1084549 - Generate W3C-standardised manifests for apps

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Marketplace Graveyard :: Consumer Pages, defect, P4)

Description

[Christopher Van Wiemeersch [:cvan]]

Similar to bug 1084548, but we should generate W3C-standardised manifests for all apps. Or perhaps we should only allow users to submit the manifests; if so, we can WONTFIX this bug.

Comment 1

[Ram Dayal Vaishnav [:ram]]

Hi Christopher, 

Can I work on this bug ? If yes, please explain this bug.

Thanks,
Ram

Comment 2

[Christopher Van Wiemeersch [:cvan]]

(In reply to Ram Dayal Vaishnav [:Ram] from comment #1)
> Hi Christopher, 
> 
> Can I work on this bug ? If yes, please explain this bug.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ram

Hi Ram, thanks for reaching out!

Two things to note about the Manifest spec:
* It's implemented in Chrome already, but not yet in Firefox.
* And the manifest must be hosted on the same server that the web site is hosted on: https://github.com/w3c/manifest/issues/276#issuecomment-63143468

This bug actually requires adding a new manifest format to the Marketplace submission flow, which is quite a drastic change to the product and user experience. Liz and David might have insights into whether this is in fact something we want to do. And perhaps Andy has ideas of how to make a first step towards getting this in the codebase.

Comment 3

[Andy McKay]

I'm not sure this is a [good first bug]. Yes, I'm contradicting myself now.

Comment 4

[Ram Dayal Vaishnav [:ram]]

No problem Andy, I will wait for your inputs before starting working on this.

Comment 5

[David Bialer [:dbialer]]

I am not quite sure the use case for this bug as intended.  Is it to generate a synthetic manifest that can then be hosted by the app at the same origin as the app (we make a manifest for the app similar to the manifest builder prototype), or does it anticipate a need to generate and host manifests on behalf of the app? (start_url can be a different domain than the origin).  

 Given the comment referenced in, https://github.com/w3c/manifest/issues/276#issuecomment-63143468, it seems that the latter (hosting the manifest at a different origin than the app) is not yet possible, but perhaps I am mistaken? More info on this?    If we can't do that, then we should WONTFIX it for now.

We do want to support a future of the 'proxy hosted' synethesized manifest - as I think this may be the intent of this bug, but sounds like we can't do it yet.

We also want to support the proposed changes to the manifest (link, scope, and other changes) - which is more of a validator issue though the scope may be larger than that.  We can get started on this assuming there aren't too many changes to the spec.  We should file a big for this if it has not yet been filed.

Comment 6

[Christopher Van Wiemeersch [:cvan]]

https://github.com/w3c/manifest/issues/276#issuecomment-63143468 is an assumption though. I would have someone actually test it in Chrome for Android, since Manifest support has landed there.

If we can't generate apps from them in the interim, there should at the least most definitely be a plan of action for the Marketplace to allow developers to submit apps using the standard W3C manifest format. When the Firefox support lands, the Marketplace needs to not be still promoting (and requiring) only the proprietary Firefox format. When the Marketplace allows W3C manifests for hosted apps, those apps could instantly be installed on Chrome too. And the cross-platform story continues to improves.

Comment 7

[Ram Dayal Vaishnav [:ram]]

Removing [good first bug] for now, feel free to add it back whenever its applicable.

Comment 8

[David Durst [:ddurst]]

This would be covered by work to accommodate bug 1226623.