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ipfs/in-web-browsers#130

License: MIT
Signed-off-by: Marcin Rataj <[email protected]>
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35 changes: 35 additions & 0 deletions meeting-notes/2017/2017-03-29--in-web-browsers-standup.md
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Participants:
- @diasdavid
- @JayCarpenter
- @lgierth

Recording: https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmYUbamFQLbmHc4WiBr2jhJrZeCtQHN3U59ixW3QCEdBgM

### updates

@lgierth
- refining relay spec
- got ssl certs for /ws bootstrappers
- TOO bump proxy_read_timeout to 30
- next: /ws transport on go-ipfs gateway
- nextnext: configurable announced addresses

@jaycarpenter
- have been hopping on irc and continuing to get oriented regarding the whole ecosystem
- not working on a specific item at the moment

@daviddias
- @dignifiedquire implemented dht module
- @daviddias implementing dht module integration
- refining relay spec
- supporting @drjayov implementing relay
- debugged /ws bootstrappers with @lgierth
- js-libp2p-record shipped
- next: getting dht work finished

### observations

- it's good to have the implementers directly focused on, and involved in, spec work
- it was also useful to have a baseline with the general approach direction already in place
- because it was already a month or two old, there was time to let it sink in
- this allowed for very focused and productive refinement discussions right from the start
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# Roadblocks for IPFS in Browser Extension

This memo is a summary of various conversations we had during
Lab Week for Q4 2017, starting with unconf session on Monday.

> **TL;DR**
> - Right now, [ipfs-companion](https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-companion) requires external daemon and _just pretends_ to support `ipfs://`, `dweb:` protocols,
> - we've identified Three Problems that need to be solved to have IPFS running natively in browser extension,
> - creation of [Programmable Protocol Handler API](#new-native-programmable-protocol-handler-api-for-webextensions) would solve all of them.
# Identified Problems

## Problem #1: Inability to Inject HTTP Responses by WebExtension

It is possible to run js-ipfs node in extensions background page, but when it
comes to major players in browser space we are missing WebExtension API that
"enables the extension to satisfy hijacked HTTP request by injecting response read by js-ipfs".

As of now (2017) [`browser.webRequest`][2] API makes it possible to:

- cancel the request in `onBeforeRequest`, `onBeforeSendHeaders` and `onAuthRequired`
- redirect the request in `onBeforeRequest`, `onHeadersReceived`
- modify request headers in `onBeforeSendHeaders`
- modify response headers in `onHeadersReceived`
- supply authentication credentials in `onAuthRequired`

What is missing are means of providing response payload instead of redirection
in `onBeforeRequest` step of request life cycle.


## Problem #2: Inability to Control How Origin Is Calculated

Web security model relies on [Same-origin policy][3].

This introduces two major inconveniences for websites loaded via IPFS2HTTP gateways (serving content from `/ipfs/` and `/ipns/` paths):

- every IPFS gateway has different Origin, making it impossible for a user to persist state while switching gateways
- an Origin of a single gateway is shared by all sites loaded from it, making it impossible to write secure web apps

Some people solve this by creating artificial subdomains that have URL-safe CID
in them (`$cid.ipfs.dweb.link`). A subdomain provides separate Origin and
creates an isolated security context.

Unfortunately, this is not possible for a gateway running on `127.0.0.1`.


## Problem #3: Inability to Control Address in Location Bar

This is a major UX issue.

We should have:

```
dweb:/ipfs/QmbWqxBEKC3P8tqsKc98xmWNzrzDtRLMiMPL8wBuTGsMnR
```

instead of:

```
http://127.0.0.1:8080/ipfs/QmbWqxBEKC3P8tqsKc98xmWNzrzDtRLMiMPL8wBuTGsMnR
```


# Possible Solutions

## Temporary Hacks and Partial Workarounds

[Problem #1](#problem-1-inability-to-inject-http-responses-by-webextension) might be (partially) solved with:

### Creative Use of Service Worker

We could have js-ipfs running inside of a Service Worker acting as a 'proxy'
for HTTP requests to the public gateway.

See demo and PoC at [IPFS runs as a Service Worker][6].

- Good:
- service worker can inject responses for a host it was installed from
- if we provide Service Worker for the public gateway, and browser
extension redirects everything to public gateway, then we are able to handle all IPFS requests
- transparent for the end user
- Bad
- a user needs to visit regular HTTP site to install Service Worker
- Really bad: [service worker must be refreshed/downloaded every 24h][7]
- if we want to solve [#2](#problem-2-inability-to-control-how-origin-is-calculated) we need to have separate service worker for every gateway/root CID
- no connection closing + global Service Worker = memory leaks
- does not address [#3](#problem-3-inability-to-control-address-in-location-bar)

### Extending `webRequest` API to Support Response Injection

In theory, extending existing `browser.webRequest` APIs to support response
generation (e.g. from within `onBeforeRequest` hook) would enable us to hijack
requests and respond with data read via js-ipfs.

There is a very low probability that such API change will happen, these APIs were designed this way with certain security constraints in mind.

Even if it would happen, it would not address problems [#2](#problem-2-inability-to-control-how-origin-is-calculated) and [#3](#problem-3-inability-to-control-address-in-location-bar).

## New, Native, Programmable Protocol Handler API for WebExtensions

What we really need is a new WebExtension API that lets us define a programmable protocol
handler.

Such API should enable browser extension to do three things:

1. Respond to `dweb:` requests with actual payload (no redirect to HTTP).

To be more specific, WebExtension should be able to provide function that
takes a URI and returns `new Response(data, headers)`

2. Control how _Origin_ is calculated.

In case of `/ipfs/$cid`, every CID would have its own Origin.

3. Display and support use of `dweb:` address in GUI (location bar, bookmarks, etc)

This would not only improve user experience but also enable us to use `dweb:` links by default.

The good news is that creation of such API was already proposed in [Bug 1271553: Add ability to implement programmable custom protocol handler][4].

The bad news is that it won't happen this year, as most of the engineering efforts at Mozilla are focused on [Firefox Quantum][5] release.

Still, this is the best way to solve our Three Problems.

We should advocate creation of such API, as it would not only enable us to do
great things with IPFS browser extension, but could enable Firefox to become an
application platform.


[1]: https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs
[2]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/WebRequest
[3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-origin_policy
[4]: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1271553
[5]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/quantum/
[6]: https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/issues/55
[7]: https://github.com/w3c/ServiceWorker/issues/514

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# IPFS in Web Browsers Q1 Planning/Brainstorming (I)

## Attendees

- @diasdavid
- @olizilla
- @lidel
- @dmitriy
- @kyledrake
- @flyingzumwalt

# Agenda
- Overview
- Forming the working group
- What is the purpose of the WG
- Checking in with the context
- Setting OKRs

## Notes

First official meeting of the not yet official IPFS in Web Browsers working group.

### Forming the Working Group

**[Current Working Groups Proposal](https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs/blob/8dc70f4d9676b181734c7818908f422af8fb47f5/WORKING_GROUPS.md#integration-with-web-browsers)**

What is the purpose of the WG? What does the IPFS world think a WG is?

We want it to be clear what the community should expect from a WG.

Some things we're leaving loose or undefined for now:
- does the WG control a repo?
- where is their work tracked?
- Is there a procedure for discussions, decisions, etc?

Some desirable characteristics for WGs
- If you have KRs for the WG it should be hard to pull you off that.
- It should be welcoming/inviting for people to join and participate
- (as specified in the proposal) there should be a captain and a co-captain


### Context (checking in, getting synced)

- lidel's proposed OKRs: https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/pull/62
- these are only for browser extension
- a starting point for further discussion

Lots of ideas and conversations already floating around
- kyle's thoughts about UX
- address scheme discussions ... [The four stages of the upgrade path for path addressing](https://github.com/ipfs/specs/pull/152#issuecomment-284628862) ...

Use Cases
- persistence layer for a dapp developers (Open Bazaar use case)
- IPFS as filesystem ... nice distributed filesystem
- IPFS for serving/publishing web pages
- IPFS the distributed web ... getting 2 billion to use something that works better than HTTP


### Setting OKRs

**TASK**: Extract the document that defines the ultimate dream for IPFS in web browsers and expresses what to do in the next 3 months
- this mainly involves gathering all the info that's floating around out there, putting it in one clear document

Proposal: revisit kyle's "screed" proposal, update that and use it as the defining UX vision.
- the only part that people have disagreed with is the idea of creating our own browser
- if we don't build our own browser we will need to set someone up as our lobbyist connecting with the browser manufacturers

#### Possible KRs

- Understand what is the ideal UX and agree on it (multiple iterations)
- create a browser demo that shows the browser manufacturers how it _should_ work (some misgivings about whether this is the right way to spend effort)
- cost-effective alternative: [Create WebExtensions Experiments to Prototype Missing APIs](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-companion/issues/343)
([WebExtension Experiment](https://webextensions-experiments.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) + demo use in IPFS Companion)
- expensive alternative: fork firefox as a demo -- this is how Tor Browser works, and how they propose features within the firefox team
- create a "Call to Arms" that tells and shows why this is important and how it should work
- Establish a style guide for IPFS apps in the browser
- spring cleaning -- clean up the in-web-browsers repo. update issues, update docs, etc.
- make the web-browsers repo into a reliable reference point for anyone interested in this effort

Straw Poll of Group's Priorities
- Making IPFS look & work well
- are we distributed yet?

# Action Items
- submit PRs with OKR proposals ([OKR.md](https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/blob/master/OKR.md))
- everyone declare what they want to work on (pitch your own goal)
- create a channel in irc
- meet again in 10 days (around 8-10 January)
- spring-cleaning https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/issues


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# 2018-01-09: IPFS in Web Browsers Q1 Planning/Brainstorming (II)


## Attendees

- Matt Zumwalt
- Alan Shaw
- @olizilla
- David Dias
- @lidel

## Agenda

- **Review OKR**
- Discussed `OKR.md` draft, fleshed out some action items:
- reword _"Embedded js-ipfs runs in Brave without installing external daemon"_ to something like _"Identify and document missing pieces to run a reliable embedded js-ipfs in Brave (without installing external daemon)"_
- reword _"Improved initial experience for non-technical users of mainstream browsers"_
- focus KRs on Fleshing out user stories/journeys and create UX/style guides
- fold "Brave one" into a KR under "Structure documentation and discussion around the primary Browser vendor concerns"
- Everyone will do one more iteration in a single PR
- ... then move OKRs to Google Spreadsheet and add assignments and priorities
- PSA: Started GUI/UX initiative at https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/pm-ipfs-gui
- PSA: Started work on UX/Style Guide: https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-ui-style-guide
- Briefly introduce a Person of Interest to new team members :-)
- @gozala is a valuable point of contact/discussions for dweb integration with browsers (Beaker etc)
- Spring cleaning in progress
- Identified need for coherent documentation of addressing on the dweb
- current state of addressing spec: https://github.com/ipfs/specs/tree/addressing/dweb-addressing
- `arewedistributedyet.com` kick-off
- Tracked in [existing epic @ ipfs/in-web-browsers](https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/issues/24#issuecomment-355942618)
- Registered Domain Name: AREWEDISTRIBUTEDYET.COM

## Appendix

### Q:
- where is the line between functionality that’s only available in node vs func that’s available in browsers?

### A:
- Anything that's in IPFS-core spec should be available in browsers and in node (Everywhere)
- tl;dr anything that interfaces with the OS is tricky or different in browsers. mostly: libp2p transport and discovery, and ipfs datastore (and also different between language runtimes, js/go/rust, depending on the availability and quality of libraries)
- IPFS should be figuring out how to talk to other nodes, but in some cases this doesn't work within the browser. We are working to address those cases.

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# In Web Browsers and GUIs: Weekly IRC Sync (2018-04-03)

Participants:
- #ipfs-in-web-browsers

## Agenda

- What did you work on last week, what are you working on this week?
- [Q2 OKRs!](https://github.com/ipfs/in-web-browsers/issues/78)
- [Q2 OKR sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xIhKROxFlsY9M9on37D5rkbSsm4YtjRQvG2unHScApA/edit#gid=755202447)
- Decisions:
- **AI @all**: Add yourself to OKRs as you feel appropriate
- **AI @lidel**: ping Matt/David for feedback
- GUIs (**AI @ all**)
- Share WebUI look'n'feel inspirations
- Write up ideal UX definitions
- Wireframes
- Accessibility testing
- https://github.com/pa11y/pa11y
- Seek advice on how to do well
- Provide feedback and ideas in https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/pm-ipfs-gui/issues/28
- Tech choices
- Review proposal: https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/pm-ipfs-gui/issues/51
- In web browsers
- Companion release v2.2.0
- [try the chrome beta channel](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ipfs-companion-dev-build/hjoieblefckbooibpepigmacodalfndh)
- **AI @ lidel**: write RN and blogpost, QA, release & press "post"
- Brave chat (all is chromium now)
- https://brave.com/development-plans-for-upcoming-release/
- **AI @ lidel, olizilla**
- Comms channel for p2p and browser devs
- arewedistributedyet

## Action Items
Marked inline in agenda as **AI**
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