Expose IPFS Core API as window.ipfs

[flyingzumwalt]

Web Extension makes js-ipfs protocol (interface-core-api) available in the browser through window.ipfs

• creates an instance of js-ipfs inside the extension (see IPFS node info and node controls #12)
• exposes that instance directly in window.ipfs
• this will expose the same API as WebExtension makes **go-ipfs** full ipfs core api (interface-core-api) available in the browser #41, since both implement interface-ipfs-core
• like WebExtension makes **go-ipfs** full ipfs core api (interface-core-api) available in the browser #41, using the core api vs relying on the gateway should be disabled/enabled by toggling a "Redirect-URLs" option true or false
• disable by default

[haadcode]

I did a quick prototype for this today: load js-ipfs packaged with the extension, start an instance.

Challenges here are similar to #41.

• Loading the js-ipfs script inside the extension and exposing it at window.ipfs is trivial
• Starting the js-ipfs works, but...
• Can't connect to a signaling server (wss://) due to the Content Security Policy which requires remote sources to be https:// (see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/content_security_policy)

[haadcode]

So basically as far as I can tell, the js-ipfs instance in the extension can't communicate to anyone except via https. Adding files, etc. would work normally, but an IPFS node without a network is fairly limited in functionality...

[victorb]

I got something working over here: https://github.com/VictorBjelkholm/js-ipfs-in-the-browser

Basically it sets up two parts. One background page for the daemon and handling communication with the content script. Two is the content script that injects functions to the page script.

You can download and install this: https://github.com/VictorBjelkholm/js-ipfs-in-the-browser/releases/tag/lol

When installed, this page should change from "nope" -> "yeah!" and also show your daemons id: https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmcVc8eQiWkR23wMKiQjipLRSjCxR1FEj4TL99aY89J83d

[haadcode]

Great work @victorbjelkholm! 🎉

[victorb]

After standup call, I'll do the following before moving on:

• Expose:
  • .cat
  • .add
  • .ls
  • .swarm.peers
  • .dag.put
  • .dag.get
  • .files.cat

[victorb]

@haadcode maybe you could list the methods you're using in Orbit, and we could get Orbit to work with the extension instance of js-ipfs? I'm betting the shipping JS without js-ipfs/js-ipfs-api would be minimal and load super fast!

[haadcode]

@victorbjelkholm orbit is using .object.put/.get, .pubsub (pretty much all methods), .swarm.peers and .files.add/.cat. And the Electron version uses those + .util.addFromFs and .ls.

[flyingzumwalt]

Can I add a request that we document how to get at the other API methods? For example, if I want to use ipfs.dht.findProvs but it hasn't been added by the web extension, how can I connect to ipfs and consume that API method? What libraries do I need to download? Do I need to initialize a separate connection to the ipfs daemon? etc...

[victorb]

So, trouble in wonderland. Seemingly, you cannot pass functions or anything that can't be serialized into JSON between the background and content scripts.

This makes the interface of for example .cat to be broken, since we would only be able to pass the finalized data rather than a stream with the data...

Not sure how to solve this, but reached out in Mozilla IRC about confirmation and help with workarounds if possible.

Reference: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/sendMessage

message any. An object that can be serialized to JSON.

[Kubuxu]

@victorbjelkholm it is intended behaviour as the background and content scripts might run in separate JS engine instances.

[ghost]

Probably the next steps here are:

• Expand Core API coverage of window.ipfs
• Investigate whether window.ipfs is the appropriate place
• Integrate into @lidel's webext: https://github.com/lidel/ipfs-firefox-addon

Edit, also:

• Make "big" Core API requests/responses work over the limited background page messaging, i.e. chunk them.

[lidel]

FYSA we hope to deliver this feature via browser extension (it will be an opt-in experiment initially)
Implementation progress can be tracked in ipfs/ipfs-companion#330

[lidel]

This feature landed in Beta channel of our browser extension.
Check Release Notes for v2.2.0beta2 and Notes on exposing IPFS API as window.ipfs.

Discussion related to window.ipfs continues in ipfs/ipfs-companion#330