Academy Program in National Central University 2015

Web applications are popular due to the ubiquity of web browsers, and the convenience of using a web browser as a client to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client computers is a key reason for their popularity, as is the inherent support for cross-platform compatibility.

NCU

Firefox OS is an open source mobile operating system build entirely using Web technologies. Having launched into market on smartphones built by leading handset manufacturers, Firefox OS is seeing rapid expansion into further markets. By making the Web a first class citizen on mobile, Firefox OS seeks to tear down closed ecosystem barriers and promote an open mobile Web.

Photo taken during the class

As an open source project, Firefox OS is built by a community of employees, partners and contributors. Mozilla enthusiastically encourages students from the academy to contribute to Firefox OS. Mozilla works with National Central University in Taiwan and creates a semester class in 2015. In this class, Mozilla deploys required knowledge and skills to students, to implement web based apps. In the end of the class, we expect some apps to be submitted to Mozilla Marketplace.

This class will focus on the implementation of Web Apps and Add-ons, including testing, programming best practice, API basics, and some workshops that allow students to experience the whole process to implement Add-ons and Web Apps. In the end of the class, finished and completed Add-ons and Web Apps are expected. To submit these apps to Mozilla Marketplace is even better.

Basic Information of the Class

NCU CSIE

• National Central University, Taiwan
• Computer Science and Information Engineering Department
• Name of the Class: Implementation and SDLC of Web Apps (Web Apps軟體工程與實作)
• Number of Students: 50~60
• Required Skills: Basic JavaScript programming
• Time: 3-5pm every Friday.
• Location: Room 206 in Computer Science department building (工程五館).

Working Environment

Firefox OS

Operating System

• Ubuntu Desktop 15.04. (Recommended)

Tools

• NVM - Node Version Manager
• git tool
• Firefox OS Simulator
• Firefox Nightly Build - In order to try new framework for Add-Ons.
• WebIDE in Firefox browser(Gecko 34 or higher) with Firefox OS 2.2 and 3.0 runtime installed.
• Pythonpip, Python-virtualenv.

Before development

• Running your own Gaia build:
  • First, make a fork of the main Gaia repo on Github.
  • Clone your fork locally: git clone https://github.com/your-username/gaia.git
  • Go to 'gaia' folder and add upstream: git remote add upstream https://github.com/mozilla-b2g/gaia
  • Now you need to create a Gaia profile. Running make inside your repo folder creates a profile in the profile directory, which is setup for optimal debugging. It creates unpackaged (hosted versions) of the Gaia apps that can be served directly via the local HTTPD server bundled along with Firefox desktop as an extension. When you make a change you just need to refresh your browser window to see the result (as you'll see later), rather than having to rebuild the profile, repush it to the device, etc. This is really good for rapid CSS/JS/HTML hacking.
  • With your debug profile built, run it in Mulet or WebIDE.

Testing environment

• Firefox OS Simulator, Add-on for Firefox browser.
• Firefox OS Flame device(To be clarified. Need to be returned at the end of the class).
  • Students need to sign agreements to make sure that these Flame devices will be returned at the end of this class.

Firefox OS device

Flashing builds on Flame

Flashing builds on Flame

• Flame device
  • The Flame device is the official reference device for developing, testing, and debugging Firefox OS and open web apps.
  • Device Spec:
    • Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon, 1.2GHZ Dual core processor
    • 4.5” screen (FWVGA 854×480 pixels)
    • Cameras: Rear: 5MP / Front: 2MP
    • 3G UMTS quad-band (850/900/1900/2100)
    • 8GB memory
    • 256MB -1GB RAM (adjustable by developer)
    • A-GPS, NFC
    • Dual SIM support
    • Battery capacity: 1,800 mAh
    • WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, Micro USB

Rating Criteria

• Rating Criteria:

• Button line: (Students who don't meet one of the following conditions may have a fail in this class.)
  • [1] The codes of the project need to have enough tests passed.
  • The project should not be copied from others.
  • Students need to submit the app(or add-on) to Mozilla Marketplace and on the shelf of Mozilla Marketplace on time(before Jan 15th) successfully. Please take at least 2 weeks review into consideration, and submit the application in advance.
  • Students are expected to finish the project by December 4th.
  • [2] Should not have absence for more than 2 sessions.
• To quit in the middle of the class is not allowed. Please make sure you understand the criteria and decide to enroll this class or not before the end of the 2nd session.

Deliverable

• Each student needs to submit a completed and workable Web app or Add-on to Mozilla Marketplace.
• Each student needs to prepare a demo and shows to other students in this class.
• These Web Apps need to be committed to this Github repository.

Communication Channels

• IRC:
  • How to use IRC to get connected with others in the Mozilla projects
  • Channels: #b2g, #mozilla-taiwan, #Academy-NCU2015
• Mailing list:
  • Discussion for this class: fxos-ncu-2015@googlegroups.com
  • General discussions for Firefox OS: dev-fxos, dev-gaia
  • Mozilla Community in Chinese language

Agenda

• Projects are expected to be finished before December, in order to avoid the conflict with projects from other classes.

Mentors / Session Owner

Speaker	Responsibility	IRC	Github	Detailed work on items
Kevin Hu	Management of Engineering Community Development, the organizer of this class	khu	kaichih	LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaichih Telegram: kaichih Skype: kaichih.hu
Eddie Lin	Web Developer, Firefox OS Product Marketing	elin	elin-moco	Firefox OS Product Marketing and Web of Things development experiments.
Greg Weng	Firefox OS Software Engineer	snowmantw	snowmantw	Lockscreen, and NFC visual effects in Firefox OS.
Yi-Fan Liao	Firefox OS Software Engineer	yliao	bebeeben	system browser, vertical home screen, and bookmark in Firefox OS.
Evan Tseng	Firefox OS Software Engineer	evanxd		making FxOS people want, and coding for System App, Calendar App, and JS Marionette in FxOS Team.
Ricky Chien	Firefox OS Software Engineer	rickychien	rickychien	Work on Firefox OS Gaia.
Askeing Yen	Sr. Software Engineer in Automation	askeing	askeing	B2G, gaia-ui-tests, marionette, automation, B2G-flash-tool, MTBF, MCTS, b2g-util, taskcluster-util
Shing Lyu	Software Engineer in Automation	slyu	shinglyu	Marionette (WebDriver), MozTrap (Test Case Management Tool), Firefox OS Metrics, and Cost Control.
Wei-Cheng Pan	Firefox OS Software Engineer	wcpan	legnaleurc	Firefox OS Performance.
Dietrich Ayala	Technical Evangelist	dietrich		Firefox OS (B2G), Gaia, Firefox, Places, Bookmarks, History, Awesomebar, Livemarks, Microsummaries, Session Restore, Add-on SDK (Jetpack), Performance, Snappy
Douglas Sherk	Product Engineer	drs		Firefox OS (B2G)
Bob Chao	Mozilla Rep / MozTW Community	bobchao	bobchao	All about community (both paid / non-paid staff)

Offline Support

Name	Responsibility	Support items
Peyton Sun	Communications Manager, Firefox OS, Product Marketing	Overall arrangement of this class.
Estela Liu	Program and Brand Management, Firefox OS	Planning of the Mozilla Taipei Office visit.
Bella Su	Office Services Coordinator	Co-working with custom to import Firefox OS devices for students.
Linear Li	IT Engineer	Prepare additional Firefox OS devices for students.
Al Tsai	QA Manager	Flash Firefox OS builds on 53 Flame devices for students.

Teaching Assistants

• 鍾智鈞
  • Github: chungya
• 蔡宗明
  • Github: FlowerHop

Reference

• A re-introduction to JavaScript (JS tutorial)
• Mozilla Marketplace
• Firefox OS apps:
  • Hosted apps
  • Packaged apps
  • Packaged apps or hosted apps?
• Building apps for Firefox OS
• Classrooms for Github