Firefox/Projects/Jetpack

Work with the Jetpack team to implement a core set of modules. This is currently looking like JEPs 102 - 116, over releases 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5.

Status

RAMPING UP Met with Myk to talk about status of JEP implementation, generated a list of modules that need owners. Found owners, and got estimates for most modules.

Team:

• Lead: Dietrich
• Members: Drew, Paul, Felipe, Marco

JEP	Module	Owner	Target	Status	Notes
102	Single UI (Addon Bar)	Marco/Dietrich	0.4	planning stage	Boriss contacting Aza/Alex on 4/8, and estimating full design delivery by 5/1. Pinged on 4/9. No estimate until get some UX info.
104	Simple storage	Drew	0.4	blocked	Blocked by bug 553020 (which is at-risk for 0.3)
105	Lifecycle	Dietrich	0.4	planning stage	Blocked by bug 553020 (which is at-risk for 0.3), and on the EM's support for reboot-less extension installs. Estimate 2 weeks for implementation.
108	Page Worker	Felipe	0.4	planning stage	Felipe is looking at use-cases and technical requirements. Estimating 2 weeks for implementation.
109	Request	Zpao	0.4	planning stage	Some implementation already done. Paul estimates 2 weeks for implementation.
112	Context menu	Drew	0.3	on-track
114	Places	Marco	0.4	in-progress	Core work done by ddahl, but needs API review for Jetpack API consistency. Marco is out on vacation, but said some API and code work still needs to happen, but nothing major. Still targeting 0.4 for now.
116	private browsing	Zpao	0.4	not started	Paul talked with Myk about the spec, estimates 2 weeks for implementation.

Goals

• Help Labs implement modules for JEPs 102 - 116.

Roadmap

• Apr 15
• May 1
• May 15
• May 31
• Jun 15
• Jun 30

Background

Jetpack's architecture under versions 0.8 and earlier (now called the Jetpack Prototype) is being phased out for a new architecture called the Jetpack SDK. Check the SDK docs and wiki for details, but briefly, the differences between the two:

• The Jetpack SDK is a framework for making (traditional) extensions.
• "Jetpacks" produced under the SDK are actually XPIs. They're real extensions. Under the Prototype they were single JS files.
• Since jetpacks are now extensions, it no longer makes sense to say "I made a jetpack." It's more like, "I made an extension using Jetpack."
• Jetpack itself is no longer an extension. It no longer makes sense to say, "I installed Jetpack."
• The SDK is basically a toolchain, runtime, and API -- a framework.
• The SDK is very loosely integrated with Firefox. The runtime is bundled in each XPI. Aside from changes required to support the SDK's high-level APIs, the runtime doesn't require any significant changes to Firefox or Gecko. A (re)loadable extension mechanism is being worked on, but it's like icing on the cake.
• The SDK has a security model, the Prototype didn't.
• Roughly speaking, there are two layers of APIs under the SDK. There's a low-level, chrome-privileged layer that wraps the platform. And there's a high-level, secure, low surface area, and friendly layer that builds on the lower. It's the higher layer that might be thought of as "the Jetpack API," but it's entirely possible to use the lower to build an extension.
• The Bespin IDE of the Prototype will be replaced with a contracted-out in-browser IDE called "FlightDeck." (Maybe you've heard of it?) FlightDeck provides a nice UI to the SDK's toolchain. It will be available as a Web app.

Related Links

• Jetpack SDK wiki
• Jetpack team weekly meetings wiki
• #jetpack
• There's a Jetpack drivers mailing list. Ping adw or Daniel Buchner if interested.
• Module coding guidelines