runtime
This module provides information about your extension and the environment it's running in.
It also provides messaging APIs enabling you to:
- Communicate between different parts of your extension. For advice on choosing between the messaging options, see Choosing between one-off messages and connection-based messaging.
- Communicate with other extensions.
- Communicate with native applications.
Types
runtime.Port
- Represents one end of a connection between two specific contexts, which can be used to exchange messages.
runtime.MessageSender
-
Contains information about the sender of a message or connection request.
runtime.PlatformOs
- Identifies the browser's operating system.
runtime.PlatformArch
- Identifies the browser's processor architecture.
runtime.PlatformInfo
- Contains information about the platform the browser is running on.
runtime.RequestUpdateCheckStatus
- Result of a call to
runtime.requestUpdateCheck()
. runtime.OnInstalledReason
- The reason that the
runtime.onInstalled
event is being dispatched. runtime.OnRestartRequiredReason
- The reason that the
runtime.onRestartRequired
event is being dispatched.
Properties
runtime.lastError
- This value is set when an asynchronous function has an error condition that it needs to report to its caller.
runtime.id
- The ID of the extension.
Functions
runtime.getBackgroundPage()
- Retrieves the Window object for the background page running inside the current extension.
runtime.openOptionsPage()
-
Opens your extension's options page.
runtime.getManifest()
- Gets the complete manifest.json file, serialized as an object.
runtime.getURL()
- Given a relative path from the manifest.json to a resource packaged with the extension, returns a fully-qualified URL.
runtime.setUninstallURL()
- Sets a URL to be visited when the extension is uninstalled.
runtime.reload()
- Reloads the extension.
runtime.requestUpdateCheck()
- Checks for updates to this extension.
runtime.connect()
- Establishes a connection from a content script to the main extension process, or from one extension to a different extension.
runtime.connectNative()
-
Connects the extension to a native application on the user's computer.
runtime.sendMessage()
- Sends a single message to event listeners within your extension or a different extension. Similar to
runtime.connect
but only sends a single message, with an optional response. runtime.sendNativeMessage()
- Sends a single message from an extension to a native application.
runtime.getPlatformInfo()
- Returns information about the current platform.
runtime.getBrowserInfo()
- Returns information about the browser in which this extension is installed.
runtime.getPackageDirectoryEntry()
- Returns a DirectoryEntry for the package directory.
Events
runtime.onStartup
- Fired when a profile that has this extension installed first starts up. This event is not fired when an incognito profile is started.
runtime.onInstalled
- Fired when the extension is first installed, when the extension is updated to a new version, and when the browser is updated to a new version.
runtime.onSuspend
- Sent to the event page just before the extension is unloaded. This gives the extension an opportunity to do some cleanup.
runtime.onSuspendCanceled
- Sent after
runtime.onSuspend
to indicate that the extension won't be unloaded after all. runtime.onUpdateAvailable
- Fired when an update is available, but isn't installed immediately because the extension is currently running.
runtime.onBrowserUpdateAvailable
- Fired when an update for the browser is available, but isn't installed immediately because a browser restart is required.
runtime.onConnect
- Fired when a connection is made with either an extension process or a content script.
runtime.onConnectExternal
- Fired when a connection is made with another extension.
runtime.onMessage
- Fired when a message is sent from either an extension process or a content script.
runtime.onMessageExternal
- Fired when a message is sent from another extension. Cannot be used in a content script.
runtime.onRestartRequired
- Fired when the device needs to be restarted.
webextensions-desktop | webextensions-mobile | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MessageSender | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45
| OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48
|
MessageSender.frameId | ChromeFull support41 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support28 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
MessageSender.tlsChannelId | ChromeFull support32 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support19 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
MessageSender.url | ChromeFull support28 | EdgeFull support14
| FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
OnInstalledReason | ChromeFull supportYes
| EdgeFull support14
| FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes
| SafariFull support14
| Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
OnRestartRequiredReason | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
PlatformArch | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
PlatformInfo | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
PlatformInfo.nacl_arch | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull supportYes | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
PlatformNaclArch | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
PlatformOs | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull supportYes | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
Port | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support15 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
Port.error | ChromeNo supportNo | EdgeNo supportNo | FirefoxFull support52 | OperaNo supportNo | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support52 |
RequestUpdateCheckStatus | ChromeFull supportYes | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull supportYes | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
connect | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
connectNative | ChromeFull support29 | EdgeFull support15 | FirefoxFull support50 | OperaFull support16 | SafariFull support14
| Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
getBackgroundPage | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45
| OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48
|
getBrowserInfo | ChromeNo supportNo | EdgeNo supportNo | FirefoxFull support51 | OperaNo supportNo | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support51 |
getManifest | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
getPackageDirectoryEntry | ChromeFull support29 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support16 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
getPlatformInfo | ChromeFull support29 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support16 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
getURL | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
id | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
lastError | ChromeFull supportYes
| EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support47 | OperaFull supportYes
| SafariFull support14
| Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
onBrowserUpdateAvailable | ChromeFull support27 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
onConnect | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
onConnectExternal | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support54 | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support54 |
onInstalled | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support52
| OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support52
|
onMessage | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support14 | FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
Respond with Promise | ChromeNo supportNo | EdgeNo supportNo | FirefoxFull supportYes | OperaNo supportNo | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull supportYes |
onMessageExternal | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support54 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support54 |
Respond with Promise | ChromeNo supportNo | EdgeNo supportNo | FirefoxFull supportYes | OperaNo supportNo | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull supportYes |
onRestartRequired | ChromeFull support29 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support16 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
onStartup | ChromeFull support23 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support52 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support52 |
onSuspend | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
onSuspendCanceled | ChromeFull support22 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
onUpdateAvailable | ChromeFull support25 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support51 | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidFull support51 |
openOptionsPage | ChromeFull support42 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxFull support48 | OperaFull support29 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support57 |
reload | ChromeFull support25 | EdgeFull support15 | FirefoxFull support51 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support51 |
requestUpdateCheck | ChromeFull support25 | EdgeFull support79 | FirefoxNo supportNo | OperaFull support15 | SafariNo supportNo | Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
sendMessage | ChromeFull support26 | EdgeFull support14
| FirefoxFull support45 | OperaFull support15 | SafariFull support14 | Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
sendNativeMessage | ChromeFull support29 | EdgeFull support15 | FirefoxFull support50 | OperaFull support16 | SafariFull support14
| Firefox for AndroidNo supportNo |
setUninstallURL | ChromeFull support41 | EdgeFull support15 | FirefoxFull support47 | OperaFull support28 | SafariPartial support14
| Firefox for AndroidFull support48 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- Partial support
- Partial support
- No support
- No support
- Non-standard. Check cross-browser support before using.
- Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
- See implementation notes.
The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.
Acknowledgements
This API is based on Chromium's chrome.runtime
API. This documentation is derived from runtime.json
in the Chromium code.
Microsoft Edge compatibility data is supplied by Microsoft Corporation and is included here under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.