DevTools/Features/Workspaces

Feature	Status	ETA	Owner
Workspaces	Main patch landed, a bit more needed	2011-04-30	Kevin Dangoor

Summary

The Workspace concept began with Smalltalk environments and has been ported to a Firefox add-on. We believe that Workspaces provide a more pleasant way to experiment with code than the current tools which mimic a command line environment.

The prototype will allow us to get experience with this different work style and also give other people a chance to comment on it.

The basic idea behind creating a Workspace is that the Workspace gives you a convenient mechanism for running and rerunning snippets of code. If you're writing a new function, for example, you can keep redefining that function until you have one that works correctly. Then, you can just copy and paste it into your editor to become a part of your application.

Another example use would be to have a collection of utility functions that you use in debugging your application. Those functions aren't really a part of the application, and you don't want to deliver them to your users. You can keep them in a file that you load into the workspace whenever you're working on that particular app.

Most often, the files you save from a workspace are not complete script files and the snippets of code in a workspace may not run in all contexts (they may depend on variables that are defined on the page for which the workspace was created).

Release Requirements

• Convert the add-on into a browser feature with tests
• Add a pref to remove the content/chrome switch from view

Aurora backout strategy: there is a pref to turn off the feature (devtools.workspace.enabled)

Next Steps

• l10n review, ux review
• finish landing the tests and pref

Related Bugs & Dependencies

Workspaces Status

Team

The Workspaces idea is new, so we're happy to get more input and help. Talk to us in #devtools on irc.mozilla.org

• Mihai Sucan (irc: msucan): current lead developer
• Rob Campbell (irc: robcee): initial developer
• Curtis Koenig: security contact
• Kevin Dangoor (irc: kdangoor): PM

Goals/Use Cases

Handy snippets: When working on an application, it's not uncommon to have a collection of common bits of code that you run against the page to test things. The Workspaces feature lets you load and save JavaScript files, which is a convenient way to keep track of these snippets.

Working on new code: You can use Workspaces to work on a new function. Write a little code, execute it and repeat. Once it works, you can copy/paste that code into your main program files.

Non-Goals

For this initial step, we're leaving off some obvious features:

• a better editor (Ace)
• external editor integration of any sort
• autocompletion

Security

Date Discussion occurred: 2011.04.14 Security Concerns:

• Feature could be used run arbitrary code

Responses to concerns:

• Interaction is one way and code only runs in a sandbox
• Sandbox inherits from content window
• Chrome settings preferences are off by default
• No collaboration built-in, scripts have to be shared out of band
• Scripts can not autorun
• No built-in interaction with web console

Outstanding issue / Next steps:

• None at this time