README
1 Blink Public API 2 ================ 3 4 This directory contains the public API for Blink. The API consists of a number 5 of C++ header files, scripts, and GYP build files. We consider all other files 6 in Blink to be implementation details, which are subject to change at any time 7 without notice. 8 9 The primary consumer of this API is Chromium's Content layer. If you are 10 interested in using Blink, please consider interfacing with Blink via the 11 Content layer rather than interfacing directly with this API. 12 13 Compatibility 14 ------------- 15 16 The API does not support binary compatibility. Instead, the API is intended to 17 insulate the rest of the Chromium project from internal changes to Blink. Over 18 time, the API is likely to evolve in source-incompatible ways as Chromium's and 19 Blink's needs change. 20 21 Organization 22 ------------ 23 24 The API is organized into two parts: 25 26 - public/platform 27 - public/web 28 29 The public/platform directory defines an abstract platform upon which Blink 30 runs. Rather than communicating directly with the underlying operating system, 31 Blink is designed to run in a sandbox and interacts with the operating system 32 via the platform API. The central interface in this part of the API is 33 Platform, which is a pure virtual interface from which Blink obtains many other 34 interfaces. 35 36 The public/web directory defines an interface to Blink's implementation of the 37 web platform, including the Document Object Model (DOM). The central interface 38 in this part of the API is WebView, which is a good starting point for 39 exploring the API. 40 41 Note that public/platform should not depend on public/web. 42 43 Basic Types 44 ----------- 45 46 The API does not use STL types, except for a small number of STL types that are 47 used internally by Blink (e.g., std::pair). Instead, we use WTF containers to 48 implement the API. 49 50 The API uses some internal types (e.g., WebCore::Node). Typically, these types 51 are forward declared and are opaque to consumers of the API. In other cases, 52 the full definitions are available behind the BLINK_IMPLEMENTATION 53 preprocessor macro. In both cases, we continue to regard these internal types 54 as implementation details of Blink, and consumers of the API should not rely 55 upon these types. 56 57 Similarly, the API uses STL types outside of the BLINK_IMPLEMENTATION 58 preprocessor macro, which is for the convenience of the consumer. 59 60 Contact Information 61 ------------------- 62 63 The public API also contains an OWNERS file, which lists a number of people who 64 are knowledgeable about the API. If you have questions or comments about the 65 API that might be of general interest to the Blink community at large, please 66 consider directing your inquiry to blink-dev (a] chromium.org rather than to the 67 OWNERS specifically. 68
