Firebug Roadmap

From FirebugWiki

Revision as of 10:51, 24 September 2012

• This page is intended to summarize plans and directions for Firebug.next
• Provide any feedback on Firebug newsgroup

Strategy

This section describes goals and strategy that keeps Firebug a competitive in-browser tool and leader in space of in-browser developer tools.

• Improve memory footprint & performance
• Reuse built-in dev-tools API and components
• Innovate features that only Firebug can deliver
• Extension compatibility
• Faster release cycle

Version Numbering

The next planned version number is: 1.11

Development happens on Firebug 1.11 branch (currently alpha).

If a significant new feature (or set of features) is introduced in new release the version numbering can move into 2.* scheme. An example of such feature can be support for remote debugging.

Schedule

The goal is to introduce new Firebug release till the end of 2012

• The entire release cycle (from the first alpha to the final release) should target 4-5 months
• The beta phase should be at least 4 weeks
• The new release should introduce 8-10 new features (or significant bug fixes)

Suggested Features

Use this section to suggest any feature you'd like to see in Firebug.next.

• JSD2 Adoption
• Remote Debugging
• Integrating FireClosure

Planned Features / Changes

This section summarizes all features that are planned for Firebug.next. Every feature in this section must have an owner.

Regular Tasks

• Firebug 1.10 blockers (not fixed)
• Firebug 1.11 blockers

Feature Overview

• Feature planning should keep in mind the suggested release schedule above

Feature Description

This section provides detailed description of all planned features.

Adopt JSD2

Firebug script debugger and all related features like BON (break on ...) should be based on new JSD2 API. Using JSD2 API will also enable remote debugging.

Part of this task is also internal Firebug architecture refactoring so it's ready for remote debugging features. Note that adopting JSD2 doesn't automatically mean that Firebug is remote-debugging-ready. This is covered by issue 5837

Note that this task doesn't have to make it into Firebug.next, but it could be possible (if useful) to at least merge code changes.

Resources:

• Firebug 1.7 BTI
• Script Panel Refactoring
• Remoting Prototype
• Remoting Architecture

Source Repository: Development happens on JSD2 branch

SPDY Support

Tasks:

• Display use of SPDY protocol for requests inside Net Panel

Group Console Messages

Console messages optionally need to be grouped to avoid spamming the Console Panel.

Tasks:

• Group error messages
• Group messages produced by the console object

Support for PerformanceTiming

Performance timing data accessible through window.performance.timing should be displayed.

Tasks:

• Decide where and how to display the data (probably inside Console Panel)
• Create the graphical display

Integrate SelectBug

Tasks:

• Integrate SelectBug
• Fix any occurring errors

Improve $x()

The Command Line API $x() should cover all functionality of document.evaluate().

Tasks:

• Let $x() return arrays, strings, integers and booleans
• Add a parameter to specify the root element
• Add a parameter to specify the return type

Auto-completion for Command Editor

Add the Command Line auto-completion to the (multi-line) Command Editor inside the Console Panel.

Tasks:

• Allow auto-completion within an expression
• Add auto-completion to the Command Editor
• Enhance positioning of the Completion List Popup

Event types filter

The user should have the possibility to choose certain event types to be logged to the Console Panel.

Tasks:

• Create menu items for the different event groups
• Refactor setting the event types to work together with the ones set via monitorEvents().

Syntax highlighting for JavaScript

The Script Panel should have syntax highlighting enabled for the displayed JavaScript code.

Tasks:

• Replace SourceBox code by Orion
• Re-add context menu options
• Adjust CSS to match the Firebug UI

Resources

• Firebug 1.10 Roadmap