From MozillaWiki

Transition Project (March - July 2016)

Goals

Modernise the B2G platform (replace legacy mozApps-only APIs with new web standards) Create a leaner platform on which to build Smart TV and other connected devices products (reduced complexity and maintenance cost) Move towards an architecture closer to that of the Firefox browser (just chrome and web content) Transition smartphone modules to new owners and peers in the community Build a more active open source community around the project

Gonk Changes

APIs needed for TV will be maintained by staff on the TV team

Smartphone-specific APIs will need to be maintained by the wider community

Merge the B2G process model with the Firefox process model

Gecko Changes

Replace mozApps with standard web apps (Service Workers, Manifest and Push)

Find an alternative solution to legacy mozApps-only APIs IAC DataStore System Messages Web Activities

Remove themes and langpacks and add support for Web Extensions

Check the meta bug 1245091 for B2G build issues

Gaia Changes

No longer built as mozApps (app://)

Turn system UI into (chrome://) (reason?) System app Home screen Search Keyboard Settings?

Turn everything else into web content where possible (http://) Hosted on localhost Hosted on the web



Deliverables

Things we expect to be working in 3-5 months:

System

Homescreen

TV Browser

Media Apps

Things that might be broken:

Everything else (we need your help!)

Transition Branches

For the transition of the B2G architecture temporary transition branches were created:

After merging those changes back into the main mozilla-central repository they will become obsolete.

Building the Transition Branches

See MDN for build instructions.





How You Can Help

Test the transition branch File bugs (meta bug for the transition work is bug 1252143) Fix bugs (see meta bug above) Help us fix failing tests, see meta bug 1252482 for testing/build related tasks.

Port a Gaia smartphone app Pick a smartphone app Figure out ways to get it working as a web app (or turn it into chrome) Report back your findings on Discourse

Help us maintain a device port

(Eventually) propose/implement new smartphone features

Platform Engineering

Gabriele Svelto

Kan-Ru Chen

Alexandre Lissy

Thomas Zimmermann

Front End Engineering

Build & Test

Dylan Oliver

Ghislain Aus Lacroix

Security

QA

Community Coordination

Module Ownership

Current module owners and peers will continue to begin with

Module ownership and peers will transition over time (particularly for smartphone pieces)

Some modules may become orphaned and removed

Keeping in Touch

Mailing list (dev-fxos)

IRC (irc.mozilla.org #fxos)

Discourse

Telegram group: B2GOS (general discussions) - in case of trouble, use: https://t.me/joinchat/AAAAAD52Sd-hlp2bX6ATDQ

Meetings

4-weekly Transition Project Meeting. 3rd meeting on the 19th of May.

B2G Weekly Meeting for engineering status updates (was Gaia Weekly Meeting).

Community Working Groups meetings: have a look at the Working Groups page

FAQ

See the frequently asked questions (and answers!). They can help you to have a better view of the project and getting started.