Mozilla application framework: Difference between revisions

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The Mozilla application framework is a collection of cross-platform software components that make up the Mozilla applications. It was originally known as XPFE, an abbreviation of cross-platform front end. It was also known as XPToolkit. To avoid confusion, it is now best referred to as the Mozilla application framework.

While similar to generic cross-platform application frameworks like Qt and wxWidgets, the intent is to provide a subset of cross-platform functionality suitable for building network applications like web browsers, leveraging the cross-platform functionality already built into the Gecko layout engine.

The following are the various components of the framework:

Gecko: Gecko is a standard-based layout engine designed for performance and portability.
Necko: Necko provides an extensible API for several layers of networking from transport to presentation layers.
XUL: XUL is the basis of user interface. It is an application of XML that defines various user interfaces elements, mostly widgets, control elements, template, etc. It is similar in many ways to HTML.
XBL: XBL allows one to define his/her own widget for use in XUL.
XPCOM: XPCOM is an object interface that allows interfacing between any programming language for which a binding has been developed
XPConnect: XPConnect is the binding between XPCOM and JavaScript.
XPInstall: XPInstall is a technology for installing small packages like extensions and themes into Mozilla applications in form of installation archives known as XPI.
Web services: Mozilla includes built-in support for popular web services standards XML-RPC, SOAP (dropped since Gran Paradiso Alpha 7^[1]), and WSDL as well as a simple XMLHttpRequest object similar to the one in Internet Explorer.
Others: The framework supports a number of open or common standards, including DTD, RDF, XSLT/XPath, MathML, SVG, JavaScript, SQL, LDAP, etc.

Applications that use the framework

Netscape Navigator 9 web browser
Mozilla Firefox web browser
Flock web browser
SeaMonkey Internet suite
Mozilla Thunderbird email client
Chatzilla IRC client
Nvu WYSIWYG web authoring
Mozilla Sunbird calendar
ActiveState Komodo IDE
Songbird media player
Joost IPTV client
Celtx screenplay writing application
Miro internet TV application
Instantbird instant messenger

References

^ Bug 332174 – Drop SOAP support

External links

The Mozilla Application Framework in Detail
Mozilla as Platform
Rapid Application Development with Mozilla - a book by Nigel McFarlane, published by Prentice Hall, part of the Bruce Perens' Open Source Series (freely downloadable in PDF format)
MozDev.org: Site for projects based on the Mozilla Application Framework; not affiliated with Mozilla Corp. or the Mozilla Foundation

[1] Bug 332174 – Drop SOAP support

[1]

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ; XPCOM : [[XPCOM]] is an object interface that allows interfacing between any programming language for which a binding has been developed
 ; XPConnect : [[XPConnect]] is the binding between XPCOM and [[JavaScript]].
-; XPInstall : [[XPInstall]] is a technology for installing small packages like [[extension (Mozilla)|extension]]s and themes into Mozilla applications in form of installation archives known as [[XPI]].
+; XPInstall : [[XPInstall]] is a technology for installing small packages like [[Add-on (Mozilla)|extension]]s and themes into Mozilla applications in form of installation archives known as [[XPI]].
 ; Web services : Mozilla includes built-in support for popular [[web service]]s standards [[XML-RPC]], [[SOAP]] (dropped since Gran Paradiso Alpha 7<ref>[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=332174 Bug 332174 – Drop SOAP support]</ref>), and [[Web Services Description Language|WSDL]] as well as a simple [[XMLHttpRequest]] object similar to the one in [[Internet Explorer]].
 ; Others : The framework supports a number of open or common standards, including [[Document Type Definition|DTD]], [[Resource Description Framework|RDF]], [[XSL Transformations|XSLT]]/[[XPath]], [[MathML]], [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], [[JavaScript]], [[SQL]], [[Lightweight Directory Access Protocol|LDAP]], etc.