[NaCl docs] Initial commit of the new docs infrastructure into Chromium.

native_client_sdk/src/doc/devguide/distributing.rst

+Distributing Your Application (NaCl)
+====================================
+
+.. {% setvar pepperversion %}pepper28{% endsetvar %}
+.. {% include "native-client/_local_variables.html" %}
+
+.. contents:: Table Of Contents
+  :local:
+  :backlinks: none
+  :depth: 3
+
+This document describes how to distribute Portable Native Client applications
+on the web, and Native Client applications through the
+`Chrome Web Store </chrome/web-store/docs/>`_ (CWS).
+
+
+Introduction
+------------
+
+Portable Native Client
+......................
+
+Portable Native Client is enabled by default for web pages. The only constraint
+is that the .html file, .nmf file (Portable Native Client manifest file), and
+.pexe file (Portable Native Client module) must be served from the same domain.
+Portable Native Client applications may also be distributed through the Chrome
+Web Store.
+
+Chrome Web Store
+................
+
+Native Client is only enabled by default for applications distributed through
+the Chrome Web Store (CWS). That means that Native Client applications must be
+distributed through the Chrome Web Store. The CWS requirement is in place to
+prevent the proliferation of Native Client executables (.nexe files) compiled
+for specific architecures (e.g., x86-32, x86-64, or ARM).
+
+The Chrome Web Store provides a number of
+`benefits
+<http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/webstore/create/why-build-apps.html>`_,
+such as reaching a large number of potential customers, making it easy for
+users to discover your applications, and providing a way to earn revenue from
+your applications. You can upload your applications to the CWS for free, and
+distribute them for free or for payment.
+
+CWS application types
+.....................
+
+Before you upload an application to the Chrome Web Store, you must choose how
+you want to distribute the application.  The CWS can be used to distribute
+three types of applications: hosted applications, packaged applications, and extensions.
+
+* A **packaged application** is an application that is bundled into one
+  file, hosted in the Chrome Web Store, and downloaded to the user's machine.
+* An **extension** is similar to a packaged application&mdash;the
+  application is bundled into one file, hosted in the Chrome Web Store,
+  and downloaded to the user's machine&mdash;but the application is
+  specifically designed to extend the functionality of the Chrome browser.
+* A **hosted application** is an application that is hosted somewhere
+  other than the Chrome Web Store (such as your own web server or
+  Google App Engine). The CWS only contains metadata that points to the
+  hosted application.
+
+The main factors to consider in choosing between these application types are:
+
+   hosting
+      You must make your own arrangements to host a hosted application (and
+      pay for hosting services). Packaged applications
+      and extensions are hosted in the Chrome Web Store.
+
+   size
+      Hosted applications do not have a size limit; packaged applications and
+      extensions are limited to 2 GB in size.
+
+   behavior
+      Hosted applications and packaged applications are like normal web
+      applications (they present their main functionality using
+      an HTML page); extensions can add functionality to the Chrome browser.
+
+For help choosing how to distribute your application, refer to
+`Choosing an App Type </chrome/web-store/docs/choosing>`_.
+
+The next section of this document provides details about how to distribute each type of application.
+
+Distribution details
+--------------------
+
+.. _packaged:
+
+Packaged application
+....................
+
+A packaged application is a special zip file (with a .crx extension) hosted in
+the Chrome Web Store. This file contains all of the application parts: A Chrome
+Web Store manifest file (manifest.json), an icon, and all of the regular Native
+Client application files. Refer to
+`Packaged Apps <https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps.html>`_
+for more information about creating a packaged application.
+
+Once you have a CWS manifest file and an icon for your application, you can zip up all the files for your packaged application into
+one zip file for upload to the Chrome Web Store. Refer to
+`Step 5 </chrome/web-store/docs/get_started_simple#step5>`_
+of the CWS Getting Started Tutorial to learn how to zip up your packaged
+application and upload it to the Chrome Web Store.
+
+.. _multi-platform-zip:
+
+Reducing the size of the user download package
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+.. Note::
+   :class: note
+
+   **Tip:**
+   Packaging an app in a multi-platform zip file can significantly reduce the
+   download and storage requirements for the app.
+
+As described above, to upload a packaged app to the Chrome Web Store (CWS) you
+have to create a zip file with all the resources that your app needs, including
+.nexe files for multiple architectures (x86-64, x86-32, and ARM). Prior to
+Chrome 28, when users installed your app they had to download a .crx file from
+the CWS with all the included .nexe files.
+
+Starting with Chrome 28, the Chrome Web Store includes a feature called
+**multi-platform zip files.**
+This feature lets you structure your application directory and zip file in a
+way that reduces the size of the user download package.  Here's how this
+feature works:
+
+* You still include all the .nexe files in the zip file that you upload to
+  the CWS, but you designate specific .nexe files (and other files if
+  appropriate) for specific architectures.
+* The Chrome Web Store re-packages your app, so that users only download
+  the files that they need for their specific architecture.
+
+Here is how to use this feature:
+
+1. Create a directory called ``_platform_specific``.
+      Put this directory at the same level where your CWS manifest file,
+      ``manifest.json``, is located.
+
+2. Create a subdirectory for each specific architecture that you support,
+   and add the files for each architecture in the relevant subdirectory.
+
+      Here is a sample app directory structure:
+   
+      .. naclcode::
+         :prettyprint: 0
+   
+            |-- my_app_directory/
+            |       |-- manifest.json
+            |       |-- my_app.html
+            |       |-- my_module.nmf
+            |       +-- css/
+            |       +-- images/
+            |       +-- scripts/
+            |       |-- **_platform_specific/**
+            |       |       |-- x86-64/
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_x86_64.nexe
+            |       |       |-- x86-32/
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_x86_32.nexe
+            |       |       |-- arm/
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_arm.nexe
+            |       |       |-- all/
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_x86_64.nexe
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_x86_64.nexe
+            |       |       |       |-- my_module_x86_32.nexe
+   
+      Please note a few important points about the app directory structure:
+   
+      * The architecture-specific subdirectories:
+   
+        * can have arbitrary names;
+        * must be directly under the ``_platform_specific`` directory; and
+        * must be listed in the CWS manifest file (see step 3 below).
+   
+      * You can include a fallback subdirectory that provides a download package
+        with all the architecture-specific files.  (In the example above this
+        is the ``all/`` subdirectory.) This folder is used if the user has an
+        earlier version of Chrome (prior to Chrome 28) that does not support
+        multi-platform zip files.
+
+      * You cannot include any files directly in the folder
+        ``_platform_specific``.  All architecture-specific files
+        must be under one of the architecture-specific subdirectories.
+
+      * Files that are not under the ``_platform_specific`` directory are
+        included in all download packages.  (In the example above, that
+        includes ``my_app.html``, ``my_module.nmf``,
+        and the ``css/``, ``images/``, and ``scripts/`` directories.)
+
+
+3. Modify the CWS manifest file, ``manifest.json``, so that it specifies which
+   subdirectory under ``_platform_specific`` corresponds to which architecture.
+
+      The CWS manifest file must include a new name/value pair, where the name
+      is ``platforms`` and the value is an array.  The array has an object for
+      each Native Client architecture with two name/value pairs:
+   
+      +----------------------+---------------------------------------+
+      | Name                 | Value                                 |
+      +======================+=======================================+
+      | ``nacl_arch``        | ``x86-64``, ``x86-32``, or ``arm``    |
+      +----------------------+---------------------------------------+
+      | ``sub_package_path`` | the path of the directory (starting   |
+      |                      | with ``_platform_specific``) that     |
+      |                      | contains the files for the designated |
+      |                      | NaCl architecture                     |
+      +----------------------+---------------------------------------+
+   
+      Here is a sample ``manifest.json`` file:
+   
+      .. naclcode::
+         :prettyprint: 0
+   
+         {
+           "name": "My Reminder App",
+           "description": "A reminder app that syncs across Chrome browsers.",
+           "manifest_version": 2,
+           "minimum_chrome_version": "28",
+           "offline_enabled": true,
+           "version": "0.3",
+           "permissions": [
+             {"fileSystem": ["write"]},
+             "alarms",
+             "storage"
+           ],
+           "app": {
+             "background": {
+               "scripts": ["scripts/background.js"]
+             }
+           },
+           "icons": {
+             "16": "images/icon-16x16.png",
+             "128": "images/icon-128x128.png"
+           },
+           **"platforms": [
+             {
+               "nacl_arch": "x86-64",
+               "sub_package_path": "_platform_specific/x86-64/"
+             },
+             {
+               "nacl_arch": "x86-32",
+               "sub_package_path": "_platform_specific/x86-32/"
+             },
+             {
+               "nacl_arch": "arm",
+               "sub_package_path": "_platform_specific/arm/"
+             },
+             {
+               "sub_package_path": "_platform_specific/all/"
+             }
+           ]**
+         }
+   
+      Note the last entry in the CWS manifest file above, which specifies a
+      ``sub_package_path`` without a corresponding ``nacl_arch``. This entry
+      identifies the fallback directory, which is included in the download
+      package if the user architecture does not match any of the listed NaCl
+      architectures, or if the user is using an older version of Chrome that
+      does not support multi-platform zip files.
+
+4. Modify your application as necessary so that it uses the files for the
+   correct user architecture.
+
+      To reference architecture-specific files, use the JavaScript API
+      `chrome.runtime.getPlatformInfo() <http://developer.chrome.com/trunk/extensions/runtime.html#method-getPlatformInfo>`_.
+      As an example, if you have architecture-specific files in the directories
+      ``x86-64``, ``x86-32``, and ``arm``, you can use the following JavaScript
+      code to create a path for the files:
+   
+      .. naclcode::
+   
+         function getPath(name) {
+           return '_platform_specific/' +
+             chrome.runtime.getPlatformInfo().nacl_arch +
+             '/' + name;
+         }
+
+5. Test your app, create a zip file, and upload the app to the CWS as before.
+
+Additional considerations for a packaged application
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+* In the description of your application in the CWS, make sure to mention that
+  your application is a Native Client application that only works with the
+  Chrome browser. Also make sure to identify the minimum version of Chrome
+  that your application requires.
+* Hosted and packaged applications have a "launch" parameter in the CWS
+  manifest. This parameter is present only in apps (not extensions), and it
+  tells Google Chrome what to show when a user starts an installed app. For
+  example:
+
+  .. naclcode::
+
+     "launch": {
+       "web_url": "http://mail.google.com/mail/"
+     }
+
+* If you want to write local data using the Pepper
+  `FileIO </native-client/peppercpp/classpp_1_1_file_i_o>`_
+  API, you must set the 'unlimitedStorage' permission in your Chrome Web
+  Store manifest file, just as you would for a JavaScript application that
+  uses the HTML5 File API.
+* For packaged applications, you can only use in-app purchases.
+* You can place your application in the Google Web Store with access only to
+  certain people for testing. See
+  `Publishing to test accounts </chrome/web-store/docs/publish#testaccounts>`_
+  for more information.
+
+Extension
+.........
+
+An extension consists of a special zip file (with a .crx extension) hosted in
+the Chrome Web Store containing all of the application parts: A Chrome Web
+Store manifest file (manifest.json), an icon, and all of the regular Native
+Client application files. Refer to the
+`Google Chrome Extensions Overview <http://code.google.com/chrome/extensions/overview.html>`_
+to learn how to create an extension.
+
+Once you have a CWS manifest file and an icon for your application, you can zip
+up all the files for your packaged application into one zip file for upload to
+the Chrome Web Store. Refer to
+`Step 5 </chrome/web-store/docs/get_started_simple#step5>`_
+of the CWS Getting Started Tutorial to learn how to zip up your extension and
+upload it to the Chrome Web Store.
+
+.. Note::
+   :class: note
+
+   **Tip:** Use a :ref:`multi-platform zip file <multi-platform-zip>` to reduce
+   the download and storage requirements for your extension.
+
+Hosted application
+..................
+
+A hosted application is a normal web application with some extra metadata for
+the Chrome Web Store. Specifically, a hosted application consists of three
+parts:
+
+1. A Chrome Web Store manifest file (manifest.json) and an icon uploaded to the
+   Chrome Web Store. The manifest file points to the Native Client application,
+   essentially a web site, hosted on your web server. You must put the CWS
+   manifest file and the icon into a zip file for upload to the Chrome Web
+   store, and then convert that file to a special zip file with a .crx
+   extension. Refer to the Chrome Web Store
+   `Tutorial: Getting Started </chrome/web-store/docs/get_started_simple>`_
+   or to the
+   `Hosted Apps </chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide>`_
+   documentation for information about how to create and upload this metadata
+   to the CWS.
+
+2. All the regular Native Client application files. These files are hosted on
+   your web server or Google App Engine at a location pointed to by the CWS
+   manifest file.
+
+3. Binary assets. These files are hosted on your web server, Google App Engine,
+   or Data Storage for Developers.
+
+Hosting options
++++++++++++++++
+
+Google offers a couple of hosting options you might consider instead of your
+own:
+
+* Google App Engine allows developers to release their applications on the same
+  platform that Google uses for applications such Gmail.  Refer to
+  `Google App Engine - Pricing and Features <http://www.google.com/enterprise/cloud/appengine/pricing.html>`_
+  for pricing information.
+
+* Google Storage for Developers allows developers to store application data
+  using Google's cloud services and is available on a fee-per-usage basis.
+  Refer to `Pricing and Support </storage/docs/pricingandterms>`_
+  for pricing information.
+
+Additional considerations for a hosted application
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+* The .html file, .nmf file (Native Client manifest file), and .nexe files
+  (compiled Native Client modules) must be served from the same domain, and the
+  Chrome Web Store manifest file must specify the correct, verified domain.
+  Other files can be served from the same or another domain.
+
+* In the description of your application in the CWS, make sure to mention that
+  your application is a Native Client application that only works with the
+  Chrome browser. Also make sure to identify the version of Chrome that your
+  application requires.
+
+* Hosted and packaged applications have a "launch" parameter in the CWS
+  manifest. This parameter is present only in apps (not extensions), and it
+  tells Google Chrome what to show when a user starts an installed app. For
+  example:
+
+  .. naclcode::
+     :prettyprint: 0
+
+     "launch": {
+       "web_url": "http://mail.google.com/mail/"
+     }
+
+* If you want to write local data using the Pepper
+  `FileIO </native-client/peppercpp/classpp_1_1_file_i_o>`_
+  API, you must set the 'unlimitedStorage' permission in your Chrome Web
+  Store manifest file, just as you would for a JavaScript application that uses
+  the HTML5 File API.
+
+* You can place your application in the Google Web Store with access only to
+  certain people for testing.  See
+  `Publishing to test accounts </chrome/web-store/docs/publish#testaccounts>`_
+  for more information.
+
+Additional considerations
+=========================
+
+Registering Native Client modules to handle MIME types
+------------------------------------------------------
+
+If you want Chrome to use a Native Client module to display a particular type
+of content, you can associate the MIME type of that content with the Native
+Client module. Use the ``nacl_modules`` attribute in the Chrome Web Store
+manifest file to register a Native Client module as the handler for one or more
+specific MIME types. For example, the bold code in the snippet below registers
+a Native Client module as the content handler for the OpenOffice spreadsheet
+MIME type:
+
+.. naclcode::
+   :prettyprint: 0
+
+   {
+      "name": "My Native Client Spreadsheet Viewer",
+      "version": "0.1",
+      "description": "Open spreadsheets right in your browser.",
+      **"nacl_modules": [{
+         "path": "SpreadsheetViewer.nmf",
+         "mime_type": "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet"
+      }]**
+   }
+
+The value of "path" is the location of a Native Client manifest file (.nmf)
+within the application directory. For more information on Native Client
+manifest files, see
+`Files in a Native Client application </native-client/overview#application-files>`_.
+
+The value of "mime_type" is a specific MIME type that you want the Native
+Client module to handle. Each MIME type can be associated with only one .nmf
+file, but a single .nmf file might handle multiple MIME types. The following
+example shows an extension with two .nmf files that handle three MIME types.
+
+.. naclcode::
+   :prettyprint: 0
+
+   {
+      "name": "My Native Client Spreadsheet and Document Viewer",
+      "version": "0.1",
+      "description": "Open spreadsheets and documents right in your browser.",
+      "nacl_modules": [{
+        "path": "SpreadsheetViewer.nmf",
+        "mime_type": "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet"
+      },
+      {
+         "path": "SpreadsheetViewer.nmf",
+         "mime_type": "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet-template"
+      },
+      {
+         "path": "DocumentViewer.nmf",
+         "mime_type": "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text"
+      }]
+   }
+
+The ``nacl_modules`` attribute is optional&mdash;specify this attribute only if
+you want Chrome to use a Native Client module to display a particular type of
+content.
+
+Using CWS inline install
+------------------------
+
+Once you've published an application, you may be wondering how users will find
+and install the application. For users who browse the Chrome Web Store and find
+your application, installing the application is a simple one-click process.
+However, if a user is already on your site, it can be cumbersome for them to
+complete the installation&mdash;they would need to navigate away from your site
+to the CWS, complete the installation process, and then return to your site. To
+address this issue, you can initiate installation of applications "inline" from
+your site&mdash;the applications are still hosted in the Chrome Web Store, but
+users no longer have to leave your site to install them. See
+`Using Inline Installation </chrome/web-store/docs/inline_installation>`_
+for information on how to use this feature.
+
+Monetizing applications and extensions
+--------------------------------------
+
+Google provides three primary monetization options for Native Client
+applications: in-app payments, one-time charges, and subscriptions.  Refer to
+`Monetizing Your App </chrome/web-store/docs/money>`_
+to learn about these options. The
+`Chrome Web Store Overview </chrome/web-store/docs/>`_
+also has information on different approaches to charging for your application.