Peripheral APIs Workstream Proposal

[tantek]

This is a Workstream Proposal following https://whatwg.org/workstream-policy#workstream-proposals for a new Workstream for standards for Peripheral APIs.

Answers to Workstream Proposal numbered points in workstream-policy:

1. Proposed Workstream name:

• Provided in PR

2. Statement of purpose, including problem to be solved, proposed solution, status of the proposed solution, and how it is consistent with the WHATWG Principles and appropriate for a Workstream.

• A variety of de facto approaches to connecting peripheral devices to web applications have recently been implemented or are in the process of being implemented. This proposal would provide a central workstream for these standards, which share common considerations, and would support enhanced user experience by providing reference standards for web connections to peripherals which major browser makers would implement.

3. Specific Scope of work (included and excluded).

• Web APIs for implementing local peripheral connectivity standards in web browsers, including but not limited to Serial, USB, HID, Bluetooth, and NFC.

4. Proposed deliverables.

• A standard per API defining that API’s interfaces and usage.

5. Draft of the proposed Living Standard plus (optionally) a list of other proposed deliverables.

• Draft(s) below.

6. A list of similar or related work being undertaken or proposed elsewhere and its relationship to the proposed Workstream.

• Incubated specifications for the work being undertaken are available at:
  • https://wicg.github.io/serial/
  • https://wicg.github.io/webusb/
  • https://wicg.github.io/webhid/
  • https://webbluetoothcg.github.io/web-bluetooth/
  • https://w3c-cg.github.io/web-nfc/

7. Anticipated Workstream Participants.

• The editor will be the participant

8. Description or list of those likely to implement or otherwise have an interest in the work.

• Chromium and Gecko are interested, should be sufficient

9. Expectations regarding long-term maintenance of the Living Standard.

• Editor volunteering should be effectively fulfilled.

[reillyeon]

Thanks for putting this together. Just a few nitpicks on naming and scope to make this clearer.

[reillyeon]

This has been referred to as "Web Bluetooth" (with a space) so far.

[tantek]

Figuring better for web-searchability/discovery as a singleword term and this is a good opportunity to tweak that, especially in alignment with others like WebNN, WebMCP. No strong feeling about this.

[reillyeon]

Acknowledged. I don't have a strong opinion one way or another. I'm happy to use the migration to WHATWG to choose a consistent naming convention.

[reillyeon]

Same here, the existing "Web NFC" draft uses a space.

[tantek]

Same, figuring better for web-searchability/discovery as a singleword term and this is a good opportunity to tweak that, especially in alignment with others like WebNN, WebMCP. No strong feeling about this.

[reillyeon]

A space in "Web Serial" as well.

[tantek]

Same as others, figuring better for web-searchability/discovery as a singleword term and this is a good opportunity to tweak that, especially in alignment with others like WebNN, WebMCP. No strong feeling about this.

[reillyeon]

There isn't quite a unified "serial port standard" but you could say, "RS-232, RS-485, Bluetooth RFCOMM and related standard interfaces."

[tantek]

Ok with "RS-232, RS-485, and related standard interfaces". Can you write an edit accordingly?

Would prefer scoping "Bluetooth RFCOMM" with WebBluetooth if that makes sense.

[reillyeon]

RFCOMM is out-of-scope for WebBluetooth because that specification is focused on the modern Bluetooth Generic Attribute Profile provided by Bluetooth Low Energy, while RFCOMM is part of the older Bluetooth Classic protocol and was specifically designed for emulating RS-232 connections over an radio interface.

Standard protocols for emulating serial over more modern transports like Bluetooth RFCOMM and USB CDC-ACM should be included in WebSerial rather than WebBluetooth or WebUSB.

What do you think of, "[...]access to peripherals via standard serial interconnects such as RS-232 or RS-422 or emulations there of over transports such as USB or Bluetooth."

[tantek]

access to peripherals via standard serial interconnects such as RS-232 or RS-422 or emulations there of over transports such as USB or Bluetooth

LGTM except s/there of/thereof/ :)

Can you make a suggested edit and I'll merge into the PR?

[reillyeon]

This proposal looks good to me however I don't have the necessary repo permissions to approve it formally through the GitHub UI.