Basically packaged apps do not appear on the Chrome App Store, but legacy packaged apps do. The documentation states that
Warning: All content in this doc refers to the legacy version of packaged apps. Your legacy packaged apps will still work, but you won't have access to any of the new APIs. Check out the new version of packaged apps; otherwise, you're missing out!
The question is, what will you be missing out when using a legacy packaged app instead of a packaged app ? (apart from not appearing in the Chrome App Store)
Better window geometry control (open outside of the browser), security, access to more powerful APIs, etc.
See http://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps.html
Related
I do not really find a google extensions API that launches a desktop application, but I see WebEx did it. https://meetings.webex.com/collabs/#/home Here when you host a meeting, it requires you to install the WebEx Chrome Extension. The extension then launches the desktop application. What is the magic behind it?
Is it the technology they use? https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/nativeMessaging
I see an API called "runtime.connectNative". Does it start a desktop application?
HINT: NPAPI already expired for Chrome. So NPAPI is not what WebEx used
I have (had) a hosted app in the Chrome Web Store, built using the following Developer documentation:
https://developers.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide
After being in the Chrome Web Store for years, I recently received an email saying my app does not comply:
Your item did not comply with the following section of our policy:
Do not post an app where the primary functionality is to install or
launch another app, theme, or extension. For example, if your app’s
primary function is to launch a desktop app that the user has already
installed, that is not allowed. Another example is a packaged app that
just launches a website.
My question is: Did the rules change? A Hosted App IS an app that launches a website. Does anyone know what to change in a Hosted App to make it compliant again?
A Hosted App, a Chrome App (successor to Packaged App), and a Chrome Extension are three separate things, distinguished by how their manifest.json file is set up. What this email appears to be saying is that you're not allowed to have a Chrome App (which they call a packaged app) whose only purpose is to launch another app or a web site. They are saying nothing about Hosted Apps, which continue to be allowed, as far as I know. (I have one in the Chrome Web Store myself.)
Is your app truly a Hosted App? Or, is it a (legacy) packaged app or a Chrome App?
Currently I am exploring the possibilities and features of Google Chrome apps. As I see to run chrome apps we need to distribute them through chrome App Store. Could we develop a application as a chrome app, which will not need to release to general public or for a limited audience?
Is there anyway that we could package it to native OS executable like .exe in windows or .app in MacOS. So for users who doesn't have chrome installed will also can without any issue. Or at least could we distribute without submitting it to the App Store.
Also I am wondering whether we can run another application through chrome apps? For example I am planing to develop a java application and start with the chrome app.
You can distribute a Chrome App without using the Chrome Web Store, but you'll have to explain to users how to install it, and it's a little tricky: They have to open the Extensions window in Chrome and then drag the installation file to that window. Upon dropping it, there will be a dialog asking them if they want it installed. (They can't just double-click on a file or do anything else that's easy like that.)
Chrome Apps can't directly launch native apps, but they can communicate in various ways with native apps (or any apps) once those other apps are running.
(Some parts of your question are ungrammatical, so I can't be completely sure what you're asking, but the above is what I think you're asking.)
Chrome Extensions are only installable from the Web Store, but Applications can be privately hosted with some provisos: https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/hosting
Google is changing Chrome's policy to no longer allow installation of extensions in any way other than through the Chrome Web Store. However, their wording is a little unclear. They state:
We’ll continue to support local extension installs during development as well as installs via Enterprise policy, and Chrome Apps will also continue to be supported normally.
But it's unclear whether they mean ChromeOS apps, or packaged apps as defined by an "app" section in the manifest.json. Do they mean packaged apps can still be installed outside the Chrome store?
http://blog.chromium.org/2013/11/protecting-windows-users-from-malicious.html
"ChromeOS apps" and "packaged apps as defined by an "app" section in the manifest.json" are one and the same thing. And yes, packaged apps can be installed outside the Chrome Store in their unpackaged form (click the "Development mode" checkbox in chrome://extensions page). Otherwise app development would be seriously hindered.
I am confused about Chrome hosted app vs packaged app.
Hosted app
- is where we hosted our web in server side
- Required internet
Packaged app
- hosted the website in client site
- Just like a native app
- No internet require.
I am interesting in Packaged app but can I make the packaged app just like drive.google.com or gmail?
When they are offline then using packaged app and when they are online and start syn the pending offline files to server. Or packaged app is just everything in offline?
This might help you out.
https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/choosing
Anyway you will have to host Packaged App if you want it cross platform i.e. web, mobile etc.
If you want any functionality offline and online you want to go with the Packaged App. One way you can think about it is Packaged App download all the files required to run to the local machine. With Hosted Apps, all those files live on a web sever somewhere.
Packaged Apps are just like like regular web apps, but they have extra capabilities that allow them to run offline.
Also, Packaged Apps are not required to support offline.