chrome/common/extensions/docs/templates/articles/hosting.html

   1 <h1>Hosting</h1>
   2
   3 <p>
   4 This page tells you how to host <code>.crx</code> files
   5 on your own server.
   6 If you distribute your extension, app, or theme solely through the
   7 <a href="http://chrome.google.com/webstore">Chrome Web Store</a>,
   8 you don't need this page.
   9 Instead, consult the
  10 <a href="http://www.google.com/support/chrome_webstore/">store help</a> and
  11 <a href="http://code.google.com/chrome/webstore/index.html">developer documentation</a>.
  12 </p>
  13
  14 <p>
  15 By convention, extensions,
  16 installable web apps, and themes are served&mdash;whether
  17 by the Chrome Web Store or by a custom server&mdash;as
  18 <code>.crx</code> files.
  19 When you upload a ZIP file with the
  20 <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard">Chrome Developer Dashboard</a>,
  21 the dashboard creates the <code>.crx</code> file for you.
  22 </p>
  23
  24 <p>
  25 If you aren't publishing using the dashboard,
  26 you need to create the <code>.crx</code> file yourself,
  27 as described in <a href="packaging.html">Packaging</a>.
  28 You can also specify
  29 <a href="autoupdate.html">autoupdate</a> information to ensure that
  30 your users will have the latest copy of the <code>.crx</code> file.
  31 </p>
  32
  33 <p>
  34 A server that hosts <code>.crx</code> files
  35 must use appropriate HTTP headers,
  36 so that users can install the file
  37 by clicking a link to it.
  38 </p>
  39
  40 <p>
  41 Google Chrome considers a file to be installable
  42 if <b>either</b> of the following is true:
  43 </p>
  44
  45 <ul>
  46   <li>
  47     The file has the content type
  48     <code>application/x-chrome-extension</code>
  49   </li>
  50   <li>
  51     The file suffix is <code>.crx</code>
  52     and <b>both</b> of the following are true:
  53     <ul>
  54       <li>
  55         The file <b>is not</b> served with
  56         the HTTP header <code>X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff</code>
  57       </li>
  58       <li>
  59         The file <b>is</b> served
  60         with one of the following content types:
  61         <ul>
  62           <li> empty string </li>
  63           <li> "text/plain" </li>
  64           <li> "application/octet-stream" </li>
  65           <li> "unknown/unknown" </li>
  66           <li> "application/unknown" </li>
  67           <li> "*/*" </li>
  68         </ul>
  69       </li>
  70     </ul>
  71   </li>
  72 </ul>
  73
  74 <p>
  75 The most common reason for failing to recognize an installable file
  76 is that the server sends the header
  77 <code>X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff</code>.
  78 The second most common reason
  79 is that the server sends an unknown content type&mdash;one
  80 that isn't in the previous list.
  81 To fix an HTTP header issue,
  82 either change the configuration of the server
  83 or try hosting the <code>.crx</code> file at another server.
  84 </p>