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WebUSB extension for Firefox using native messaging to enable USB device access from web pages
npx skill4agent add aradotso/trending-skills awawausb-webusb-firefoxSkill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.
awawausbnavigator.usb.xpiWeb Page (navigator.usb)
↕ WebExtension API
Firefox Extension (extension/)
↕ Native Messaging (stdio, JSON-framed)
Native Stub Binary (native-stub/ — Rust)
↕ OS USB APIs (WinUSB / libusb / IOKit)
USB Device.xpiabout:debuggingextension/manifest.json# Linux / macOS
./install.sh
# Windows
install.bat# Clone
git clone https://github.com/ArcaneNibble/awawausb
cd awawausb/native-stub
# Default build (host platform)
cargo build --release| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| macOS | Should "just work"; vendored |
| Linux | Uses musl libc by default for static binaries; glibc builds work but untested |
| Windows | Uses mingw-w64 UCRT ( |
# Install mingw-w64, then:
rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-gnullvm
cargo build --release --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnullvm{
"name": "awawausb_native_stub",
"description": "Allows WebUSB extension to access USB devices",
"path": "/absolute/path/to/awawausb-native-stub",
"type": "stdio",
"allowed_extensions": ["awawausb@arcanenibble.com"]
}path"awawausb-native-stub.exe"# Global
/Library/Application Support/Mozilla/NativeMessagingHosts/awawausb_native_stub.json
# User-local
~/Library/Application Support/Mozilla/NativeMessagingHosts/awawausb_native_stub.json# Global
/usr/lib/mozilla/native-messaging-hosts/awawausb_native_stub.json
/usr/lib64/mozilla/native-messaging-hosts/awawausb_native_stub.json
# User-local
~/.mozilla/native-messaging-hosts/awawausb_native_stub.json# Global
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\awawausb_native_stub
# User-local
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\awawausb_native_stub.json#!/usr/bin/env bash
STUB_PATH="$(pwd)/native-stub/target/release/awawausb-native-stub"
MANIFEST_DIR="$HOME/.mozilla/native-messaging-hosts"
mkdir -p "$MANIFEST_DIR"
cat > "$MANIFEST_DIR/awawausb_native_stub.json" <<EOF
{
"name": "awawausb_native_stub",
"description": "Allows WebUSB extension to access USB devices",
"path": "$STUB_PATH",
"type": "stdio",
"allowed_extensions": ["awawausb@arcanenibble.com"]
}
EOF
echo "Native manifest written to $MANIFEST_DIR/awawausb_native_stub.json"#!/usr/bin/env bash
STUB_PATH="$(pwd)/native-stub/target/release/awawausb-native-stub"
MANIFEST_DIR="$HOME/Library/Application Support/Mozilla/NativeMessagingHosts"
mkdir -p "$MANIFEST_DIR"
cat > "$MANIFEST_DIR/awawausb_native_stub.json" <<EOF
{
"name": "awawausb_native_stub",
"description": "Allows WebUSB extension to access USB devices",
"path": "$STUB_PATH",
"type": "stdio",
"allowed_extensions": ["awawausb@arcanenibble.com"]
}
EOF$stubPath = "C:\path\to\awawausb-native-stub.exe"
$manifestPath = "C:\ProgramData\Mozilla\awawausb_native_stub.json"
$manifest = @{
name = "awawausb_native_stub"
description = "Allows WebUSB extension to access USB devices"
path = $stubPath
type = "stdio"
allowed_extensions = @("awawausb@arcanenibble.com")
} | ConvertTo-Json
Set-Content -Path $manifestPath -Value $manifest
# Register for current user
New-Item -Path "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\awawausb_native_stub" -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\awawausb_native_stub" `
-Name "(Default)" -Value $manifestPathnavigator.usb// Request a device (requires user gesture)
async function connectDevice() {
try {
const device = await navigator.usb.requestDevice({
filters: [
{ vendorId: 0x1234 }, // by vendor
{ vendorId: 0x5678, productId: 0x9abc }, // by vendor+product
{ classCode: 0xff } // by class
]
});
await device.open();
await device.selectConfiguration(1);
await device.claimInterface(0);
// Send data
const data = new Uint8Array([0x01, 0x02, 0x03]);
await device.transferOut(1, data);
// Receive data
const result = await device.transferIn(1, 64);
console.log('Received:', new Uint8Array(result.data.buffer));
await device.close();
} catch (err) {
console.error('USB error:', err);
}
}
// List previously-authorized devices
async function listDevices() {
const devices = await navigator.usb.getDevices();
devices.forEach(d => {
console.log(`${d.manufacturerName} ${d.productName} (${d.vendorId}:${d.productId})`);
});
}
// Watch for connect/disconnect
navigator.usb.addEventListener('connect', e => {
console.log('Device connected:', e.device);
});
navigator.usb.addEventListener('disconnect', e => {
console.log('Device disconnected:', e.device);
});Note: The WebUSB API is only available on the main page — not in Web Workers.
| OS | Requirement |
|---|---|
| macOS | 10.15+; macOS 12 recommended |
| Windows | Windows 10+ (WinUSB driver required for target device) |
| Linux | Kernel 4.8+; udev daemon; |
# /etc/udev/rules.d/99-webusb.rules
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="1234", ATTR{idProduct}=="5678", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger⚠️ Switching to WinUSB removes the device from other Windows subsystems (e.g., a printer will no longer appear as a printer).
"path"chmod +x /path/to/awawausb-native-stubabout:debugging# Verify udev is running and broadcasting on NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT group 2
udevadm monitor --udev --subsystem-match=usb
# Check kernel version
uname -r # must be >= 4.8# Install musl target
rustup target add x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
# Install musl toolchain (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt install musl-tools
cargo build --release --target x86_64-unknown-linux-muslexecuname -m