Loop/Architecture

Underlying Technologies

Mozilla Technologies

The Loop project relies on a number of other technologies under development within Mozilla. These include the following:

• WebRTC
• Firefox Accounts
• Simple Push (bug 976789)
• Social API (bug 971987)

Third-Party Technologies

• Node.js for Loop server, at least through production

Open Issues

These technology choices will be moved into one of the preceding sections as decisions are made:

• Localization (bug 972884)
• Client MVC Library + associated libs (bug 975548)
• Client side unit-testing framework (bug 976127)
• Standalone-page unit-testing framework (bug 976133)
• Client-driven end-to-end framework (bug 976114)
• Standalone-page end-to-end system testing framework (bug 976134)

• Client CSS toolkit (if any) (bug 976854)
• Standalone-page CSS toolkit (if any) (bug 976857)

Network Architecture

Data Flows

Note that these are currently described in terms of a REST (or, at least, REST-like) interface on the Loop server. There is a significant possibility that this interface will evolve to be JSON objects exchanged on a WebSockets connection, similar to the network API exposed by the Simple Push Server.

User Connects

User Generates "Call-Me" URL

Non-User Clicks "Call-Me" URL

User Rejects Call

Note that the exact means by which Bob receives pending call status is still an open issue -- periodic polling is easy, but might not scale as well as we'd like. Long polling is a potential improvement, but also has scaling implications. Ultimately, websockets may be the preferred approach here.

User Blocks "Call-Me" URL

User Abandons Ringing Call

User Calls Other User