This module provides information about your extension and the environment it's running in.
It also provides messaging APIs enabling you to:
runtime.Port
Represents one end of a connection between two specific contexts, which can be used to exchange messages.
runtime.MessageSender
Contains information about the sender of a message or connection request.
runtime.PlatformOs
Identifies the browser's operating system.
runtime.PlatformArch
Identifies the browser's processor architecture.
runtime.PlatformInfo
Contains information about the platform the browser is running on.
runtime.RequestUpdateCheckStatus
Result of a call to runtime.requestUpdateCheck().
runtime.OnInstalledReason
The reason that the runtime.onInstalled event is being dispatched.
runtime.OnRestartRequiredReason
The reason that the runtime.onRestartRequired event is being dispatched.
runtime.lastError
This value is set when an asynchronous function has an error condition that it needs to report to its caller.
runtime.id
The ID of the extension.
runtime.getBackgroundPage()
Retrieves the Window object for the background page running inside the current extension.
runtime.openOptionsPage()
Opens your extension's options page.
runtime.getFrameId()
Gets the frame ID of any window global or frame element.
runtime.getManifest()
Gets the complete manifest.json file, serialized as an object.
runtime.getURL()
Given a relative path from the manifest.json to a resource packaged with the extension, returns a fully-qualified URL.
runtime.setUninstallURL()
Sets a URL to be visited when the extension is uninstalled.
runtime.reload()
Reloads the extension.
runtime.requestUpdateCheck()
Checks for updates to this extension.
runtime.connect()
Establishes a connection from a content script to the main extension process, or from one extension to a different extension.
runtime.connectNative()
Connects the extension to a native application on the user's computer.
runtime.sendMessage()
Sends a single message to event listeners within your extension or a different extension. Similar to runtime.connect but only sends a single message, with an optional response.
runtime.sendNativeMessage()
Sends a single message from an extension to a native application.
runtime.getPlatformInfo()
Returns information about the current platform.
runtime.getBrowserInfo()
Returns information about the browser in which this extension is installed.
runtime.getPackageDirectoryEntry()
Returns a DirectoryEntry for the package directory.
runtime.onStartup
Fired when a profile that has this extension installed first starts up. This event is not fired when an incognito profile is started.
runtime.onInstalled
Fired when the extension is first installed, when the extension is updated to a new version, and when the browser is updated to a new version.
runtime.onSuspend
Sent to the event page just before the extension is unloaded. This gives the extension an opportunity to do some cleanup.
runtime.onSuspendCanceled
Sent after runtime.onSuspend to indicate that the extension won't be unloaded after all.
runtime.onUpdateAvailable
Fired when an update is available, but isn't installed immediately because the extension is currently running.
runtime.onBrowserUpdateAvailable
Deprecated
Fired when an update for the browser is available, but isn't installed immediately because a browser restart is required.
runtime.onConnect
Fired when a connection is made with either an extension process or a content script.
runtime.onConnectExternal
Fired when a connection is made with another extension.
runtime.onMessage
Fired when a message is sent from either an extension process or a content script.
runtime.onMessageExternal
Fired when a message is sent from another extension. Cannot be used in a content script.
runtime.onRestartRequired
Fired when the device needs to be restarted.
| Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari | WebView Android | Chrome Android | Firefox for Android | Opera Android | Safari on IOS | Samsung Internet | |
MessageSender |
26
|
14
|
45
Before version 54, 'id' was the add-on's internal UUID, not the add-on ID.
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
Before version 54, 'id' was the add-on's internal UUID, not the add-on ID.
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
OnInstalledReason |
Yes
Uses 'chrome_update' instead of 'browser_update'.
|
14
Only supports 'install' and 'update'.
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
Uses 'chrome_update' instead of 'browser_update'.
|
14
Only supports 'install' and 'update'.
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
Only supports 'install' and 'update'.
|
?
|
OnRestartRequiredReason |
Yes
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
PlatformArch |
Yes
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
PlatformInfo |
Yes
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
PlatformNaclArch |
Yes
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
PlatformOs |
Yes
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
Yes
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
Port |
26
|
15
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
RequestUpdateCheckStatus |
Yes
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
Yes
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
connect |
26
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
connectNative |
29
|
15
|
50
|
?
|
16
|
14
See the documentation on developer.apple.com about native messaging in Safari.
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
15
See the documentation on developer.apple.com about native messaging in Safari.
|
?
|
getBackgroundPage |
22
|
14
|
45
If this is called from a page that is part of a private browsing window, such as a sidebar in a private window or a popup opened from a private window, then it will always return
null.
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
If this is called from a page that is part of a private browsing window, such as a sidebar in a private window or a popup opened from a private window, then it will always return
null.
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
getBrowserInfo |
No
|
No
|
51
|
?
|
No
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
51
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
getFrameId |
No
|
No
|
96
|
?
|
No
|
No
Available in Safari Technology Preview 142.
|
?
|
?
|
96
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
getManifest |
22
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
getPackageDirectoryEntry |
29
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
16
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
getPlatformInfo |
29
|
79
|
45
|
?
|
16
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
getURL |
22
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
id |
22
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
lastError |
Yes
lastError is not an Error object. Instead, it is a plain Object with the error text as the string value of the 'message' property.
|
14
|
47
|
?
|
Yes
lastError is not an Error object. Instead, it is a plain Object with the error text as the string value of the 'message' property.
|
14
lastError is only set if a callback is used.
Promise results that fail will be rejected with an
Error object.
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
lastError is only set if a callback is used.
Promise results that fail will be rejected with an
Error object.
|
?
|
onBrowserUpdateAvailable |
27
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
onConnect |
26
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
onConnectExternal |
26
|
79
|
54
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
54
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
onInstalled |
22
|
14
|
52
Before version 55, this event is not triggered for temporarily installed add-ons.
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
52
Before version 55, this event is not triggered for temporarily installed add-ons.
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
onMessage |
26
|
14
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
onMessageExternal |
26
|
79
|
54
|
?
|
15
|
14
Only fired in response to a message from an extension's containing app.
|
?
|
?
|
54
|
?
|
15
Only fired in response to a message from an extension's containing app.
|
?
|
onRestartRequired |
29
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
16
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
onStartup |
23
|
79
|
52
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
52
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
onSuspend |
22
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
onSuspendCanceled |
22
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
onUpdateAvailable |
25
|
79
|
51
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
51
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
openOptionsPage |
42
|
79
|
48
|
?
|
29
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
57
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
reload |
25
|
15
|
51
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
51
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
requestUpdateCheck |
25
|
79
|
No
|
?
|
15
|
No
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
sendMessage |
26
|
14
runtime.onMessage listeners in extension views receive the messages they sent.
|
45
|
?
|
15
|
14
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
|
?
|
sendNativeMessage |
29
|
15
|
50
|
?
|
16
|
14
See the documentation on developer.apple.com about native messaging in Safari.
|
?
|
?
|
No
|
?
|
15
See the documentation on developer.apple.com about native messaging in Safari.
|
?
|
setUninstallURL |
41
|
15
|
47
|
?
|
28
|
14
API exists, but has no effect.
|
?
|
?
|
48
|
?
|
15
API exists, but has no effect.
|
?
|
Note: This API is based on Chromium's chrome.runtime API. This documentation is derived from runtime.json in the Chromium code.
Microsoft Edge compatibility data is supplied by Microsoft Corporation and is included here under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2005–2022 MDN contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime
| Name | Web Extensions |
| Version | |
| Badge |
|
| Last Updated | 2022-04-28T06:26:19Z |