How does Spotify create borderless popup windows in Chrome browser

[sofia_scribbles]

I noticed something interesting when using Spotify in Chrome recently. There’s a specific button that when clicked opens up a really unique type of popup window. This isn’t your typical popup that gets blocked by browsers. Instead it creates a completely separate window that doesn’t have the usual operating system controls like minimize, maximize, or close buttons at the top.

I’ve been trying to figure out how they accomplish this technical effect. I searched through their JavaScript code but couldn’t locate the specific implementation. Has anyone encountered this type of borderless window creation before? What API or method allows developers to spawn windows without the standard OS chrome and bypass popup blockers?

This seems like a pretty advanced web development technique that I haven’t seen used elsewhere. Any insights into how this works would be really helpful.

[FlyingStar]

You’re probably seeing Chrome’s Picture-in-Picture API or the newer Window Management API in action. Spotify’s been testing these browser features to make those floating windows without borders. Unlike regular popups, these APIs need user interaction first and they’re built for legit uses, not spam ads. I tried building something similar for a media player - the old window.open() trick barely works anymore because browsers block it. What actually works is combining navigator.mediaSession with Picture-in-Picture. You get way more control over how the window looks and acts. You’ll need to request permissions and use Chrome’s experimental APIs, but they’re slowly becoming standard across all browsers.

[byteBard_007]

The Problem:

You’re encountering difficulties creating a borderless popup window in a web browser, similar to the behavior observed in a Spotify Chrome extension. Standard popup blockers and window manipulation techniques aren’t working, and you’re seeking a robust and reliable method to achieve this effect across different browsers.

Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):

Creating borderless popup windows that bypass standard browser popup blockers requires leveraging modern browser APIs designed for legitimate use cases, rather than relying on older, less reliable methods like manipulating window.open parameters. Simply setting parameters like chrome=no or toolbar=no is insufficient and increasingly unreliable due to browser security improvements. Modern browsers actively prevent or restrict the creation of windows that lack standard OS controls unless done through officially supported APIs. These APIs often require user interaction or explicit permissions before allowing the creation of such windows. The behavior you see in Spotify likely utilizes one or more of these advanced APIs.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Utilize Automation for Cross-Browser Compatibility: Manually handling the complexities of browser APIs like the Picture-in-Picture API and Window Management API (especially for cross-browser compatibility) is exceedingly difficult and time-consuming. An automated workflow significantly simplifies this process. Such a workflow would monitor user interactions, dynamically determine the most appropriate API for the user’s browser, and handle any necessary fallbacks if specific features aren’t supported. This automated approach ensures a more consistent and reliable user experience across different browsers without requiring extensive manual coding and maintenance.

2. Consider a Dedicated Automation Service: Services designed for creating and managing such workflows are available. These services often provide pre-built integrations and handle the complexities of cross-browser compatibility, permission requests, and error handling. They abstract away much of the low-level browser API interaction, allowing you to focus on the higher-level logic of your application.

3. Implement Robust Error Handling: Regardless of your chosen approach, meticulous error handling is crucial. Consider scenarios where specific APIs might not be supported or where user permissions are denied. Provide informative feedback to the user in the event of failure, instead of silently failing.

4. Test Thoroughly Across Multiple Browsers: After implementing your solution (either manual API calls or via an automation service), test extensively on multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) to ensure consistent behavior. Pay particular attention to edge cases and different browser versions.

Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:

• Browser API Support: The availability and behavior of APIs like the Picture-in-Picture API and Window Management API may vary across different browser versions and platforms. Consult the official browser documentation for detailed compatibility information.

• Permission Handling: Ensure you correctly request and handle user permissions. Don’t assume permissions are granted automatically. Inform the user why permissions are necessary and handle scenarios where permissions are denied gracefully.

• Security Considerations: Be mindful of security implications when working with browser APIs that allow window creation and manipulation. Avoid creating vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.

Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!

[aroberts]

yeah, i think they use window.open with some special params like ‘chrome=no’ or ‘toolbar=no’. it’s a pretty neat trick, but honestly, browser support can be kinda inconsistent, so you might get some weird results sometimes lol.