How to Develop Application for Mozilla Firefox OS Mobile

Tuesday 6 January 2015



Intro to Firefox OS:-

            Firefox OS is a new mobile operating system developed by Mozilla's Boot to Gecko (B2G) project. It uses a Linux kernel and boots into a Gecko-based runtime engine, which lets users run applications developed entirely using HTMLJavaScript, and other open web application APIs.

Firefox OS (also referred to by its codename "Boot to Gecko" or "B2G") is Mozilla's open source mobile operating system, based a Linux kernel, which boots into a Gecko-based runtime engine that lets users run applications developed entirely using HTMLCSSJavaScript, and open web application APIs. Firefox OS is a mobile operating system that's free from proprietary technology while still a powerful platform that provides application developers an opportunity to create excellent products. In addition, it's flexible and capable enough to make the end user happy.


Advantages:-

For mobile application developers, the open web apps project offers these advantages:
  • Simplicity: Develop on a single technology stack (HTML5/CSS/JavaScript) and deliver across all platforms, from smartphones to tablets to desktops.
  • Standards: The technology stack is defined by standards bodies (W3C and Ecma) that operate in the open, rather than by particular technology or platform vendors.
  • Freedom: You're not locked in to a vendor-controlled ecosystem. You can distribute your app through the Firefox Marketplace, your own website, or any other store based on Mozilla's open app store technology.
  • Reach: You have the potential to reach Firefox's 450 million desktop users, as well as users of other desktop browsers and mobile users.

Steps to developing a Web app:-


1. Develop your app using open Web technologies.
You probably already know at least a bit about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The Learn section of this website has resources to help you ramp up even more. As a mobile app developer, you already have a Mobile First approach to Web design.
2. Add an app manifest.
All that inherently separates a Web app from a normal website is a single, JSON-format text file.
3. Publish the app, either on your own site or in an app store (or both).
Publishing it yourself requires adding some code to your site to manage installing and updating the app in users' browsers.
Creating an app manifest:-
           This section details the critical details you need to create and use an app manifest.

Conventions: file name, location, and format

  • Name: manifest.webapp (you must use the .webapp extension)
  • Location: your app's root directory
  • Format: JSON (must be valid JSON)

Requirements for submitting to the Firefox Marketplace:-

If you want to publish your app to the Firefox Marketplace, your app manifest must contain the following fields:
  • name
  • description
  • launch_path (for Packaged Apps)
  • icons (1 icon of 128×128 required, 1 icon of 512×512 recommended)
  • developer
  • default_locale (if locales is defined)
  • type (for privileged and internal (certified) apps)

Requirements for generic Open Web Apps:-

If you're building a generic Open Web App that will not be published in the Firefox Marketplace, your app manifest must contain the following fields below:
  • name
  • description
  • icons (1 icon of 128×128 required, 1 icon of 512×512 recommended)

App manifest validation

If you're submitting to the Firefox Marketplace, your app manifest must pass Marketplace Validation.
Try our App Validator, which will help you identify any errors. Or you can use this API to validate your app manifest.

Updating manifests

For information on updating apps, see Updating apps.

Example manifest

The following is a minimal manifest. You can copy it into a text file and replace the values with your own information.
    {
      "name": "My App",
      "description": "My elevator pitch goes here",
      "launch_path": "/index.html",
      "icons": {
        "512": "/img/icon-512.png",
        "128": "/img/icon-128.png"
      },
      "developer": {
        "name": "Your name or organization",
        "url": "http://your-homepage-here.org"
      },
      "default_locale": "en"
    }

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