.. raw:: html .. _development: =========== Development =========== .. contents:: Table of Contents :depth: 2 :local: If you want to work with the non-minified Javascript and CSS files you'll soon notice that there are references to a missing *components* folder. Please follow the instructions below to create this folder and fetch Converse's 3rd-party dependencies. .. note:: Windows environment: We recommend installing the required tools using `Chocolatey `_ You will need Node.js (nodejs.install), Git (git.install) and optionally to build using Makefile, GNU Make (make) If you have trouble setting up a development environment on Windows, please read `this post `_ in the mailing list.: Install the development and front-end dependencies ================================================== We use development tools (`Grunt `_ and `Bower `_) which depend on Node.js and npm (the Node package manager). If you don't have Node.js installed, you can download and install the latest version `here `_. Also make sure you have ``Git`` installed. `Details `_. .. note:: Windows users should use Chocolatey as recommended above.: .. note:: Debian & Ubuntu users : apt-get install git npm nodejs-legacy Once you have *Node.js* and *git* installed, run the following command inside the Converse.js directory: :: make dev On Windows you need to specify Makefile.win to be used by running: :: make -f Makefile.win dev Or alternatively, if you don't have GNU Make: :: npm install bower update This will first install the Node.js development tools (like Grunt and Bower) and then use Bower to install all of Converse.js's front-end dependencies. The front-end dependencies are those javascript files on which Converse.js directly depends and which will be loaded in the browser. If you are curious to know what the different dependencies are: * Development dependencies: Take a look at whats under the *devDependencies* key in `package.json `_. * Front-end dependencies: See *dependencies* in `bower.json `_. .. note:: After running ```make dev```, you should now have a new directory *components*, which contains all the front-end dependencies of Converse.js. If this directory does NOT exist, something must have gone wrong. Double-check the output of ```make dev``` to see if there are any errors listed. For support, you can write to the mailing list: conversejs@librelist.com With AMD and require.js (recommended) ===================================== Converse.js uses `require.js `_ to asynchronously load dependencies. If you want to develop or customize converse.js, you'll want to load the non-minified javascript files. Add the following two lines to the ** section of your webpage: .. code-block:: html require.js will then let the main.js file be parsed (because of the *data-main* attribute on the *script* tag), which will in turn cause converse.js to be parsed. Without AMD and require.js ========================== Converse.js can also be used without require.js. If you for some reason prefer to use it this way, please refer to `non_amd.html `_ for an example of how and in what order all the Javascript files that converse.js depends on need to be loaded. Before submitting a pull request ================================ Please follow the usual github workflow. Create your own local fork of this repository, make your changes and then submit a pull request. Before submitting a pull request -------------------------------- Please read the `style guide `_ and make sure that your code follows it. Add tests for your bugfix or feature ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Add a test for any bug fixed or feature added. We use Jasmine for testing. Take a look at `tests.html `_ and the `spec files `_ to see how tests are implemented. Check that the tests pass ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check that all tests complete sucessfully. Run ``make check`` in your terminal or open `tests.html `_ in your browser. Developer API ============= .. note:: The API documented here is available in Converse.js 0.8.4 and higher. Earlier versions of Converse.js might have different API methods or none at all. In the Converse.js API, you traverse towards a logical grouping, from which you can then call certain standardised accessors and mutators, such as:: .get .set .add .remove This is done to increase readability and to allow intuitive method chaining. For example, to get a contact, you would do the following:: converse.contacts.get('jid@example.com'); To get multiple contacts, just pass in an array of jids:: converse.contacts.get(['jid1@example.com', 'jid2@example.com']); To get all contacts, simply call ``get`` without any jids:: converse.contacts.get(); **Here follows now a breakdown of all API groupings and methods**: initialize ---------- .. note:: This method is the one exception of a method which is not logically grouped as explained above. Initializes converse.js. This method must always be called when using converse.js. The `initialize` method takes a map (also called a hash or dictionary) of :ref:`configuration-variables`. Example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.initialize({ allow_otr: true, auto_list_rooms: false, auto_subscribe: false, bosh_service_url: 'https://bind.example.com', hide_muc_server: false, i18n: locales['en'], keepalive: true, play_sounds: true, prebind: false, show_controlbox_by_default: true, debug: false, roster_groups: true }); send ---- Allows you to send XML stanzas. For example, to send a message stanza: .. code-block:: javascript var msg = converse.env.$msg({ from: 'juliet@example.com/balcony', to:'romeo@example.net', type:'chat' }); converse.send(msg); The "archive" grouping ---------------------- Converse.js supports the *Message Archive Management* (`XEP-0313 `_) protocol, through which it is able to query an XMPP server for archived messages. See also the **message_archiving** option in the :ref:`configuration-variables` section, which you'll usually want to in conjunction with this API. query ~~~~~ The ``query`` method is used to query for archived messages. It accepts the following optional parameters: * **options** an object containing the query parameters. Valid query parameters are ``with``, ``start``, ``end``, ``first``, ``last``, ``after``, ``before``, ``index`` and ``count``. * **callback** is the callback method that will be called when all the messages have been received. * **errback** is the callback method to be called when an error is returned by the XMPP server, for example when it doesn't support message archiving. Examples ^^^^^^^^ **Requesting all archived messages** The simplest query that can be made is to simply not pass in any parameters. Such a query will return all archived messages for the current user. Generally, you'll however always want to pass in a callback method, to receive the returned messages. .. code-block:: javascript var errback = function (iq) { // The query was not successful, perhaps inform the user? // The IQ stanza returned by the XMPP server is passed in, so that you // may inspect it and determine what the problem was. } var callback = function (messages) { // Do something with the messages, like showing them in your webpage. } converse.archive.query(callback, errback)) **Waiting until server support has been determined** The query method will only work if converse.js has been able to determine that the server supports MAM queries, otherwise the following error will be raised: - *This server does not support XEP-0313, Message Archive Management* The very first time converse.js loads in a browser tab, if you call the query API too quickly, the above error might appear because service discovery has not yet been completed. To work solve this problem, you can first listen for the ``serviceDiscovered`` event, through which you can be informed once support for MAM has been determined. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.listen.on('serviceDiscovered', function (event, feature) { if (feature.get('var') === converse.env.Strophe.NS.MAM) { converse.archive.query() } }); **Requesting all archived messages for a particular contact or room** To query for messages sent between the current user and another user or room, the query options need to contain the the JID (Jabber ID) of the user or room under the ``with`` key. .. code-block:: javascript // For a particular user converse.archive.query({'with': 'john@doe.net'}, callback, errback);) // For a particular room converse.archive.query({'with': 'discuss@conference.doglovers.net'}, callback, errback);) **Requesting all archived messages before or after a certain date** The ``start`` and ``end`` parameters are used to query for messages within a certain timeframe. The passed in date values may either be ISO8601 formatted date strings, or Javascript Date objects. .. code-block:: javascript var options = { 'with': 'john@doe.net', 'start': '2010-06-07T00:00:00Z', 'end': '2010-07-07T13:23:54Z' }; converse.archive.query(options, callback, errback); **Limiting the amount of messages returned** The amount of returned messages may be limited with the ``max`` parameter. By default, the messages are returned from oldest to newest. .. code-block:: javascript // Return maximum 10 archived messages converse.archive.query({'with': 'john@doe.net', 'max':10}, callback, errback); **Paging forwards through a set of archived messages** When limiting the amount of messages returned per query, you might want to repeatedly make a further query to fetch the next batch of messages. To simplify this usecase for you, the callback method receives not only an array with the returned archived messages, but also a special RSM (*Result Set Management*) object which contains the query parameters you passed in, as well as two utility methods ``next``, and ``previous``. When you call one of these utility methods on the returned RSM object, and then pass the result into a new query, you'll receive the next or previous batch of archived messages. Please note, when calling these methods, pass in an integer to limit your results. .. code-block:: javascript var callback = function (messages, rsm) { // Do something with the messages, like showing them in your webpage. // ... // You can now use the returned "rsm" object, to fetch the next batch of messages: converse.archive.query(rsm.next(10), callback, errback)) } converse.archive.query({'with': 'john@doe.net', 'max':10}, callback, errback); **Paging backwards through a set of archived messages** To page backwards through the archive, you need to know the UID of the message which you'd like to page backwards from and then pass that as value for the ``before`` parameter. If you simply want to page backwards from the most recent message, pass in the ``before`` parameter with an empty string value ``''``. .. code-block:: javascript converse.archive.query({'before': '', 'max':5}, function (message, rsm) { // Do something with the messages, like showing them in your webpage. // ... // You can now use the returned "rsm" object, to fetch the previous batch of messages: rsm.previous(5); // Call previous method, to update the object's parameters, // passing in a limit value of 5. // Now we query again, to get the previous batch. converse.archive.query(rsm, callback, errback); } The "connection" grouping ------------------------- This grouping collects API functions related to the XMPP connection. connected ~~~~~~~~~ A boolean attribute (i.e. not a callable) which is set to `true` or `false` depending on whether there is an established connection. disconnect ~~~~~~~~~~ Terminates the connection. The "user" grouping ------------------- This grouping collects API functions related to the current logged in user. jid ~~~ Return's the current user's full JID (Jabber ID). .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.jid() // Returns for example jc@opkode.com/conversejs-351236 login ~~~~~ Logs the user in. This method can accept a map with the credentials, like this: .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.login({ 'jid': 'dummy@example.com', 'password': 'secret' }); or it can be called without any parameters, in which case converse.js will try to log the user in by calling the `prebind_url` or `credentials_url` depending on whether prebinding is used or not. logout ~~~~~~ Log the user out of the current XMPP session. .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.logout(); The "status" sub-grouping ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Set and get the user's chat status, also called their *availability*. get ^^^ Return the current user's availability status: .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.status.get(); // Returns for example "dnd" set ^^^ The user's status can be set to one of the following values: * **away** * **dnd** * **offline** * **online** * **unavailable** * **xa** For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.status.set('dnd'); Because the user's availability is often set together with a custom status message, this method also allows you to pass in a status message as a second parameter: .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.status.set('dnd', 'In a meeting'); The "message" sub-grouping ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The ``user.status.message`` sub-grouping exposes methods for setting and retrieving the user's custom status message. .. code-block:: javascript converse.user.status.message.set('In a meeting'); converse.user.status.message.get(); // Returns "In a meeting" The "contacts" grouping ----------------------- get ~~~ This method is used to retrieve roster contacts. To get a single roster contact, call the method with the contact's JID (Jabber ID): .. code-block:: javascript converse.contacts.get('buddy@example.com') To get multiple contacts, pass in an array of JIDs: .. code-block:: javascript converse.contacts.get(['buddy1@example.com', 'buddy2@example.com']) To return all contacts, simply call ``get`` without any parameters: .. code-block:: javascript converse.contacts.get() The returned roster contact objects have these attributes: +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Attribute | | +================+=================================================================================================================+ | ask | If ask === 'subscribe', then we have asked this person to be our chat buddy. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | fullname | The person's full name. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | jid | The person's Jabber/XMPP username. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | requesting | If true, then this person is asking to be our chat buddy. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | subscription | The subscription state between the current user and this chat buddy. Can be `none`, `to`, `from` or `both`. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | id | A unique id, same as the jid. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | chat_status | The person's chat status. Can be `online`, `offline`, `busy`, `xa` (extended away) or `away`. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | user_id | The user id part of the JID (the part before the `@`). | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | resources | The known resources for this chat buddy. Each resource denotes a separate and connected chat client. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | groups | The roster groups in which this chat buddy was placed. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | status | Their human readable custom status message. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | image_type | The image's file type. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | image | The Base64 encoded image data. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | url | The buddy's website URL, as specified in their VCard data. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | vcard_updated | When last the buddy's VCard was updated. | +----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ add ~~~ Add a contact. Provide the JID of the contact you want to add: .. code-block:: javascript converse.contacts.add('buddy@example.com') You may also provide the fullname. If not present, we use the jid as fullname: .. code-block:: javascript converse.contacts.add('buddy@example.com', 'Buddy') The "chats" grouping -------------------- Note, for MUC chat rooms, you need to use the "rooms" grouping instead. get ~~~ Returns an object representing a chat box. To return a single chat box, provide the JID of the contact you're chatting with in that chat box: .. code-block:: javascript converse.chats.get('buddy@example.com') To return an array of chat boxes, provide an array of JIDs: .. code-block:: javascript converse.chats.get(['buddy1@example.com', 'buddy2@example.com']) To return all open chat boxes, call the method without any JIDs:: converse.chats.get() open ~~~~ Opens a chat box and returns an object representing a chat box. To open a single chat box, provide the JID of the contact: .. code-block:: javascript converse.chats.open('buddy@example.com') To return an array of chat boxes, provide an array of JIDs: .. code-block:: javascript converse.chats.open(['buddy1@example.com', 'buddy2@example.com']) *The returned chat box object contains the following methods:* +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | Method | Description | +=============+==========================================+ | endOTR | End an OTR (Off-the-record) session. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | get | Get an attribute (i.e. accessor). | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | initiateOTR | Start an OTR (off-the-record) session. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | maximize | Minimize the chat box. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | minimize | Maximize the chat box. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | set | Set an attribute (i.e. mutator). | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | close | Close the chat box. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ | open | Opens the chat box. | +-------------+------------------------------------------+ *The get and set methods can be used to retrieve and change the following attributes:* +-------------+-----------------------------------------------------+ | Attribute | Description | +=============+=====================================================+ | height | The height of the chat box. | +-------------+-----------------------------------------------------+ | url | The URL of the chat box heading. | +-------------+-----------------------------------------------------+ The "rooms" grouping -------------------- get ~~~ Returns an object representing a multi user chat box (room). It takes 3 parameters: * the room JID (if not specified, all rooms will be returned). * a map (object) containing any extra room attributes For example, if you want to specify the nickname, use ``{'nick': 'bloodninja'}``. Previously (before version 1.0.7, the second parameter only accepted the nickname (as a string value). This is currently still accepted, but then you can't pass in any other room attributes. If the nickname is not specified then the node part of the user's JID will be used. * a boolean, indicating whether the room should be created if not found (default: `false`) .. code-block:: javascript var nick = 'dread-pirate-roberts'; var create_if_not_found = true; converse.rooms.open('group@muc.example.com', {'nick': nick}, create_if_not_found) open ~~~~ Opens a multi user chat box and returns an object representing it. Similar to chats.get API It takes 2 parameters: * the room JID (if not specified, all rooms will be returned). * a map (object) containing any extra room attributes. For example, if you want to specify the nickname, use ``{'nick': 'bloodninja'}``. To open a single multi user chat box, provide the JID of the room: .. code-block:: javascript converse.rooms.open('group@muc.example.com') To return an array of rooms, provide an array of room JIDs: .. code-block:: javascript converse.rooms.open(['group1@muc.example.com', 'group2@muc.example.com']) To setup a custom nickname when joining the room, provide the optional nick argument: .. code-block:: javascript converse.rooms.open('group@muc.example.com', {'nick': 'mycustomnick'}) close ~~~~~ Lets you close open chat rooms. You can call this method without any arguments to close all open chat rooms, or you can specify a single JID or an array of JIDs. The "settings" grouping ----------------------- This grouping allows you to get or set the configuration settings of converse.js. get(key) ~~~~~~~~ Returns the value of a configuration settings. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.settings.get("play_sounds"); // default value returned would be false; set(key, value) or set(object) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Set one or many configuration settings. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.settings.set("play_sounds", true); or : .. code-block:: javascript converse.settings.set({ "play_sounds", true, "hide_offline_users" true }); Note, this is not an alternative to calling ``converse.initialize``, which still needs to be called. Generally, you'd use this method after converse.js is already running and you want to change the configuration on-the-fly. The "tokens" grouping --------------------- get ~~~ Returns a token, either the RID or SID token depending on what's asked for. Example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.tokens.get('rid') .. _`listen-grouping`: The "listen" grouping --------------------- Converse.js emits events to which you can subscribe from your own Javascript. Concerning events, the following methods are available under the "listen" grouping: * **on(eventName, callback, [context])**: Calling the ``on`` method allows you to subscribe to an event. Every time the event fires, the callback method specified by ``callback`` will be called. Parameters: * ``eventName`` is the event name as a string. * ``callback`` is the callback method to be called when the event is emitted. * ``context`` (optional), the value of the `this` parameter for the callback. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.listen.on('message', function (event, messageXML) { ... }); * **once(eventName, callback, [context])**: Calling the ``once`` method allows you to listen to an event exactly once. Parameters: * ``eventName`` is the event name as a string. * ``callback`` is the callback method to be called when the event is emitted. * ``context`` (optional), the value of the `this` parameter for the callback. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.listen.once('message', function (event, messageXML) { ... }); * **not(eventName, callback)** To stop listening to an event, you can use the ``not`` method. Parameters: * ``eventName`` is the event name as a string. * ``callback`` refers to the function that is to be no longer executed. For example: .. code-block:: javascript converse.listen.not('message', function (event, messageXML) { ... }); Events ====== .. note:: see also :ref:`listen-grouping` above. Event Types ----------- Here are the different events that are emitted: cachedRoster ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The contacts roster has been retrieved from the local cache (`sessionStorage`). ``converse.listen.on('cachedRoster', function (event, items) { ... });`` See also the `roster` event further down. callButtonClicked ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a call button (i.e. with class .toggle-call) on a chat box has been clicked. ``converse.listen.on('callButtonClicked', function (event, connection, model) { ... });`` chatBoxInitialized ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat box has been initialized. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatBoxInitialized', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` chatBoxOpened ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat box has been opened. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatBoxOpened', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` chatRoomOpened ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat room has been opened. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatRoomOpened', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` chatBoxClosed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat box has been closed. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatBoxClosed', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` chatBoxFocused ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the focus has been moved to a chat box. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatBoxFocused', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` chatBoxToggled ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat box has been minimized or maximized. Relevant to converse-chatview.js plugin. ``converse.listen.on('chatBoxToggled', function (event, chatbox) { ... });`` connected ~~~~~~~~~ After connection has been established and converse.js has got all its ducks in a row. ``converse.listen.on('connected', function (event) { ... });`` contactRequest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Someone has requested to subscribe to your presence (i.e. to be your contact). ``converse.listen.on('contactRequest', function (event, user_data) { ... });`` contactRemoved ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The user has removed a contact. ``converse.listen.on('contactRemoved', function (event, data) { ... });`` contactStatusChanged ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat buddy's chat status has changed. ``converse.listen.on('contactStatusChanged', function (event, buddy) { ... });`` contactStatusMessageChanged ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a chat buddy's custom status message has changed. ``converse.listen.on('contactStatusMessageChanged', function (event, data) { ... });`` disconnected ~~~~~~~~~~~~ After converse.js has disconnected from the XMPP server. ``converse.listen.on('disconnected', function (event) { ... });`` initialized ~~~~~~~~~~~ Once converse.js has been initialized. ``converse.listen.on('initialized', function (event) { ... });`` See also `pluginsInitialized`_. messageSend ~~~~~~~~~~~ When a message will be sent out. ``converse.listen.on('messageSend', function (event, messageText) { ... });`` noResumeableSession ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When keepalive=true but there aren't any stored prebind tokens. ``converse.listen.on('noResumeableSession', function (event) { ... });`` pluginsInitialized ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once all plugins have been initialized. This is a useful event if you want to register event handlers but would like your own handlers to be overridable by plugins. In that case, you need to first wait until all plugins have been initialized, so that their overrides are active. One example where this is used is in [converse-notifications.js](https://github.com/jcbrand/converse.js/blob/master/src/converse-notification.js). ``converse.listen.on('pluginsInitialized', function (event) { ... });`` reconnected ~~~~~~~~~~~ After the connection has dropped and converse.js has reconnected. Any Strophe stanza handlers (as registered via `converse.listen.stanza`) will have to be registered anew. ``converse.listen.on('reconnected', function (event) { ... });`` roomInviteSent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the user has sent out a direct invitation, to a roster contact, asking them to join a room. ``converse.listen.on('roomInvite', function (event, data) { ... });`` roomInviteReceived ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the user has sent out a direct invitation, to a roster contact, asking them to join a room. ``converse.listen.on('roomInvite', function (event, data) { ... });`` roster ~~~~~~ When the roster has been received from the XMPP server. ``converse.listen.on('roster', function (event, items) { ... });`` See also the `cachedRoster` event further up, which gets called instead of `roster` if its already in `sessionStorage`. rosterContactsFetched ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Triggered once roster contacts have been fetched. Used by the `converse-rosterview.js` plugin to know when it can start to show the roster. rosterGroupsFetched ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Triggered once roster groups have been fetched. Used by the `converse-rosterview.js` plugin to know when it can start alphabetically position roster groups. rosterPush ~~~~~~~~~~ When the roster receives a push event from server. (i.e. New entry in your buddy list) ``converse.listen.on('rosterPush', function (event, items) { ... });`` statusInitialized ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When own chat status has been initialized. ``converse.listen.on('statusInitialized', function (event, status) { ... });`` statusChanged ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When own chat status has changed. ``converse.listen.on('statusChanged', function (event, status) { ... });`` statusMessageChanged ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When own custom status message has changed. ``converse.listen.on('statusMessageChanged', function (event, message) { ... });`` serviceDiscovered ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When converse.js has learned of a service provided by the XMPP server. See XEP-0030. ``converse.listen.on('serviceDiscovered', function (event, service) { ... });`` Writing a converse.js plugin ============================ Developers are able to extend and override the objects, functions and the Backbone models and views that make up converse.js by means of writing plugins. Converse.js uses `pluggable.js `_ as its plugin architecture. To understand how this plugin architecture works, please read the `pluggable.js documentation `_ and to grok its inner workins, please refer to the `annotated source code `_. You register a converse.js plugin as follows: .. code-block:: javascript converse.plugins.add('myplugin', { // Your plugin code goes in here }); Security and access to the inner workings ----------------------------------------- The globally available ``converse`` object, which exposes the API methods, such as ``initialize`` and ``plugins.add``, is a wrapper that encloses and protects a sensitive inner object. This inner object contains all the Backbone models and views, as well as various other attributes and functions. Within a plugin, you will have access to this internal `"closured" `_ converse object, which is normally not exposed in the global variable scope. The hiding of this inner object is due to the fact that it contains sensitive information, such as the user's JID and password (if they logged in manually). You should therefore make sure NOT to expose this object globally. An example plugin ----------------- .. code-block:: javascript (function (root, factory) { if (typeof define === 'function' && define.amd) { // AMD. Register as a module called "myplugin" define("myplugin", ["converse"], factory); } else { // Browser globals. If you're not using a module loader such as require.js, // then this line below executes. Make sure that your plugin's