Firefox OS device APIs

There are a number of emerging Web platform standards and device APIs crucial to Firefox OS app development and to Open Web Apps. This article provides a list of pages covering those APIs, as well as the app manifest permissions for each one. For more information see App permissions.

Manifest permission	API name	Description	Minimum app type required	`access` property	Default granted	Platform/version supported
`alarms`	Alarm	Schedule a notification, or schedule an application to be started.	hosted	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`audio-capture`	getUserMedia, Web Speech API	Obtain `MediaStream` from audio input devices, e.g. microphone. This is needed to allow audio capture in Firefox OS 1.2+.	hosted for getUserMedia, privileged for Web Speech API	none	`Prompt` for all installed App types for getUserMedia, `Allow` for Web Speech API.	FxOS 1.2 and Desktop Firefox 20+ for getUserMedia, FxOS 2.5 and Desktop Firefox 44 for Web Speech API.
`audio-channel-alarm`	AudioChannels	Alarm clock, calendar alarms.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`audio-channel-content`	AudioChannels	Music, video.	hosted	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`audio-channel-normal`	AudioChannels	UI sounds, Web content, music, radio.	hosted	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`audio-channel-notification`	AudioChannels	New email, incoming SMS.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`browser`	Browser	Enables the app to implement a browser in an `iframe`.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`camera`	Camera	Take photos, shoot video, record audio, and control the camera. Note: `camera` was limited to certified apps initially because the app sandbox was preventing access to the camera hardware. Fixed from Firefox OS 2.0 onwards.	privileged in Firefox OS 2.0+ internal/certified up to Firefox OS 1.4	none	`Prompt` for all installed App types.	FxOS 1.0.1-1.4 certified FxOS 2.0+ privileged
`contacts`	Contacts	Add, read, or modify contacts from the address book on the device and read contacts from the SIM.	privileged	`readonly`, `readwrite`, `readcreate`, or `createonly`	`Prompt` for all installed App types.	FxOS 1.1 Firefox Android 18
`desktop-notification`	mozNotification for Gecko <22, Notification for Gecko 22+	Display a notification on the user's desktop. Note that this has changed, so for Gecko <22 (Firefox OS <1.2) you need to use `mozNotification`, while for Gecko 22+ (Firefox 1.2+) you need to use `Notification`.	hosted	none	`Prompt` for Web content. `Allow` for all installed App types.	FxOS 1.0.1, Android 4.0, Desktop 4.0 for prefixed version FxOS 1.2, Android 22, Desktop 22 for non-prefixed version
`device-storage:music`	Device Storage	Add, read, or modify music files stored on the device.	privileged	`readonly`, `readwrite`, `readcreate`, or `createonly`	`Prompt`	FxOS 1.0.1
`device-storage:pictures`	Device Storage	Add, read, or modify picture files stored on the device.	privileged	`readonly`, `readwrite`, `readcreate`, or `createonly`	`Prompt`	FxOS 1.0.1
`device-storage:sdcard`	Device Storage	Add, read, or modify files stored on the device's SD card.	privileged	`readonly`, `readwrite`, `readcreate`, or `createonly`	`Prompt`	FxOS 1.0.1
`device-storage:videos`	Device Storage	Add, read, or modify video files stored on the device.	privileged	`readonly`, `readwrite`, `readcreate`, or `createonly`	`Prompt`	FxOS 1.0.1
`fmradio`	FM Radio	Control the FM radio.	hosted	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`geolocation`	Geolocation	Obtain the current location of the user.	hosted	none	`Prompt` (even for certified Apps)	FxOS 1.0.1, Desktop Firefox 3.5, Android 4.0
`input`	Keyboard	Allows the app to act as a virtual keyboard by listening to focus change events in other apps. All IME apps need this permission for sending input keys and updating the value of a input field.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.2
`mobileid`	Mobile identity	Allows an app to obtain a verified phone number (MSISDN) after the user selects the number to be shared and gives explicit permission for the app to obtain it.	privileged/	none	`Prompt`	FxOS 2.0
`mobilenetwork`	Mobile Network	Obtain mobile network information (MCC, MNC, etc.).	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`moz-firefox-accounts`	Firefox Accounts	Allows the use of Firefox Accounts when using the navigator.mozId API.	privileged	none	`Prompt` for all installed App types.	FxOS 2.0
`nfc`	NFC API	NFC enables an app to transmit data to other devices via near field communication. This permission is required for reading and writing data.	Privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 2.2
`nfc-share`	NFC API	This permission is just required for sharing tags via NFC.	Privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 2.2
`nfc-read`, `nfc-write`	NFC API	These permissions were used to request reading and writing privileges in Firefox OS 2.0/2.1	Was certified/internal at this stage in development.	none	`Allow`	FxOS 2.0
`push`	Simple Push	Enable an app to wake up to receive notification.	hosted	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.1
`speech-recognition`	Web Speech API	Allows an app to use speech recognition.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 2.5 and Desktop Firefox 44.
`systemXHR`	SystemXHR	Allows anonymous (no cookies) cross-origin XHR without the target site having CORS enabled. Similar to the TCP Socket API but restricted to XHR, not just raw sockets, so it is slightly less risky. See XMLHttpRequest.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1
`tcp-socket`	TCP Socket	Create TCP sockets and communicate over them.	privileged	none	`Allow`	FxOS 1.0.1, Desktop (early versions)
`video-capture`	GetUserMedia	Obtain MediaStream from video input devices, e.g. camera. This is needed to allow video capture in Firefox OS 1.4+.	hosted	none	`Prompt` for all installed App types.	FxOS 1.4

Note: To declare an app as privileged, you need to put "type" : "privileged" into your app manifest. You don't need to include the type field in your manifest for web apps, as web is the default value.

Note: The summary table on our Web API team's main Wiki page also provides a useful overview of what's supported and where.

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