# MetaMask Plugin [](https://circleci.com/gh/MetaMask/metamask-plugin)
## Developing Compatible Dapps
If you're a web dapp developer, we've got two types of guides for you:
- If you've never built a Dapp before, we've got a gentle introduction on [Developing Dapps with Truffle and MetaMask ](https://blog.metamask.io/developing-for-metamask-with-truffle/ ).
- If you have a Dapp, and you want to ensure compatibility, [here is our guide on building MetaMask-compatible Dapps ](https://github.com/MetaMask/faq/blob/master/DEVELOPERS.md )
## Building locally
- Install [Node.js ](https://nodejs.org/en/ ) version 6.3.1 or later.
- Install local dependencies with `npm install` .
- Install gulp globally with `npm install -g gulp-cli` .
- Build the project to the `./dist/` folder with `gulp build` .
- Optionally, to rebuild on file changes, run `gulp dev` .
- To package .zip files for distribution, run `gulp zip` , or run the full build & zip with `gulp dist` .
Uncompressed builds can be found in `/dist` , compressed builds can be found in `/builds` once they're built.
## Architecture
[][1]
## Development
```bash
npm install
```
#### In Chrome
Open `Settings` > `Extensions` .
Check "Developer mode".
At the top, click `Load Unpacked Extension` .
Navigate to your `metamask-plugin/dist/chrome` folder.
Click `Select` .
You now have the plugin, and can click 'inspect views: background plugin' to view its dev console.
#### In Firefox
Go to the url `about:debugging` .
Click the button `Load Temporary Add-On` .
Select the file `dist/firefox/manifest.json` .
You can optionally enable debugging, and click `Debug` , for a console window that logs all of Metamask's processes to a single console.
If you have problems debugging, try connecting to the IRC channel `#webextensions` on `irc.mozilla.org` .
For longer questions, use the StackOverfow tag `firefox-addons` .
### Developing on UI Only
You can run `npm run ui` , and your browser should open a live-reloading demo version of the plugin UI.
Some actions will crash the app, so this is only for tuning aesthetics, but it allows live-reloading styles, which is a much faster feedback loop than reloading the full extension.
### Developing on UI with Mocked Background Process
You can run `npm run mock` and your browser should open a live-reloading demo version of the plugin UI, just like the `npm run ui` , except that it tries to actually perform all normal operations.
It does not yet connect to a real blockchain (this could be a good test feature later, connecting to a test blockchain), so only local operations work.
You can reset the mock ui at any time with the `Reset` button at the top of the screen.
### Developing on Dependencies
To enjoy the live-reloading that `gulp dev` offers while working on the `web3-provider-engine` or other dependencies:
1. Clone the dependency locally.
2. `npm install` in its folder.
3. Run `npm link` in its folder.
4. Run `npm link $DEP_NAME` in this project folder.
5. Next time you `gulp dev` it will watch the dependency for changes as well!
### Running Tests
Requires `mocha` installed. Run `npm install -g mocha` .
Then just run `npm test` .
You can also test with a continuously watching process, via `npm run watch` .
You can run the linter by itself with `gulp lint` .
### Deploying the UI
You must be authorized already on the MetaMask plugin.
0. Update the version in `app/manifest.json` and the Changelog in `CHANGELOG.md` .
1. Visit [the chrome developer dashboard ](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard?authuser=2 ).
2. Run `gulp dist` (or `gulp zip` if you've already built)
3. Upload the latest zip file from `builds/metamask-$PLATFORM-$VERSION.zip` as the updated package.
[1]: http://www.nomnoml.com/#view/%5B%3Cactor%3Euser%5D%0A%0A%5Bmetamask-ui%7C%0A%20%20%20%5Btools%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%20react%0A%20%20%20%20%20redux%0A%20%20%20%20%20thunk%0A%20%20%20%20%20ethUtils%0A%20%20%20%20%20jazzicon%0A%20%20%20%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Bcomponents%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%20app%0A%20%20%20%20%20account-detail%0A%20%20%20%20%20accounts%0A%20%20%20%20%20locked-screen%0A%20%20%20%20%20restore-vault%0A%20%20%20%20%20identicon%0A%20%20%20%20%20config%0A%20%20%20%20%20info%0A%20%20%20%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Breducers%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%20app%0A%20%20%20%20%20metamask%0A%20%20%20%20%20identities%0A%20%20%20%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Bactions%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%5BaccountManager%5D%0A%20%20%20%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Bcomponents%5D%3A-%3E%5Bactions%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Bactions%5D%3A-%3E%5Breducers%5D%0A%20%20%20%5Breducers%5D%3A-%3E%5Bcomponents%5D%0A%5D%0A%0A%5Bweb%20dapp%7C%0A%20%20%5Bui%20code%5D%0A%20%20%5Bweb3%5D%0A%20%20%5Bmetamask-inpage%5D%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%5B%3Cactor%3Eui%20developer%5D%0A%20%20%5Bui%20developer%5D-%3E%5Bui%20code%5D%0A%20%20%5Bui%20code%5D%3C-%3E%5Bweb3%5D%0A%20%20%5Bweb3%5D%3C-%3E%5Bmetamask-inpage%5D%0A%5D%0A%0A%5Bmetamask-background%7C%0A%20%20%5Bprovider-engine%5D%0A%20%20%5Bhooked%20wallet%20subprovider%5D%0A%20%20%5Bid%20store%5D%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%5Bprovider-engine%5D%3C-%3E%5Bhooked%20wallet%20subprovider%5D%0A%20%20%5Bhooked%20wallet%20subprovider%5D%3C-%3E%5Bid%20store%5D%0A%20%20%5Bconfig%20manager%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%5Brpc%20configuration%5D%0A%20%20%20%20%5Bencrypted%20keys%5D%0A%20%20%20%20%5Bwallet%20nicknames%5D%0A%20%20%5D%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%5Bprovider-engine%5D%3C-%5Bconfig%20manager%5D%0A%20%20%5Bid%20store%5D%3C-%3E%5Bconfig%20manager%5D%0A%5D%0A%0A%5Buser%5D%3C-%3E%5Bmetamask-ui%5D%0A%0A%5Buser%5D%3C%3A--%3A%3E%5Bweb%20dapp%5D%0A%0A%5Bmetamask-contentscript%7C%0A%20%20%5Bplugin%20restart%20detector%5D%0A%20%20%5Brpc%20passthrough%5D%0A%5D%0A%0A%5Brpc%20%7C%0A%20%20%5Bethereum%20blockchain%20%7C%0A%20%20%20%20%5Bcontracts%5D%0A%20%20%20%20%5Baccounts%5D%0A%20%20%5D%0A%5D%0A%0A%5Bweb%20dapp%5D%3C%3A--%3A%3E%5Bmetamask-contentscript%5D%0A%5Bmetamask-contentscript%5D%3C-%3E%5Bmetamask-background%5D%0A%5Bmetamask-background%5D%3C-%3E%5Bmetamask-ui%5D%0A%5Bmetamask-background%5D%3C-%3E%5Brpc%5D%0A
