Explainer: the need for native messaging

The need for Native messaging

This document is a work in progress, and does not yet represent anybody's position accurately.

Introduction

Browser Extensions need to be able to launch and communicate with external applications. Driven by implementer interest, the BrowserExt CG is therefore planning to specify a system for doing just that, inspired by the one that first shipped in Google Chrome.

The WebPayment IG also believes that communication between web pages and native application will be a key part of solving the problem of interoperable payments on the Web.

Both groups believe that if several parts of the web platform are looking into native messaging for their own narrow use cases, it would be desirable for groups like the TAG or the WebPlatform WG to take a broader view and consider whether a generic messaging mechanism to communicate with native application should be added to the web platform, instead of multiple specialized ones.

This document is not intended to cover in depth all the pros and cons of the various possible approaches. Instead, it is only meant to highlight why we think this is a worthwhile topic, and to gauge interest by other groups to see if there's a deeper conversation to be had.

Browser Extension use cases

TBD...

Web Payment use cases

TBD...