google-chromefirefoxjsctypeschrome-native-messaging

Similar technology to Chrome's Native Client Messaging in Firefox?


We want to replace a custom NPAPI interface between a browser based web application and an client side daemon process.

Is there a similar technology to Chrome's Native Client Messaging in Firefox?


Solution

  • js-ctypes[1] is probably the closest alternative for Mozilla.

    https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/js-ctypes

    I have a C++ module that I compile as a binary executable for native-messaging or as a library for js-ctypes. The difference between the two is primarily that native-messaging calls a binary executable and performs stdin/stdout data exchange, and js-ctypes opens a static/shared library (via dlopen) and calls exposed methods of your library which can return compatible data types[2] and optionally call a passed JavaScript callback method.

    [1] https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/js-ctypes

    [2] https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/js-ctypes/js-ctypes_reference/ctypes#Predefined_data_types