Ready for Developer Testing: Web Install API
Lia Hiscock
Design docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12nSXJLm8mW0gWZ_yjlXfrV8r9gwJliVt4WVa-209-KA/edit?tab=t.0
Summary
The Web Install API allows a web site to install a web app (same or cross domain). This functionality allows the creation of web based catalogues that can install PWAs directly from the web and into multiple platforms. https://aka.ms/webinstall
Blink component
TAG review
Spec review not yet completed but the design review has been completed. TAG was satisfied with part of the API, but the other part is still being discussed and experimented on, which is why the review was closed as unsatisfied.
TAG review status
Risks
Interoperability and Compatibility
Interop - Low risk. This is a new API that installs web apps, which are supported by other browsers. The no argument version of the API (current document install) has enough support to be merged into the W3C web app manifest spec - https://github.com/w3c/manifest/pull/1175. Current document has also been reviewed favorably by TAG - https://github.com/w3ctag/design-reviews/issues/1051. While background document installation is still under discussion, it will be further incubated in WICG, we have no reason to believe there will be interop risk. Compatibility - Low risk. This is a new API that requires explicit developer action to use.
Gecko: No signal (https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/1179)
WebKit: No signal (https://github.com/WebKit/standards-positions/issues/463)
Web developers: Positive (https://github.com/w3ctag/ethical-web-principles/issues/120#issuecomment-2285348765) https://github.com/w3ctag/ethical-web-principles/issues/120#issuecomment-2285431557
Other signals:
Ergonomics
This could be used in conjunction with the navigator.getInstalledRelatedApps API, which tells a developer if any related web apps are installed for their site, before attempting to install with navigator.install. There is overlap between navigator.install and the BeforeInstallPrompt event. navigator.install is more ergonomic, and we think developers will prefer its declarative install. See this thread - https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/MSEdgeExplainers/issues/1055
Activation
No.
Security
WebView application risks
Does this intent deprecate or change behavior of existing APIs, such that it has potentially high risk for Android WebView-based applications?
None
Goals for experimentation
Gauge usage frequency for each of the 3 API signatures, as well as any expected or unexpected failures. We're also specifically looking for feedback on the permissions model.
- Unexpected failures: fetch manifest timeout, no manifest found, app installation failed for any reason
- Expected failures: permission prompt rejected by user, profile doesn't support installation, installation prompt rejected by user
- Developer-caused failures: invalid API arguments (especially around the manifest id requirements for the install_target).
- Success: app installed, app launched
Ongoing technical constraints
None
Debuggability
Existing DevTools support for promise-based JS APIs. No new DevTools support is needed.
Will this feature be supported on all six Blink platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and Android WebView)?
Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS will be shipped first. Android will be supported later, due to significant technical deviation in the web app ecosystem - https://issues.chromium.org/issues/424497410. As of now, no plan to support Android WebView.
Is this feature fully tested by web-platform-tests?
Web app installs are not supported in WPT, but we will add a WPT manual test.
DevTrial instructions
Finch feature name
Requires code in //chrome?
Tracking bug
Estimated milestones
DevTrial on desktop
139
Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status
Thomas Steiner
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