How to build a Hive app (introducing the Hive app API)

[hivewallet]

Hive is pleased to announce our v1 app API, now available to developers!

Hive apps are made with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. They're basically just websites with JavaScript code, running in an embedded browser inside the Hive window. You can use most features you'd expect from a standard modern web browser.

Full instructions for how to create a Hive application can be found on our wiki here:
https://github.com/hivewallet/hive-osx/wiki/How-to-build-a-Hive-app

API-specific documentation can be found here:
https://github.com/hivewallet/hive-osx/wiki/API



Frequently asked questions

Q: Once I've built my app, how do I get it included in Hive?
A: A formal submission process will be created over the next few weeks. For the moment, please notify us here and/or via email at w@hivewallet.com and we will review it and hopefully include the app with our test releases.

Q: Do I need to include all of my site or service's functionality in the app?
A: It isn't necessary. Remember, many Hive users will not have used Bitcoin before. Especially for the first version of your app, we suggest that you only include functionality that will give users a taste of your services.

Q: Can I just use an iframe to embed my webpage?
A: There are of course exceptions, but on the whole we would greatly prefer it if you did not.

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[hivewallet]

reserved

[Zaih]

Great! Best of luck! This will be an amazing contribution to Bitcoin

[evoorhees]

Great job mate!

[hivewallet]

Great! Best of luck! This will be an amazing contribution to Bitcoin

Thank you very much, we sure hope so!

Great job mate!

Thank you! And thanks for being such an inspiration!

[bitcoinstarter]

Looking forward to getting BitcoinStarter Bitcoin crowdfunding app on Hive   

Just amazing work guys!

[CurbsideProphet]

Looks great so far, keep up the good work!

[BitOrca]

Not only will Hive bridge that gap between the masses and Bitcoin, these integrations will help propel Bitcoin services.  +1 to you guys 

[Skinnkavaj]

You are awesome

[icedicedavid]

so the index.html has to be compiled into the hive.app? Can it be loaded from an url?

[gweedo]

so the index.html has to be compiled into the hive.app? Can it be loaded from an url?

yes they have to be compiled and made into a .hiveapp and put in this folder https://github.com/grabhive/hive-osx/tree/master/Hive/Applications then compiled. That is the only way I see currently.


Also if you want someone that has a current git master branch of hive working to test your applications, I be willing to do that for $10 in BTC for each test per application. I even have the debug enabled.

[yellowdog]

I am working hard and hope i'll have an app for http://satoshirat.com soon.

Great job, i think this kind of wallet approach will stimulate btc economy more.

[jsuder]

so the index.html has to be compiled into the hive.app? Can it be loaded from an url?

Yes, the base HTML file must be available offline inside the app bundle. When it opens you can use JS to load additional scripts and resources, some of which might be loaded from a remote server (though it's recommended that as much as possible is kept inside the bundle for faster loading).

yes they have to be compiled and made into a .hiveapp and put in this folder https://github.com/grabhive/hive-osx/tree/master/Hive/Applications then compiled. That is the only way I see currently.

Actually, the .hiveapp bundles don't have to be added to that Applications folder - those four that are there now will be preinstalled for all users, but the idea is that you can add any apps to Hive that you've downloaded from anywhere - author's website, GitHub, email attachment, whatever. You just open the .hiveapp in Finder and Hive will ask you if you want to "install" the app.

Also if you want someone that has a current git master branch of hive working to test your applications, I be willing to do that for $10 in BTC for each test per application. I even have the debug enabled.

We're planning to release a new build with the new API soon (tomorrow/Wendesday), we just need to make sure the four bundled apps are all working correctly.

[jsuder]

I am working hard and hope i'll have an app for http://satoshirat.com soon.

Nice! Let us know when you finish it, or if you have any problems with the API.

[hivewallet]

Introducing the LocalBitcoins app for Hive.

Please note: as with Hive itself, this should be handled with great care and at the moment we do not recommend it for any kind of day-to-day use.

The latest releases will be made available here:
https://github.com/hivewallet/hiveapp-localbitcoins/releases

Issues can be tracked here:
https://github.com/hivewallet/hiveapp-localbitcoins/issues

[knowitnothing]

I'm missing some step zero on how to use your bitcoin global object.

I'm running Hive Version 0.9 (2013102201), and there is no such global object named "bitcoin" that is accessible through the app. Does this build include it or what else am I supposed to do ? The relevant javascript might be as simple as console.log(bitcoin), and Web Inspector will give me a reference error.

[jsuder]

I'm missing some step zero on how to use your bitcoin global object.

I'm running Hive Version 0.9 (2013102201), and there is no such global object named "bitcoin" that is accessible through the app. Does this build include it or what else am I supposed to do ? The relevant javascript might be as simple as console.log(bitcoin), and Web Inspector will give me a reference error.

Hmm, this doesn't make sense... This build definitely should include the window.bitcoin object in the JS context of an app. Open any of the built-in apps, e.g. supporthive, do a right-click and "Inspect" and check the console, you should see the bitcoin object there:

[knowitnothing]

I'm missing some step zero on how to use your bitcoin global object.

I'm running Hive Version 0.9 (2013102201), and there is no such global object named "bitcoin" that is accessible through the app. Does this build include it or what else am I supposed to do ? The relevant javascript might be as simple as console.log(bitcoin), and Web Inspector will give me a reference error.

Hmm, this doesn't make sense... This build definitely should include the window.bitcoin object in the JS context of an app. Open any of the built-in apps, e.g. supporthive, do a right-click and "Inspect" and check the console, you should see the bitcoin object there:

Ok, at least now I know for sure the object should be there so I rechecked the issue.

There seems to be some problem regarding overwriting a running application, which causes the bitcoin object to disappear. I can reproduce this every time by doing the following:

1) Create your app X and run it inside Hive;
2) While it is running, overwrite it (i.e. open myappx.hiveapp and confirm the overwrite);
3) Right click and click on Reload;
4) Right click and click on Inspect;
5) The bitcoin object is gone

How to fix the missing bitcoin object: restart the app.

[icedicedavid]

does hive save cookies?

Would it work if I just make a blank index.html redirect to ice-dice.com on load?

[jsuder]

does hive save cookies?

I actually had to check - looks like the cookies are saved, but only for the duration of one session with Hive, when you quite Hive and restart it, they're lost. There's also localStorage, but it's also lost when you quit Hive, and it also seems to be shared between the apps. We'll have to tweak the WebKit settings - I've added a ticket here: https://github.com/grabhive/hive-osx/issues/101

Would it work if I just make a blank index.html redirect to ice-dice.com on load?

There's nothing in Hive that would stop you from setting a meta redirect there, but we'd prefer you didn't, because it's not designed to work this way. It will be a worse user experience because things will load slower, and the layout might not be adapted that well to the Hive window. You'd also have to be careful when you use the window.bitcoin object on your website so that you don't break it in other browsers.