3.9 KiB
Browser Builds
Status: draft | Updated 2026-07-07 | Applies to: AMPB desktop and mobile builders
AMPB browser builds must keep source checkouts, object directories, toolchain caches, and
temporary artifacts outside this repository. The default local workspace is
/tmp/ampb-browser-build.
Runtime Targets
- Desktop: bundled Firefox/Gecko-lineage AMPB app.
- Android: bundled GeckoView/Fenix/Tor Browser Android-lineage AMPB app.
- iOS: AMPB-owned iOS shell with platform WebKit constraints and embedded transports.
- Tor hardening: track Tor Browser behavior before claiming Tor Browser equivalence.
Workspace
Create a local build workspace:
sh tools/browser-build-workspace.sh
Override the root when needed:
AMPB_BROWSER_BUILD_ROOT=/tmp/ampb-browser-build sh tools/browser-build-workspace.sh
The script creates:
/tmp/ampb-browser-build/src/tmp/ampb-browser-build/obj/tmp/ampb-browser-build/cache/tmp/ampb-browser-build/artifacts/tmp/ampb-browser-build/logs
Desktop Build Probe
Desktop is the first browser proof. The probe uses the current Gecko checkout and writes
its mozconfig, object directory, caches, and logs under /tmp.
Print the desktop build entrypoint help:
sh tools/browser-desktop-build-probe.sh
Run the first desktop configure probe:
AMPB_DESKTOP_BUILD_PROBE_MODE=configure sh tools/browser-desktop-build-probe.sh
The probe writes:
/tmp/ampb-browser-build/mozconfigs/desktop-debug.mozconfig/tmp/ampb-browser-build/obj/gecko-desktop-debug/tmp/ampb-browser-build/logs/gecko-desktop-mach-help.log/tmp/ampb-browser-build/logs/gecko-desktop-mach-configure.log
Configure mode may install Mozilla build Python helpers such as zstandard into mach
virtualenvs under /tmp/ampb-browser-build/cache/mozbuild.
Source Plan
Print the canonical source targets and paths:
sh tools/browser-source-plan.sh
Clone or refresh the source trees under /tmp:
sh tools/browser-source-sync.sh
Report checked-out source revisions:
sh tools/browser-source-report.sh
Defaults:
- Current Gecko / Firefox Android source:
https://github.com/mozilla/gecko-dev.git - Tor Browser build recipes:
https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser-build.git - Legacy archived Android layout reference:
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-android.git
Override repositories for experiments without editing the repo:
AMPB_GECKO_REPO=https://github.com/mozilla/gecko-dev.git sh tools/browser-source-sync.sh
The legacy Firefox Android repository is archived and should not be treated as the current
source of truth. Clone it only when comparing older fenix, focus-android, or
android-components layout:
AMPB_INCLUDE_LEGACY_FIREFOX_ANDROID=1 sh tools/browser-source-sync.sh
Android Build Probe
Android remains a first-class target, but it follows the desktop proof. Run the first
Android build-discovery command from the /tmp checkout while keeping
Gradle, pip, Python bytecode, and Mozilla build state in /tmp:
sh tools/browser-android-build-probe.sh
The probe writes its log to
/tmp/ampb-browser-build/logs/gecko-android-mach-probe.log.
This first probe intentionally asks mach for Android build help instead of compiling the
world. It verifies that the current Gecko checkout, mach, Python virtualenv state, and
Android build command entry point can initialize from /tmp before a longer bootstrap or
compile run.
Repo Rule
Keep only repeatable scripts, clean docs, and small AMPB source changes in this repo. Do not commit Firefox source trees, GeckoView checkouts, Tor Browser build trees, browser object directories, SDK downloads, signing material, generated profiles, release artifacts, or machine-local notes.
Rebuild Notes
Public rebuild docs should be general and credential-free. Private signing, release, account, and machine inventory notes belong outside public docs.