https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/source/mobile/android/examples/messaging_example>`_.
+
+Activity.java
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ WebExtension.MessageDelegate messageDelegate = new WebExtension.MessageDelegate() {
+ @Nullable
+ public GeckoResult<Object> onMessage(final @NonNull String nativeApp,
+ final @NonNull Object message,
+ final @NonNull WebExtension.MessageSender sender) {
+ // The sender object contains information about the session that
+ // originated this message and can be used to validate that the message
+ // has been sent from the expected location.
+
+ // Be careful when handling the type of message as it depends on what
+ // type of object was sent from the WebExtension script.
+ if (message instanceof JSONObject) {
+ // Do something with message
+ }
+ return null;
+ }
+ };
+
+ // Let's make sure the extension is installed
+ runtime.getWebExtensionController()
+ .ensureBuiltIn(EXTENSION_LOCATION, "messaging@example.com").accept(
+ // Set delegate that will receive messages coming from this extension.
+ extension -> session.getWebExtensionController()
+ .setMessageDelegate(extension, messageDelegate, "browser"),
+ // Something bad happened, let's log an error
+ e -> Log.e("MessageDelegate", "Error registering extension", e)
+ );
+
+
+Now add the ``geckoViewAddons``, ``nativeMessaging`` and
+``nativeMessagingFromContent`` permissions to your ``manifest.json``
+file.
+
+/assets/messaging/manifest.json
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+.. code:: json
+
+ {
+ "manifest_version": 2,
+ "name": "messaging",
+ "version": "1.0",
+ "description": "Example messaging web extension.",
+ "browser_specific_settings": {
+ "gecko": {
+ "id": "messaging@example.com"
+ }
+ },
+ "content_scripts": [
+ {
+ "matches": ["*://*.twitter.com/*"],
+ "js": ["messaging.js"]
+ }
+ ],
+ "permissions": [
+ "nativeMessaging",
+ "nativeMessagingFromContent",
+ "geckoViewAddons"
+ ]
+ }
+
+And finally, write a content script that will send a message to the app
+when a certain event occurs. For example, you could send a message
+whenever a `WPA
+manifest <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest>`_ is
+found on the page. Note that our ``nativeApp`` identifier used for
+``sendNativeMessage`` is the same as the one used in the
+``setMessageDelegate`` call in `Activity.java <#activityjava>`_.
+
+/assets/messaging/messaging.js
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+.. code:: javascript
+
+ let manifest = document.querySelector("head > link[rel=manifest]");
+ if (manifest) {
+ fetch(manifest.href)
+ .then(response => response.json())
+ .then(json => {
+ let message = {type: "WPAManifest", manifest: json};
+ browser.runtime.sendNativeMessage("browser", message);
+ });
+ }
+
+You can handle this message in the ``onMessage`` method in the
+``messageDelegate`` `above <#activityjava>`_.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ @Nullable
+ public GeckoResult<Object> onMessage(final @NonNull String nativeApp,
+ final @NonNull Object message,
+ final @NonNull WebExtension.MessageSender sender) {
+ if (message instanceof JSONObject) {
+ JSONObject json = (JSONObject) message;
+ try {
+ if (json.has("type") && "WPAManifest".equals(json.getString("type"))) {
+ JSONObject manifest = json.getJSONObject("manifest");
+ Log.d("MessageDelegate", "Found WPA manifest: " + manifest);
+ }
+ } catch (JSONException ex) {
+ Log.e("MessageDelegate", "Invalid manifest", ex);
+ }
+ }
+ return null;
+ }
+
+Note that, in the case of content scripts, ``sender.session`` will be a
+reference to the ``GeckoSession`` instance from which the message
+originated. For background scripts, ``sender.session`` will always be
+``null``.
+
+Also note that the type of ``message`` will depend on what was sent from
+the extension.
+
+The type of ``message`` will be ``JSONObject`` when the extension sends
+a javascript object, but could also be a primitive type if the extension
+sends one, e.g. for
+
+.. code:: javascript
+
+ runtime.browser.sendNativeMessage("browser", "Hello World!");
+
+the type of ``message`` will be ``java.util.String``.
+
+Connection-based messaging
+--------------------------
+
+For more complex scenarios or for when you want to send messages *from*
+the app to the extension,
+`runtime.connectNative <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/connectNative>`_
+is the appropriate API to use.
+
+``connectNative`` returns a
+`runtime.Port <https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/Port>`_
+that can be used to send messages to the app. On the app side,
+implementing
+`MessageDelegate#onConnect <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.MessageDelegate.html#onConnect(org.mozilla.geckoview.WebExtension.Port)>`_
+will allow you to receive a
+`Port <https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.Port.html>`_
+object that can be used to receive and send messages to the extension.
+
+The following example can be found
+`here <https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/source/mobile/android/examples/port_messaging_example>`_.
+
+For this example, the extension side will do the following:
+
+- open a port on the background script using ``connectNative``
+- listen on the port and log to console every message received
+- send a message immediately after opening the port.
+
+/assets/messaging/background.js
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. code:: javascript
+
+ // Establish connection with app
+ let port = browser.runtime.connectNative("browser");
+ port.onMessage.addListener(response => {
+ // Let's just echo the message back
+ port.postMessage(`Received: ${JSON.stringify(response)}`);
+ });
+ port.postMessage("Hello from WebExtension!");
+
+On the app side, following the `above <#activityjava>`_ example,
+``onConnect`` will be storing the ``Port`` object in a member variable
+and then using it when needed.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ private WebExtension.Port mPort;
+
+ @Override
+ protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
+ // ... initialize GeckoView
+
+ // This delegate will handle all communications from and to a specific Port
+ // object
+ WebExtension.PortDelegate portDelegate = new WebExtension.PortDelegate() {
+ public WebExtension.Port port = null;
+
+ public void onPortMessage(final @NonNull Object message,
+ final @NonNull WebExtension.Port port) {
+ // This method will be called every time a message is sent from the
+ // extension through this port. For now, let's just log a
+ // message.
+ Log.d("PortDelegate", "Received message from WebExtension: "
+ + message);
+ }
+
+ public void onDisconnect(final @NonNull WebExtension.Port port) {
+ // After this method is called, this port is not usable anymore.
+ if (port == mPort) {
+ mPort = null;
+ }
+ }
+ };
+
+ // This delegate will handle requests to open a port coming from the
+ // extension
+ WebExtension.MessageDelegate messageDelegate = new WebExtension.MessageDelegate() {
+ @Nullable
+ public void onConnect(final @NonNull WebExtension.Port port) {
+ // Let's store the Port object in a member variable so it can be
+ // used later to exchange messages with the WebExtension.
+ mPort = port;
+
+ // Registering the delegate will allow us to receive messages sent
+ // through this port.
+ mPort.setDelegate(portDelegate);
+ }
+ };
+
+ runtime.getWebExtensionController()
+ .ensureBuiltIn("resource://android/assets/messaging/", "messaging@example.com")
+ .accept(
+ // Register message delegate for background script
+ extension -> extension.setMessageDelegate(messageDelegate, "browser"),
+ e -> Log.e("MessageDelegate", "Error registering WebExtension", e)
+ );
+
+ // ... other
+ }
+
+For example, let’s send a message to the extension every time the user
+long presses on a key on the virtual keyboard, e.g. on the back button.
+
+.. code:: java
+
+ @Override
+ public boolean onKeyLongPress(int keyCode, KeyEvent event) {
+ if (mPort == null) {
+ // No extension registered yet, let's ignore this message
+ return false;
+ }
+
+ JSONObject message = new JSONObject();
+ try {
+ message.put("keyCode", keyCode);
+ message.put("event", KeyEvent.keyCodeToString(event.getKeyCode()));
+ } catch (JSONException ex) {
+ throw new RuntimeException(ex);
+ }
+
+ mPort.postMessage(message);
+ return true;
+ }
+
+This allows bidirectional communication between the app and the
+extension.
+
+.. _GeckoRuntime: https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/GeckoRuntime.html
+.. _runtime.sendNativeMessage: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/sendNativeMessage
+.. _WebExtension: https://mozilla.github.io/geckoview/javadoc/mozilla-central/org/mozilla/geckoview/WebExtension.html