Introduction to WebKit Plug-in Programming Topics

Web browser plug-ins are compiled bundles that help extend the content types supported by common web browsers. Installed locally on a computer, they can run code native to the user’s operating system and provide a powerful way to expand on standard web content.

Who Should Read This Document?

This document is designed for a number of different audiences:

• If you are a Cocoa and WebKit developer, you should read about the plug-in architecture used by WebKit and learn how compiled plug-ins operate within WebKit-based applications, including Safari.

• If you are a developer who is concerned with cross-platform compatibility for your software, but who also wants to deploy special content via a web browser, you should read about the Netscape-based plug-in architecture and learn how it is supported in a variety of browsers.

• If you are a web content developer, you should read about both plug-in architectures and learn how to integrate their features into custom plug-ins to support your content.

Organization of This Document

The topic contains the following articles:

• About Web Browser Plug-ins describes the benefits of web browser plug-ins and how they are integrated into common browsers. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both plug-in models, and how to deploy plug-ins on computers and web sites.

• Creating Plug-ins with the Netscape API describes how to use the Netscape plug-in architecture to develop and deploy web browser plug-ins across multiple browsers and platforms.

• Creating Legacy Plug-ins with Cocoa and WebKit describes the legacy WebKit-based plug-in architecture.