Apps/Architecture

Apps Program Software Architecture

Program Goals

• Provide Developers with:
  • a consistent App runtime environment that makes their Apps feel like natives, not tourists, on every platform they care about
  • a consistent payment infrastructure for Apps available at our Marketplace

• Provide Users with:
  • an open Apps ecosystem that lets them shop at the App store of their choice
  • a robust App runtime environment that makes Apps feel like natives, not tourists on every device
  • a means to back up and manage their Apps from multiple Stores across multiple devices

• Provide App Stores
  • a well-documented API for installing and managing Apps
  • access to the same cloud-based services for App management that our Marketplace uses

Architectural Goals

• Provide well-designed API's for App installation, App management, and App payments
• Conceal uninteresting platform dependencies while providing access to crucial platform-specific features
• Provide access to multiple payment providers through a single, unified API

Deliverables

Category	Description	Owner	!	App Management	navigator.mozApps.mgmt	anant
Identity	navigator.id API	benadida
Payment	navigator.mozPay API	andreas
Definition	App manifest specification	anant
Security Model	Apps security model	ladamski
Packaging	App packaging specification	sicking
Cloud services	Apps in the Cloud design	anant
Apps on Firefox OS	Apps support on Firefox OS	not sure
Runtime	Web Runtime (WebRT) for Android	not sure
Runtime	Web Runtime (WebRT) for Mac OS, Windows, Linux	not sure

Problematic questions

• How can we help developers cope with the one-app-per-origin restriction?
• How can achieve a consistent Identity sol'n in the face of Firefox OS carrier and operator constraints?
• How can achieve a consistent payments API in the face of Firefox OS carrier and operator constraints?