webkit/api/README

This directory contains the Chromium WebKit API.  It will eventually be
upstreamed to WebKit/WebKit/chromium in svn.webkit.org.


OVERVIEW

  The Chromium WebKit API provides a stable interface to WebCore without
  revealing any of the WebCore or WTF types to the consumer.

  The 'public' directory contains the API headers, and the 'src' directory
  contains the API implementation.  The API is intended to be used either as a
  shared or static library.


COMPATIBILITY

  No attempt is made to support runtime compatibility in a shared library
  build.  Instead, the API is intended to support backwards compatibility at
  build time.  C++ symbols are allowed in other words.


CODING STYLE

  The code in this directory should adhere to the WebKit Coding Style
  Guidelines:  http://webkit.org/coding/coding-style.html


DEFINES

  WEBKIT_IMPLEMENTATION is defined when building the 'src' directory.
  Consumers should not define this macro.

  WEBKIT_DLL is defined when building as a shared library.  This should be
  defined when building the 'src' directory, and it should also be defined by
  the consumer to ensure proper linkage to the shared library.


BASIC TYPES

  Use of STL is prohibited except in cases where it would be allowed in
  WebCore.  This includes non-allocating uses: algorithms, numeric limits, etc.
  WTF container classes should be used in the implementation of this API.

  The API includes some usage of WebCore types when WEBKIT_IMPLEMENTATION is
  defined.  This is only done for the convenience to the implementation, and
  should not be considered part of the Chromium WebKit API.  Similarly, STL
  types are assumed when WEBKIT_IMPLEMENTATION is not defined, which is done
  for the convenience of the consumer.