[tbb-dev] proposal for #28044 (Integrate Tor Launcher into tor-browser)

Mark Smith mcs at pearlcrescent.com
Tue Jan 29 18:43:13 UTC 2019


A draft proposal for #28044 (Integrate Tor Launcher into tor-browser) is
attached. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated!

-- 
Mark Smith
Pearl Crescent
http://pearlcrescent.com/
-------------- next part --------------
Filename: NNN-integrate-tor-launcher-into-tor-browser.txt
Title: Integration of Tor Launcher into Tor Browser Core
Author: Mark Smith and Kathleen Brade
Created: 22-Jan-2019
Updated: 29-Jan-2019
Status: Draft
Ticket: #28044

1. Overview

This proposal describes how we will integrate Tor Launcher into the
browser core code while still allowing it to be built as a separate
XUL/XPCOM extension for use in conjunction with TorBirdy and other
projects.

2. Motivation

Tor Launcher was created in 2013 as a XUL/XPCOM extension to replace use
of Vidalia within what was then referred to as the Tor Browser Bundle.
Starting with Firefox 68esr, XUL/XPCOM extensions are no longer supported
within the ESR series or any other Firefox codebase that is actively
maintained by Mozilla.

2.1 Why Not Rewrite Tor Launcher as a WebExtension?

The WebExtensions API is Mozilla's replacement for the legacy XUL/XPCOM
extension framework. Mozilla's implementation is based on that of
Chrome with some of their own changes. Unfortunately, WebExtensions
is by design a much more limited and restrictive API than the legacy
extension framework.

Given the large gap between the capabilities that Tor Launcher needs
and what is provided by the WebExtensions API, it makes more sense to
integrate Tor Launcher into the browser core so that it can continue
to use privileged APIs that WebExtensions will probably never acquire.
See https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/17248 for more
background.

2.2 Requirements
 R1. Integrate Tor Launcher into the core browser so that it does
     not appear as a separate extension.
 R2. Provide a way to omit Tor Launcher at build time. This is needed
     for projects such as Tor Browser Android that have their own
     Tor launcher and controller implementation.
 R3. Allow users and projects such as Tails to disable Tor Launcher
     at runtime via environment variables and hidden preferences as is
     possible today.
 R4. Minimize changes to the Tor Launcher code, architecture, and UI.
     We do not have a lot of time before we need to move Tor Browser to
     a Firefox 68esr codebase; minimizing unnecessary changes will help
     that process go faster and will minimize regressions.
 R5. Continue to maintain a separate git repository for Tor Launcher. This
     will allow development of Tor Launcher to proceed outside of core
     browser development and will also facilitate continued use of Tor
     Launcher as a XUL/XPCOM extension by those projects that have that
     requirement, e.g., TorBirdy.

3. Design

Building upon the work done by Matt (sysrqb) in
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/25260, we will include
Tor Launcher in the browser core. We will also maintain the capability
to package the Tor Launcher code as a XUL/XPCOM extension for use by
projects such as TorBirdy.

3.1 Source Code Integration

Prior to building the browser, the Tor Launcher code will be placed
under browser/extensions/tor-launcher/. To avoid the problems
associated with git submodules, this will be done using a nested git
repository. Specifically, we want to facilitate nightly and developer
builds that require that the Tor Launcher code be referred to by a
branch or symbolic name rather than a git hash. We will need to make
TO-BE-DETERMINED changes to the firefox project within tor-browser-build
to put the Tor Launcher code in the correct place within the tor-browser
source tree, and to keep it up to date. The tor-launcher RBM project
will be removed from tor-browser-build.

To allow Tor Launcher to be omitted from the browser at build time,
we will add a --disable-tor-launcher configure option.

3.2 The Location of Tor Launcher Files In The Final Browser Package

All of the Tor Launcher files will be packaged inside browser/omni.ja
in the final browser package. Within browser/omni.ja, files will be at
the following locations:
  defaults/preferences/torlauncher-prefs.js
  chrome/torlauncher/components/
  chrome/torlauncher/content/
  chrome/torlauncher/locale/
  chrome/torlauncher/modules/
  chrome/torlauncher/skin/

This approach will keep most of the Tor Launcher files together, which
will make things easier for developers who want to test changes to Tor
Launcher without rebuilding the entire browser.

3.2 Firefox Build System Integration

We will add moz.build and jar.mn files to the top level of the
tor-launcher code to allow the Tor Launcher files to be included in
the standard Firefox build process. Matt made a great start on this;
see https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/25260#comment:2

We will modify the following files (subject to the proposed
--disable-tor-launcher build option) to incorporate Tor Launcher into
the Firefox build process:
  browser/extensions/moz.build
  browser/installer/package-manifest.in

3.3 Elimination of pkg-prepare

The current Tor Launcher packaging process uses a staged approach (see
the pkg-prepare target in the Tor Launcher Makefile). This process makes a
shadow copy of the source tree in a /tmp directory; it moves and modifies
files; and then zips up the files to create an .xpi file. We would like
to avoid this extra step, and propose that we make some source and build
changes to eliminate the need for it.

3.3.1 en vs. en-US Locale

Currently, the pkg-prepare step moves src/chrome/locale/en to
src/chrome/locale/en-US. Instead, we will address this need by moving
the directory in the tor-launcher git repository, i.e., we will use git
mv to move it.

3.3.2 Omit Incomplete Locales

Currently, the pkg-prepare step checks each locale to see if any string
files are missing. Currently, this only affects one locale: ca-ES. We
propose that this step be eliminated by removing the incomplete locale
from the Tor Launcher repository and modifying the translation import
process to omit such locales.

3.3.3 Add Locales To The chrome.manifest File

Currently, the pkg-prepare step adds each locale to the chrome.manifest
file. The new jar.mm file must also include a list of locales. We propose
that these file updates be done during the translation import process.

3.3.4 Tor Launcher Logo Override

See section 4.1 below.


3.4 Code Changes

To avoid confusion and potential conflicts with other browser
preference files, src/defaults/preferences/prefs.js will be renamed to
src/defaults/preferences/torlauncher-prefs.js.

For Tor Browser 8 (based on Firefox 60esr), we had to add code to load
default preferences at startup. This code can be disabled when Tor
Launcher is running as part of the browser but we should continue to use
it when running as an XPCOM extension. See the loadDefaultPreferences()
function in src/modules/tl-util.jsm.

Although somewhat unrelated to this proposal, we will also need to
eliminate all use of XUL overlays for 68esr (Mozilla has removed
support for them). Currently, Tor Launcher uses one overlay,
src/chrome/content/network-settings-overlay.xul, which allows the
configuration UI elements to be shared between the setup wizard and
the Tor Network Settings dialog. There is a ticket for this work:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/29197

4.0 Open Issues

4.1 TL_LOGO and pkg-prepare

Tails uses Tor Launcher for their Tor network configuration UI. To avoid
confusion, they include the Tails logo in their copy of Tor Launcher,
replacing the Tor Browser logo. This replacement is handled by the
pkg-prepare Makefile target. We will need to find a different way to
handle the logo override.

4.2 Localization

The localization strategy for other extensions that have been integrated
into the core browser follows the one used by Firefox itself: a single
locale is included in each browser package while additional languages
are available via installation of a language pack. We have not yet
determined whether the traditional Tor Launcher strategy of including
.dtd and .properties files for all locales will work correctly or if we
will need to move to custom/repackaged language packs for Tor Browser.

4.3 UI For Access To The Tor Network Settings

Currently, the Torbutton toolbar menu contains a "Tor Network Settings"
menu item which causes Tor Launcher to open its Network Settings
dialog. As plans for incorporating the Torbutton functionality into
the core browser proceed, we may need to provide a new method for users
to access the network settings. Tentatively, we plan to eliminate the
Torbutton toolbar item and its associated menu, which means new UI will
need to be added to provide access to Tor Launcher's Network Settings
dialog.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 488 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
URL: <http://lists.torproject.org/pipermail/tbb-dev/attachments/20190129/0585b53a/attachment.sig>


More information about the tbb-dev mailing list