Apps

Want to get the Open Web Apps project newsletter?
Sign up for it here!

The Open Web Apps project enables developers to create rich HTML5 app experiences that run across multiple devices and form factors (desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.) using Web standards and open technologies such as HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. Furthermore, it aims to create a rich distributed ecosystem of HTML5 app stores, including a marketplace operated by Mozilla. Mozilla aims to put the developer back in control of every aspect of the app experience — from easy development to distribution to direct customer relationship management.

Apps are built using standard Web technologies with additional metadata that allows the User Agent to discover, install, launch, and grant them additional privileges.

Documentation topics

Creating apps

Apps FAQ: Frequently-asked questions about apps.
Getting started: This walk-through can quickly give you an understanding of what it takes to turn an ordinary site into an app.
General app tutorial: A fairly detailed step-by-step of app development in general.
For mobile application developers: If you already develop mobile applications, here's how to make Web-based apps.
For Web developers: If you already develop Web sites or applications, here's how to make them into installable apps.
App installation: Platform-specific notes about how apps are installed and run on the user's device or system.
Using apps offline: How to design apps so that they can be cached and used without an Internet connection.
Android Open Web Apps: Information about developing Open Web Apps for Android.

Game apps

Developing game apps: Considerations for game apps, such as offline use, identity, and multi-player interaction.
Game engines and libraries: Engines and libraries useful for developing game apps.

Reference information

Open Web Apps and Web standards: Open Web Apps are intended to be standardized and to become part of "the Web" and not to be Mozilla-specific.

Apps architecture: An overview of the technology that supports apps.
The app manifest: The structure and content of the app manifest, which defines the app to the browser.
Apps JavaScript API: Functions (on navigator.mozApps) that websites can call to install or manage apps.

Device APIs

Application programming interfaces for device capabilities:

Other resources

Behind the Mozilla apps developer preview: A (now outdated) look at how the pieces of the apps architecture fit together, from one of the lead developers.

Firefox Marketplace

The Firefox Marketplace is a site where developers can list their apps to be found and downloaded by end users.

Submitting an app: Step-by-step instructions.
Marketplace review criteria: Requirements for apps in the Marketplace.
Marketplace Submission API: An API for adding apps to the Firefox Marketplace.

The Open Web Apps project

Overview website
Wiki page
IRC channel: #openwebapps on irc.mozilla.org

Project discussion forum:

Mailing list