runtime.connectNative()

Connects the extension to a native application on the user's computer. This takes the name of a native application as a parameter. It starts the native application and returns a runtime.Port object to the caller. The caller can then use thePort to exchange messages with the native application usingPort.postMessage() andport.onMessage. The native application will run until it exits itself, or the caller callsPort.disconnect(), or the page that created thePort is destroyed. Once thePort is disconnected the browser will give the process a few seconds to exit gracefully, and then kill it if it has not exited.

For more information, seeNative messaging.

Syntax

let port = browser.runtime.connectNative(  application // string)

Parameters

application: string. The name of the native application to connect to. This must match the "name" property in thenative application's manifest file.

Return value

Aruntime.Port object. The port which the caller can use to exchange messages with the native application.

Examples

This example connects to the native application "ping_pong" and starts listening for messages from it. It also sends the native application a message when the user clicks a browser action icon:

/*On startup, connect to the "ping_pong" app.*/let port = browser.runtime.connectNative("ping_pong");/*Listen for messages from the app.*/port.onMessage.addListener((response) => {  console.log(`Received: ${response}`);});/*On a click on the browser action, send the app a message.*/browser.browserAction.onClicked.addListener(() => {  console.log("Sending:  ping");  port.postMessage("ping");});