Make add-on store base end point part of the public API

[seanbudd]

Link to issue number:

Relates to #14974

Summary of the issue:

Add-on authors wish to have a stable API so that they can change the base URL of the add-on store.
This allows add-ons to use a mirror for the add-on store.

Description of user facing changes

None

Description of development approach

Change BASE_URL for the add-on store to be public

Testing strategy:

Confirm with add-on authors that changes are sufficient

Known issues with pull request:

None

Code Review Checklist:

• Documentation:
  • Change log entry
  • User Documentation
  • Developer / Technical Documentation
  • Context sensitive help for GUI changes
• Testing:
  • Unit tests
  • System (end to end) tests
  • Manual testing
• UX of all users considered:
  • Speech
  • Braille
  • Low Vision
  • Different web browsers
  • Localization in other languages / culture than English
• API is compatible with existing add-ons.
• Security precautions taken.

[seanbudd]

@cary-rowen can you confirm that these changes are sufficient to create a stable API for your mirroring add-on?

[LeonarddeR]

Isn't it possible to provide a default host that is also available from China? Why not use github pages, for example?

[seanbudd]

@LeonarddeR - I would consider that out of scope and somewhat covered by #14974
I'm not sure if GitHub pages supports the functionality we need and use on the server, it would require a separate investigation

[lukaszgo1]

Note that Add-on Updater allows user to select one of the supported mirrors from its GUI, which IMHO is a much nicer UX. While I don't think we should promote any particular mirrors in NVDA as such, offering ability to add an URL from the config dialog seems much better than just making API for add-ons more stable.

[cary-rowen]

Hi @seanbudd,
I haven't tested this yet, but I think that this might not be the best solution, In China, in addition to the add-on store mirror of NVDA, we have created an updated mirror of NVDA.
The ideal effect may be that users can smoothly use the NVDA add-on store and automatic updates without installing mirror add-on.
Because users cannot access the add-on store until the mirror add-on is installed.

[seanbudd]

Hi @cary-rowen, as mentioned earlier, that is out of scope of what we are trying to do here, the issue exists to track that further work. Now that the add-on API is considered stable we can ensure the API your add-on needs is stable.

[cary-rowen]

If only exposing the add-on store API is considered then this can be considered stable.